Director, Executive Recruitment

Director, Executive Recruitment ETS and GS

The Colleague Experience Group (CEG) is responsible for all colleague-related benefits and programs globally, including career growth and development, leadership and learning, total rewards and well-being, recruitment, labor relations, colleague servicing, and more. CEG’s vision is to provide the best colleague experience every day to fuel growth, and they are committed to ensuring all of Team Amex has the resources and support they need to be and deliver their best.

How will you make an impact in this role?

The vision for the Colleague Experience Group (CEG) at American Express is to provide the best colleague experience to fuel growth. We'll achieve this by attracting, developing, and engaging a future-ready workforce and delivering a differentiated value proposition that enables all colleagues to be and deliver their best.

Talent Acquisition (TA) sources and hires top talent for American Express around the world. The function, with approximately 500 colleagues, supports early career, experienced, and executive hiring, as well as our New to Blue onboarding experience.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Director to lead Executive Recruitment for Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) and Global Servicing (GS), with responsibility for delivering high-quality internal and external executive hiring across both business units.

Reporting directly to the Head of TA, this leader will oversee end-to-end executive search activity for Vice President (VP)-level and above positions, including direct sourcing, retained search partnerships, assessment and selection. The Director will build trusted relationships with senior business leaders and Colleague Strategic Partners (CSPs), translating business priorities and evolving leadership requirements into effective executive recruitment approaches.

The role will focus on strengthening executive talent pipelines across technology, digital, AI, customer servicing and other critical capabilities, while ensuring a high-quality experience for candidates and Hiring Leaders. The Director will also lead a small team, driving recruitment performance, governance and continuous improvement in partnership with the wider TA function.

Executive Recruitment Leadership & Delivery:

• Lead internal and external executive recruitment across ETS and GS, overseeing complex VP-level searches from initial requirements and market mapping through sourcing, assessment, selection and offer.
• Build and develop a high-performing team, establishing clear priorities, delivery expectations and accountability for recruitment performance.
• Monitor search progress, hiring outcomes, candidate quality and stakeholder satisfaction, proactively addressing delivery risks and operational challenges.
• Ensure effective recruitment governance, candidate assessment standards, confidentiality and compliance with applicable policies and regulatory requirements.

Business Partnership & Executive Talent Advisory:

• Build trusted relationships with senior business leaders and CSPs, providing expert advice on executive talent markets, candidate availability and recruitment decisions.
• Translate business priorities and future leadership requirements into effective executive search approaches, leveraging Workforce Talent Planning insights and critical skills priorities.
• Partner with business leaders and relevant CEG teams on executive assessment, selection, compensation and onboarding considerations.
• Provide market intelligence, competitor insights and external benchmarking to inform executive hiring decisions and strengthen long-term talent planning.

Executive Sourcing, Talent Pipelines & Continuous Improvement:

• Develop proactive sourcing approaches and executive talent pipelines across technology, digital, AI, cybersecurity, customer servicing, operations and other critical leadership capabilities.
• Build and maintain relationships with prospective executive talent, external networks and retained search partners, ensuring effective and cost-conscious use of search firms.
• Deliver a consistent, high-quality and experience for executive candidates and senior Hiring Leaders.
• Partner with the TA COE and wider Executive Recruitment team to improve sourcing effectiveness, recruitment processes and cross-market delivery.
• Contribute executive recruitment insights to TA modernization initiatives and support the adoption of agreed recruitment tools, technology and ways of working.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in executive recruitment, Talent Acquisition or executive search, including significant experience recruiting Vice President-level and above talent.
• Proven track record of managing complex executive searches within a global organization or leading executive search firm.
• Strong understanding of executive talent markets, particularly across technology, digital, AI and other specialist leadership disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with senior executives and influence complex hiring decisions.
• Experience leading recruitment teams, managing search portfolios and delivering high-quality hiring outcomes.
• Strong expertise in executive sourcing, market mapping, assessment, selection and retained search partnerships.
• Excellent communication, analytical judgment and discretion when managing confidential executive searches and senior stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading executive recruitment for technology, servicing or other specialist business functions within a global enterprise.
• Established executive talent networks across technology, digital, AI, cybersecurity and service operations.
• Experience developing proactive executive talent pipelines and managing retained search partners.
• Experience recruiting across international markets and operating within a complex, regulated organization.

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.