Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide.

We are seeking an intellectually curious, learning-agile, and strategic Senior Executive Recruiter to identify and attract exceptional leaders who will help shape Shield AI's future. As a fast-growing defense technology company, our hiring priorities evolve quickly, requiring adaptability, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while delivering results. Reporting to the Head of Executive Search, the Senior Executive Recruiter – Aircraft will independently lead complex senior leadership searches across Shield AI's Aircraft organization, identifying leaders responsible for developing, producing, and scaling next-generation autonomous aircraft.

This includes executive recruiting across hardware engineering, software engineering, manufacturing, production, supply chain, quality, and other critical technical and operational functions. This senior individual contributor will own the full executive search lifecycle, from intake and market mapping through candidate assessment, offer negotiation, and close. Success requires quickly developing expertise across technical disciplines, translating complex engineering requirements into effective recruiting strategies, building trusted relationships with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders, and delivering high-quality hiring outcomes.

You will partner closely with business leaders, People Experience (PX) Business Partners, and Talent Acquisition colleagues to develop targeted search strategies aligned with business priorities.

Our Talent

Acquisition team actively embraces AI and automation to accelerate research, improve decision-making, streamline execution, and create more capacity for high-value recruiting activities. Independently manage complex executive and senior leadership searches from intake and position scoping through market mapping, assessment,



offer negotiation, and acceptance. Partner with senior leaders to define role requirements, success profiles, assessment criteria, search strategies, and hiring milestones.

Identify, engage, and cultivate relationships with high-caliber, passive executive talent across aerospace and defense, AI, autonomy, software, robotics, and other relevant technical markets. Build targeted executive talent pipelines supporting immediate and anticipated leadership hiring needs. Execute searches across diverse technical disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, avionics, propulsion, software, autonomy, manufacturing, production, supply chain, quality, and operations.

Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, hiring managers, and PX Business Partners across assigned functions. Partner with Integral Talent Sourcing to execute targeted market mapping, competitive research, and candidate identification strategies. Maintain accurate, timely candidate and pipeline information in applicant tracking and recruiting systems.

Identify opportunities to improve recruiting efficiency, assessment quality, and stakeholder and candidate experience. Integrate AI and automation into recruiting workflows to improve speed, quality, and effectiveness throughout the executive search lifecycle. Experiment with emerging AI tools, evaluate their impact, and share successful practices across Talent Acquisition.

Build trusted, collaborative relationships across Talent Acquisition, People Experience, Total Rewards, and business leadership. Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience. 8+ years of progressive executive recruiting or search experience, including independently managing complex senior leadership searches, ideally within high-growth technology, aerospace, defense, AI, autonomy, robotics,



software engineering, automotive, or related technical industries. Demonstrated experience recruiting senior technical leaders across hardware, software, engineering, manufacturing, production, or operations.

Proven ability to build credibility, advise, and influence senior-level hiring stakeholders. Strong business acumen, executive presence, communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills. Ability to manage multiple complex searches simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality, execution, and candidate experience.

Proficiency with applicant tracking systems, candidate relationship management platforms, and recruiting analytics tools.

Experience recruiting across multiple technical disciplines rather than specializing exclusively in one talent vertical.

Experience operating within global or matrixed organizations. We expect our Senior Executive Recruiters to demonstrate Shield AI's core values through their judgment, actions, and relationships. Maintain high standards for executive talent quality, search execution, and candidate experience. Independently deliver complex executive searches, consistently building strong candidate pipelines and achieving high-quality hiring outcomes.

Strategic Partnership: Earn the confidence of senior leaders through business acumen, market intelligence, sound talent judgment, and proactive communication. This role requires substantial independence, strong functional expertise, and ownership of executive search outcomes while contributing to broader recruiting priorities within the strategic direction established by Talent Acquisition leadership. $Full-time regular employee offer package: Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment) Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information. ### If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment.

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📌 Senior Recruitment Manager (Madrid)
🏢 shieldai
📍 Madrid