Head of ARC (Activation, Research & Community)

About the role

The Head of ARC (Activation, Research & Community) is responsible for building and leading a team that will redefine what a modern talent function looks like. This role involves mapping the talent constellation, developing proactive engagement strategies, and building an external talent community.

Responsibilities

• Map the Constellation: Build and own Clay's talent intelligence infrastructure, including a system of record, market mapping, exec-level relationship programming, and signal monitoring.
• Develop Proactive Engagement Strategies: Create touch points, rituals, and outreach sequences to keep Clay's talent constellation warm and ensure candidates respond to invitations.
• Translate Talent Intelligence: Turn talent intelligence into activation by creating sourcing motions that are faster and more precise than traditional methods.
• Build the Network: Design and run an external talent community that serves both Clay's pipeline and customers' hiring needs, especially in the GTME space.
• Match People to Opportunities: Partner with GTM and customer-facing teams to make the talent community engaging and valuable.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in talent acquisition, executive search, venture capital, or a senior recruiting function with meaningful ownership of sourcing strategy.
• Demonstrated experience building proactive talent programs, such as market mapping, exec relationship management, and talent networks.
• Fluency with modern sourcing tools and data enrichment; hands-on experience with Clay or similar platforms is a plus.
• Experience designing referral programs, talent communities, or network-based sourcing at scale.
• Prior experience building a function or team from scratch.

Core Competencies

• Systems thinker who can balance strategic vision with operational detail.
• Genuinely curious about the intersection of product, data, and finding exceptional people.
• Exceptional people leader with a strong ability to build relationships and handle ambiguity.
• Bias toward experimentation and learning through testing.