Senior Executive Talent Partner

Job description

At Curriculum Associates, we believe in the potential of every child and are changing the face of education technology with award-winning learning programs like i-Ready that serve a third of the nation’s K–8 students. For more than 50 years, our commitment to making classrooms better places, serving educators, and supporting accessible learning experiences for all students has driven the continuous improvement of our innovative programs. Our team of more than 2,500 employees is composed of lifelong learners who stand behind this mission, working tirelessly to serve the educational community with world-class programs and support every day. Curriculum Associates is a mission-driven K–8 education company, and our leaders play a direct part in how we support educators and students. The Senior Executive Recruiter owns the search process for our most senior and business-critical roles, including Director, VP, and C-suite positions, as well as hard-to-fill specialized leadership roles. This is a senior individual contributor role. You will act as a strategic talent advisor to executives and hiring leaders, shaping search strategy, building relationships with leaders in and beyond education, and delivering an exceptional candidate experience that reflects our values. The impact you’ll have: Lead end-to-end executive searches · Own the full search lifecycle, from intake and role definition through sourcing, assessment, offer negotiation, and close · Partner with hiring executives to define success profiles, search criteria, and realistic timelines · Run confidential searches with discretion and sound judgment Advise as a strategic talent partner · Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and the executive team on leadership hiring, market trends, compensation benchmarks, and talent availability · Translate business strategy and workforce planning into clear executive talent plans · Provide candid guidance on search scope, candidate fit, and tradeoffs Source and build executive talent pipelines · Develop proactive sourcing strategies to reach passive candidates, including leaders from education, ed-tech, and adjacent industries · Build and maintain a network of senior leaders, industry contacts, and external search partners · Maintain warm pipelines for anticipated future leadership needs Assess and evaluate candidates · Conduct in-depth screening and structured interviews to evaluate leadership capability, mission alignment, and cultural contribution · Design and facilitate interview plans and panels that are consistent, fair, and evidence-based · Synthesize feedback and present clear, well-supported recommendations to decision makers Drive an inclusive and equitable process · Build diverse slates and apply inclusive hiring practices throughout the search · Coach interviewers on bias awareness and structured evaluation · Help ensure every candidate is treated with respect and transparency Negotiate and close · Partner with Total Rewards and HR leadership on offer structure, executive compensation, and equity considerations · Guide candidates through negotiation, relocation, and onboarding transitions · Support early-stage integration of new executives in partnership with HR and hiring leaders Manage external search partners · Select, direct, and evaluate retained search firms when appropriate · Ensure external partners represent our brand and mission well and deliver quality results Improve the executive hiring function · Contribute to the design of executive hiring standards, tools, and best practices · Track and report on search metrics, pipeline health, and quality of hire · Use applicant tracking system data and market intelligence to continuously improve outcomes · Mentor other recruiters and share executive search expertise across the Talent Acquisition team Success in This Role Looks Like: · Senior leadership searches are filled with high-quality, mission-aligned leaders within agreed timelines · Hiring executives view you as a credible, strategic partner · Candidates, whether hired or not, describe a professional and respectful experience · Executive pipelines are strong, diverse, and ready ahead of need What we’re looking for: · 10+ years of progressive recruiting experience, including 5+ years leading executive or senior leadership searches (Director, VP, and C-suite), in corporate talent acquisition, retained search, or both · Demonstrated track record of closing confidential, high-stakes searches and delivering high-quality hires within agreed timelines · Experience advising senior executives on search strategy, candidate assessment, market conditions, and executive compensation · Proven ability to source passive candidates and build executive networks through direct outreach, referrals, and relationship building · Skill in structured interviewing and leadership assessment, with the judgment to evaluate both capability and mission alignment · Experience negotiating complex executive offers, including base, incentive, equity, and relocation, in partnership with Total Rewards or HR · Experience building diverse candidate slates and applying inclusive, evidence-based hiring practices · Strong communication, discretion, and influencing skills, with credibility at the executive level · Proficiency with applicant tracking systems and recruiting data, including pipeline and search metrics reporting Benefits and Pay Range: Pay Range – This role’s range is $93,250 - $166,250 The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that Curriculum Associates considers in making compensation decisions based on our Compensation Philosophy. Actual base pay within that range will vary based upon several factors including, but not limited to, prior experience and relevant skill sets. At Curriculum Associates, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances for each case. This role is also eligible to participate in the company bonus plan. The Company recognizes that minimum wage varies by location and will ensure all compensation decisions comply with applicable state and local laws. Benefits – Benefit eligible employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401k plan and receive an employer match. Employees have access to a flexible vacation and sick policy in addition to twelve paid holidays and a winter office closure between Christmas and New Year's, as well as a number of additional perks and benefits. Application deadline: October 31, 2026. This is subject to close earlier if there is a high volume of applicants or a qualified hire is made.