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Executive Recruiting Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Zoox

Executive Recruiting Lead

Foster City, CA

$185K - $309K/yr

Zoox is seeking a strategic and experienced Executive Recruiting Lead to build and scale our in-house executive search function. In this critical player-coach role, you will act as a trusted thought ...

Zoox

Executive Recruiting Lead

Foster City, CA · Hybrid

$185K - $309K/yr

Zoox is seeking a strategic and experienced Executive Recruiting Lead to build and scale our in-house executive search function. In this critical player-coach role, you will act as a trusted thought ...

Zoox

Executive Recruiting Lead

Foster City, CA · On-site

$185K - $309K/yr

Zoox is seeking a strategic and experienced Executive Recruiting Lead to build and scale our in-house executive search function. In this critical player-coach role, you will act as a trusted thought ...

Collabera

Recruiting Coordinator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$23.50 - $31.50/hr

San Francisco, CA Executive Recruitment Coordinator Job Summary: This role will work closely with the Vice President of Executive & Diversity Recruiting and Executive Recruiting team to schedule ...

Viasat, Inc.

Executive Recruiter, Temporary

Carlsbad, CA · On-site +1

$107K - $161K/yr

Partner with the Head of Executive Recruiting to draft and refine s, organize role requirements, and translate intake discussions into clear competencies and structured evaluation criteria. * Assess ...

Brex

Senior Executive Recruiter

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$156K - $195K/yr

Recruiting at Brex Recruiting is where every career at Brex begins. We're the first point of ... What you'll do The Senior Executive Recruiter will lead end-to-end leadership searches, partnering ...

eBay, Inc.

Principal Executive Recruiter

San Jose, CA · On-site

$166K - $221K/yr

People are at the heart of everything we do. eBay Recruiting fuels the company's success by ... We are seeking an experienced Principal Executive Recruiter to lead high-impact executive searches ...

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Executive Recruiting information

See California salary details

$26.2K

$92.3K

$181.6K

How much do executive recruiting jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for executive recruiting in California is $92,327.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,200.00 and $118,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is executive recruiting?

Executive recruiting is the process of identifying, attracting, and hiring high-level professionals for leadership positions within an organization, such as CEOs, CFOs, and other C-suite roles. Executive recruiters often work for specialized agencies or as part of in-house talent acquisition teams, using their networks and industry knowledge to find qualified candidates. The process typically involves sourcing, screening, interviewing, and negotiating offers with top-tier talent who can drive organizational success. Executive recruiting is critical for ensuring a company’s leadership aligns with its strategic goals and culture.

How do I become an executive recruiter?

To become an executive recruiter, typically, you need a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field, along with strong communication and networking skills. Gaining experience in sales, recruiting, or human resources can be helpful, and many recruiters also pursue certifications like the Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) or Certified Recruitment Professional (CRP). Building a professional network and familiarity with applicant tracking systems (ATS) are also important for success in this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an executive recruiter, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Executive Recruiter, you need a solid understanding of talent acquisition, market research, and candidate evaluation, often supported by a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field. Familiarity with applicant tracking systems (ATS), sourcing platforms like LinkedIn Recruiter, and recruitment certifications such as AIRS or SHRM-CP is valuable. Exceptional interpersonal skills, negotiation abilities, and discretion help build trust and foster strong relationships with both clients and executives. These competencies are crucial for successfully matching top leadership talent with organizational needs, ensuring long-term business growth and client satisfaction.

What are some common challenges faced by executive recruiters when sourcing top-level talent, and how can these be addressed?

Executive recruiters often face challenges such as a limited pool of qualified candidates, confidential search requirements, and the need to align candidate values with organizational culture. To address these, recruiters leverage extensive professional networks, utilize discreet outreach methods, and conduct thorough cultural fit assessments. Building strong relationships with industry leaders and staying updated on market trends also help recruiters anticipate and overcome these challenges effectively.

What do executive recruiters do?

Executive recruiters identify, evaluate, and attract top-level candidates for senior management and leadership positions. They conduct interviews, assess skills and experience, and coordinate with client companies to fill executive roles efficiently, often using industry networks and specialized tools. Their work requires strong communication, industry knowledge, and understanding of organizational needs.

What does an executive recruiting do?

An executive recruiter identifies, evaluates, and attracts top-level candidates for senior management and leadership positions. They often work with companies to understand their needs, use networks and databases to find suitable candidates, and facilitate the hiring process, which may involve interviews and negotiations.
What are the most commonly searched types of Recruiting jobs in California? The most popular types of Recruiting jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Executive Recruiting jobs in California? For Executive Recruiting jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Executive Recruiting jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Executive Recruiting jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Executive Recruiting jobs? Cities in California with the most Executive Recruiting job openings:
Executive Recruiting jobs near you
Infographic showing various Executive Recruiting job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,327 per year, or $44.4 per hour.

Executive Recruiting Lead

Zoox

Foster City, CA

$185K - $309K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

Zoox is seeking a strategic and experienced Executive Recruiting Lead to build and scale our in-house executive search function. In this critical player-coach role, you will act as a trusted thought partner to the C-suite, shape the executive recruiting strategy and infrastructure, personally lead high-impact Director+ searches, and manage a dedicated team to deliver our most mission-critical hiring needs. 
In this role, you will...
  • Leadership: Design and scale a world-class executive search function, including managing/coaching a small team, development of internal executive research capabilities and long-term succession planning.
  • End-to-End Recruitment: Own and drive the entire executive recruitment lifecycle, from initial strategy meeting to candidate offer and closing, ensuring a seamless and high-touch experience for all executive candidates.
  • Hands-on Executive Search: While leading the function and team, remain actively involved in the full-cycle execution of high-priority, mission-critical searches, personally driving candidate generation, engagement, and closing for select senior-level roles.
  • Market Mapping & Sourcing: Develop sophisticated, data-driven market maps of executive talent in relevant industries (e.g., autonomous technology, automotive, software, hardware engineering, operations, finance).
  • Candidate Engagement: Articulate the Zoox mission, vision, and unique culture compellingly to high-profile executive candidates, often involving complex compensation, negotiation, and relocation strategies.
  • Confidentiality & Discretion: Handle extremely sensitive and confidential candidate information and internal organizational details with the utmost professionalism and discretion.
  • Partnering with Leadership: Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the CEO, Co-Founder, C-suite, and other senior leaders on talent planning, and executive hiring best practices.
  • Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement in executive search processes, leveraging tools, metrics, and interview methodologies.
  • Passive Candidate Conversion: Develop and execute tailored strategies to attract and successfully engage highly passive, hard-to-reach executive candidates, effectively converting passive interest into active candidacy.
Qualifications
  • Experience: 8+ years of experience with executive searches (Director+) and 15+ total recruiting experience.
  • Technical Domain Expertise: Proven experience recruiting executive talent in a highly technical and/or rapidly scaling environment (e.g., hardware, software, AI/ML, autonomous systems, high-growth tech).
  • Leadership: Successful multi-year track record as a player-coach, managing small team/direct reports.
  • Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and present to C-level executives.
  • Closing: Expert-level negotiation and closing skills, particularly for complex executive compensation packages.
  • Executive Sourcing & Talent Mapping: Providing real-time competitive intelligence and talent benchmarking to the executive team, identifying shifts in the talent landscapes that may necessitate  pivots.
  • Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
Bonus Qualifications
  • Experience at a retained executive search firm focused on technology  
  • Interest in the autonomous and electric vehicle industry.
Location
  • This role will report out of our Foster City, CA office in a hybrid capacity (minimum of 3 days onsite)
$185,000 - $309,000 a year
About Zoox
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We're looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

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Accommodations
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [email protected] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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