Senior Manager, Recruitment

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionDescriptionPhotonic is shaping the future of quantum technology, powered by a diverse team of world-class scientists, engineers, and professionals committed to breakthrough innovation. As we continue to scale quickly (think 50% yoy headcount growth!), attracting exceptional talent is critical to our mission. We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Recruitment to lead our recruitment function, elevate our employer brand, and build the talent systems and processes that enable long term organizational growth. In this role, you will provide strategic direction, oversee recruitment operations, develop strong talent pipelines, and lead a dynamic and high- performing- recruitment team, ensuring Photonic continues to attract and hire the people who will push the boundaries of technology and innovation to advance the field of quantum computing.

Please include a cover letter with your resume (in one file) describing how you would be a great fit at Photonic and what attributes you could bring to our growing team.
WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DOTalent Acquisition Strategy & Delivery

• Own and execute the company-wide recruitment strategy to attract exceptional scientific, engineering, and operational talent in the quantum computing ecosystem.
• Translate business and workforce plans into hiring strategies, priorities, and sequencing across functions, levels, and geographies.
• Oversee full-cycle hiring across the organization including highly specialized and senior talent, ensuring consistent, high-quality outcomes while balancing speed, quality, and excellent candidate experience.
• Build and sustain deep talent pipelines through proactive sourcing, long-term relationship building, and engagement with niche technical communities.
• Act as a senior advisor to hiring leaders on role scoping, market dynamics, and hiring tradeoffs.
• Stay current on quantum, photonics, and adjacent technical markets to effectively represent Photonic’s vision and opportunities to senior and highly specialized candidates.

Employer Brand

• Own Photonic’s employer value proposition (EVP), ensuring it is clearly articulated and differentiated in competitive technical talent markets.
• Partner with Marketing and internal stakeholders to ensure consistent employer branding across career pages, job descriptions, content, events, and candidate touchpoints.
• Develop and oversee candidate-facing content and storytelling that reflects Photonic’s culture, values, and ambition.
• Monitor candidate experience metrics, reputation signals, and offer acceptance data to drive continuous improvement in conversion and engagement.

Recruitment Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the recruitment function, setting clear direction, expectations, and performance standards.
• Build a strong recruitment team through hiring, coaching, and development of recruiters and recruitment leaders.
• Design and evolve the recruitment operating model, including role specialization, workflows, and capacity planning as the company scales.
• Partner closely with People Operations, HRBPs, and leaders to ensure strong integration between recruitment, onboarding, internal mobility, and workforce planning.
• Establish and maintain scalable recruitment resources (SOPs, playbooks, templates, and hiring manager guides), driving consistent adoption through training and enablement.

Systems, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Own and optimize all recruitment systems and tools, ensuring scalability, data integrity, compliance, and strong user adoption.
• Serve as the functional owner of the ATS (Pinpoint), including workflow architecture, automation, compliance, governance, feature implementation, and optimization to generate meaningful KPIs and data-driven recruiting insights.
• Provide accurate hiring forecasting to VP, People and the executive team
• Define, track, and report on key recruitment KPIs, delivering insights through Monthly Business Reviews and quarterly funnel and effectiveness audits.
• Provide recruitment updates and insights to the executive and board of directors as needed
• Use data to diagnose challenges, inform strategic decisions, and continuously improve hiring outcomes.
• Evaluate and implement technology and process enhancements that improve efficiency, reporting accuracy, and the hiring team experience.

WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR TEAM

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years experience leading recruitment teams through rapid growth.
• Experience recruiting in a technical, scientific, or R&D-driven environment.
• Demonstrated success owning recruitment strategy and operations at scale.
• Deep expertise in full-cycle recruiting, talent pipelines, and modern sourcing strategies for highly specialized roles.
• Proven systems and operational capability, including hands-on experience optimizing ATS workflows and recruitment analytics.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and partner effectively with executives.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously.
• Data-driven mindset with strong judgment and comfort making tradeoffs.
• Passion for technology and innovation, with a genuine interest in quantum computing.

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US

• Work closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies to drive breakthroughs that redefine computing
• Enjoy a fast-paced and fun environment where you can try new things while solving innovative challenges every day
• Inclusive company culture that values collaboration
• Regular social events and fun activities keep our global team connected
• Competitive compensation package including base salary, stock options, and relocation assistance for global talent
• Comprehensive benefits including extended health, dental, life, long term disability, an employee assistance program, parental leave top-ups, and a flexible spending account

The description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we've described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! All roles listed are for current vacancies. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in reviewing applicant profiles, they do not determine candidate outcomes. Our hiring decisions are made by people, not algorithms. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know.