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Kraken (Payward) is seeking an Executive Search Lead to own executive recruiting end-to-end across the Payward platform, which includes Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services, and CF Benchmarks. This role reports to the Global Head of Talent Acquisition with a dotted line to the Chief People Officer.
You will manage executive searches spanning C-level, Board, VP+ and bespoke Advisor mandates across the multi-brand platform. You'll partner directly with the Co-CEOs and executive team on high-stakes searches, operating as a trusted advisor with access to confidential succession conversations and market intelligence. The role requires discretion as a core competency—you'll handle sensitive board and advisory mandates where confidentiality is structural.
Key responsibilities include: owning the full search lifecycle from mandate through close; defining how executive hiring scales as a shared service; managing external search partner relationships and retained firm strategy; and ensuring alignment with Compensation & Benefits and HR business partners throughout each search.
You bring 6+ years of executive recruiting experience with demonstrable ownership of VP, C-level, and Board searches. You have a selection mindset, calibrating candidates against business strategy and defending shortlists to skeptical executives. You excel at closing and negotiation at the executive level, including equity and compensation complexity. You understand platform business models and can pitch complex theses credibly to executive candidates. You have proven agency and retained-firm management experience, exceptional written and verbal English at executive register, and comfort operating across time zones.
Nice-to-haves include in-house executive recruiting at fintech, brokerage, exchange, or payments companies; background in retained executive search firms; experience building executive recruiting as a shared service across multiple entities; and exposure to crypto or digital assets.
The role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area given the proximity required to executives and board/advisory mandates.
