Geo Leader - Americas, Executive Search

The Geo Leader – Americas will own and drive the Executive Search strategy and delivery across the Americas region, leading a high‑performing team of executive search professionals. This role will shape and execute best‑in‑class talent acquisition strategies to attract and secure world‑class executive leadership across IBM’s business units in North, Central, and South America. The Geo Leader will function as a trusted advisor to senior business and HR leadership, ensuring a seamless, differentiated search experience and enabling strategic workforce outcomes that support IBM’s business objectives.

• Set and lead the strategic vision for executive search across the Americas, aligned with global objectives, regional priorities, and future talent needs.
• Oversee the full life cycle of executive search delivery in the region – including search strategy development, market mapping, candidate identification and engagement, assessment, offer negotiation, and executive onboarding.
• Provide regional leadership in developing data‑driven, cost‑effective search strategies that proactively support succession planning and pipeline development.

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of executive search professionals across the Americas, fostering excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Establish performance expectations, monitor productivity, and support talent development through training, feedback, and performance reviews.

• Build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with HR Executives, Business Unit Leaders, and other key stakeholders throughout the Americas to deeply understand business imperatives, talent needs, and competitive context.
• Act as a trusted advisor on executive hiring, market dynamics, and candidate assessments.

• Ensure an iconic, high‑touch candidate experience that reinforces IBM’s reputation as an employer of choice.
• Drive consistency and rigor in candidate management, communication, and decision support.

• Maintain expert knowledge of executive talent markets across the Americas, including trends, competitor activity, skill scarcity, compensation practices, and diversity insights.
• Share market intelligence and consultative insights with business partners to influence hiring decisions and workforce strategy.

• Standardize and enforce best practices, tools, processes, and governance across the region.
• Manage regional metrics, reporting, forecasting, and analytics to inform decision‑making and demonstrate value.
• Ensure accurate tracking of search activities in the Global Executive Recruitment Database and timely reporting to leadership.

• Promote IBM’s culture, values, and employer brand within the region and externally through networks, industry associations, and talent communities.

• Minimum 10+ years’ experience in executive search, with demonstrated success managing complex, high‑visibility searches.
• Proven leadership and people management experience, with the ability to motivate and develop a team.
• Strong relationship management skills with senior leaders and HR partners.
• Deep expertise in designing and executing executive search strategies in competitive markets.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, consult, and partner effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

• Experience leading executive search in a large, global matrix organization.
• Experience working across diverse sectors or functions within enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with data analytics and talent market intelligence tools.

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience).

• Advanced degree in HR, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related field (a plus).