Head of Executive Search, Business Recruiting

About the role

We are seeking a Head of Executive Search to build and lead a centralized, specialized function responsible for global leadership hiring across sales, marketing, technical solutions, and G&A. This role will bring consistency, rigor, and strategic ownership to Senior Director, VP, and SVP hiring while partnering closely with executive stakeholders to deliver high-impact talent outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end strategy and execution for Senior Director, VP, and SVP searches, with dotted line to APAC
• Recruit highly confidential searches end to end, taking on execution responsibilities when needed
• Build and lead a specialized executive search team, including defining operating rhythms and performance expectations
• Establish and operationalize a standardized leadership hiring playbook, including executive assessment frameworks, confidentiality protocols, and stakeholder governance
• Partner directly with C-suite, VP, and SVP stakeholders to drive alignment, calibration, and high-quality hiring decisions
• Develop proactive, long-term pipelines for critical leadership roles while producing market intelligence to inform talent and organizational strategy
• Define and execute an agency engagement and executive candidate closing strategy to reduce external spend and deliver a high-touch candidate experience

Requirements

Experienced executive search leader with a track record of delivering Senior Director+ hires in complex, global organizations

Skilled at building and scaling teams, with the ability to set clear standards and drive consistent execution

Trusted partner to senior executives, with strong communication skills and the ability to influence and navigate complex decision-making

Adept at executive assessment, market mapping, and proactive pipeline development

Data-driven in approach, using metrics and insights to improve hiring outcomes and inform strategy

High integrity operator with experience managing confidential and sensitive searches

Qualifications

Experience in a similar role within a large organization

Proven track record of delivering Senior Director+ hires

Strong understanding of executive assessment and market mapping

Experience in building and leading a specialized executive search team

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Skills

• Executive search expertise
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Confidentiality and ethical conduct
• Market intelligence and trend analysis
• Team management and leadership
• Effective communication and stakeholder management

Benefits

Opportunity to build and scale a global executive search function from the ground up

High visibility role partnering with executive leadership on critical hiring decisions

To shape leadership hiring strategy and influence organizational growth

Professional development through complex, high-impact search engagements

Collaborative, cross-functional work environment

Exposure to global markets and leadership talent ecosystems

Pay

The reasonably estimated yearly salary for this role at Datadog is: $173,000—$253,000 USD

Schedule

Hybrid workplace to ensure our Datadogs can create a work-life harmony that best fits them