Lead the talent acquisition strategy, build a recruiting engine, define competency frameworks, and personally source senior talent to support company growth.
Head of Talent, Liberate
Location: SF Bay Area or Boston (strong preference). Exceptional candidates remote considered.
Why this role exists
- We are entering our next phase of scale. Product market fit is strong. Customer demand is real. The constraint is talent.
- We are looking for a wartime Head of Talent to build a high-velocity, high-bar hiring engine that directly accelerates revenue and product velocity.
- This is not an HR role. This is a growth-critical leadership role.
Build the hiring machine
- Design and operationalize a repeatable recruiting engine.
- Define clear competency frameworks and structured interview rubrics.
- Instrument funnel metrics and continuously improve conversion and velocity.
- Reduce dependency on agencies by building proprietary pipeline.
Raise and protect the talent bar
- Partner with founders and functional leaders to codify what “exceptional” means.
- Enforce structured calibration across interview loops.
- Maintain disciplined pass rates and minimize interview waste.
- Develop instinct and pattern recognition for identifying truly exceptional talent.
Generate elite pipeline
- Personally source senior engineering, product, and GTM talent.
- Leverage and expand your own deep network.
- Operationalize referral extraction from every new hire.
- Create a culture where recruiting is everyone’s job.
Move with intensity
- Compress time-to-interview and time-to-offer.
- Compete effectively against top AI and infrastructure companies.
- Drive urgency across the organization.
Build the function
- Hire and develop high-performing recruiters and sourcing specialists.
- Likely structure: player-coach + sourcing-heavy IC to start.
- Evolve the talent function as the company scales.
What we’re looking for
Stage fit
- Experience scaling high-growth companies (Series A/B/C or similar).
- Proven ability to build recruiting systems from scratch.
- Has personally executed senior searches, not just managed teams.
Network density
- Deep engineering and/or product network.
- Ability to activate meaningful pipeline within weeks, not months.
Builder mindset
- Comfortable operating without heavy infrastructure.
- Willing to roll up sleeves and source directly.
- Strategic but not fluffy.
Taste and judgment
- Clear, articulate view of what exceptional talent looks like.
- Ability to distinguish great from good quickly and consistently.
Operational rigor
- Data-driven funnel management.
- Structured interview design and calibration experience.
- Strong ability to prioritize when every role feels P0.
What this is not
- Not a purely HR or People Operations role.
- Not a big-tech recruiting management position with large existing teams.
- Not a “process-only” strategist.
What success looks like
Within 6–12 months:
- Clear competency frameworks across core functions.
- High signal top-of-funnel pipeline built through network and referrals.
- Reduced agency dependency.
- Compressed interview cycle times.
- Measurable increase in talent density.
Total Compensation Range
$180,000 - $220,000
Why join
You will build the talent engine that shapes the trajectory of the company. This role has direct leverage on product velocity, customer delivery, and long-term competitive advantage.
Liberate Innovations Berkeley, California, USA Office
2120 University Ave, Berkeley, California, United States, 94704
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