lululemon

about the role

The Director of Talent Acquisition, focusing in Product recruitment (Apparel & Hard Goods) will be responsible to enable the growth of the Product organization at lululemon through strategic & proactive identification of the best diverse talent in modern apparel globally.

Recruiting is a core strategic driver of lululemon’s future success.  This role will be the leader of the team responsible for all global product talent intelligence, market mapping, strategic sourcing, attraction & recruitment efforts. This Leader will pioneer the next phase in talent attraction at lululemon as we evolve towards a truly strategic & proactive recruitment function, globally. The Director of Talent Acquisition will bring with them operational depth and be a strategic though partner to bring to life our vision to hire the best diverse talent globally for the Product organization.

As an extension to the business, the Director of Talent Acquisition in Product will develop a deep partnership & collaboration with our Leaders in Product to articulate who is the best talent in modern apparel. Through this deep partnership, the Product Talent Acquisition team will enable the growth of the Product organization within lululemon.

This leader will enable a team of 14+ members that proactively sources the best diverse talent in advance of the need through innovative, inclusive & proactive recruitment methods. This leader will build competitive intelligence that informs talent decisions at lululemon.

Reporting to the VP, Talent Acquisition, this role will contribute to the broader vision, strategy and roadmap for Talent Acquisition at lululemon – working closely with the Talent Acquisition team, People & Culture team as well as our business leaders.

where you’ll be

The Director, Talent Acquisition, Product will be based in Vancouver or Los Angeles. 

key responsibilities

The Director, Talent Acquisition in Product will be charged with overseeing and responsible for building a comprehensive hiring plan for the Product organization. This includes:  

• Inspire, grow, and nurture a team of recruiting professionals who deliver on the global product team’s hiring needs.
• Create and maintain TA areas of focus model ensuring agile support of Senior Director and below roles.
• Enabling a positive candidate experience strategy (internal + external).
• Design innovative talent intelligence & market mapping capabilities in partnership with key business leader & People & Culture leaders.  
• Apply advanced Diversity & Inclusion principles into recruitment processes and candidate slates while leveraging core work from our IDEA function.
• Influence current & future recruiting tools, product road maps and recruitment priorities within the People & Culture team & cross-functionally.
• Through team leadership & directly recruiting, deliver against a comprehensive hiring plan by influencing operational systems & metrics capable of building for future growth.
• Drive the selection, onboarding and management of recruitment vendors.
• Oversee administration of recruitment process (inc postings, scheduling)
• Oversee creation of and performance against recruitment metrics.

what you’ll achieve in the first year (Desired achievements in first 12-months in the role.  (listed in priority))

Onboard Thoughtfully – Learn the People, Learn the Business, Learn the Brand.  Understand lululemon’s Product DNA that makes us unique.  Build strong relationships within the Product Function (Materials, Design, Merchandising, Development, Sourcing, Planning).

Build & Elevate a World-Class Talent Acquisition Team.  Inspire, grow & nurture the Product TA team, elevating the function of Recruiting in Product. Create one voice across the team, while bringing a focus to and enhanced awareness of each function within the Product organization.  Pioneering the strategic evolution within Talent Acquisition at lululemon.

Partner with Product Leaders and People & Culture – understand Growth and Succession Gaps. Build trust and credibility with Product Leaders. Engrained in Product Leadership team, becoming an extension of their team. Listen & understand business challenges in the Product organization, to then translate into a recruitment strategy that proactively resolves these challenges.  

Enable a Proactive & Strategic Talent Acquisition Model. Minimizes time to fill for each role, while acquiring the best diverse talent in the industry. Recruiting in advance of the need within areas of strategic growth, succession gaps and turnover. Proactively building relationships with top talent. Represent the external market voice within our internal talent management practices.

Deep Understanding of the Product Apparel Industry. Understanding the evolution of Product at lululemon and within the Apparel Industry. Identifying talent gaps, succession challenges, market shifts at lululemon & across the industry. Building & implementing recruitment strategies that proactively mitigate the impact of market challenges, enabling lululemon’s continued hyper-growth.

Strategic Market intelligence.  Providing Product Leadership with strategic market intelligence within Apparel & the Retail Industry proactively. Supporting strategic business decisions both related to Talent & broadly across the organization.

Partner with Talent Acquisition team. As a member of Talent Acquisition Leadership Team, act in deep collaboration to continue elevating the recruiting function, beyond Product, at lululemon. Partnering in strategic initiatives including but not limited to, employer brand and operational excellence.

who you are

Has a Track Record in Recruiting Talent in Apparel Design, Merchandising, Planning, Sourcing, Raw Materials & Product Development.   Has built a strategic understanding of the apparel product market, specific talent & product life cycle. Has a track record of hiring niche talent across a Product organization.   Ability to leverage and build competitive intelligence into the fabric of a recruitment program. Understanding of a vertical retailer considered an asset. 8+ years’ experience hiring niche roles within the Product industry.

A Modern Talent Acquisition Leader.  Significant experience in leading recruitment teams of 10+. Experience in building a team of Recruiters. A leader who will inspire, grow, and nurture a team of recruiting professionals who are empowered to enable the strategic & proactive recruitment of diverse talent across the Product organization.

Has a Track Record of Enabling Modern Talent Acquisition Programs. Experience in building recruitment programs from within an organization, that acquire top talent in the industry, minimizing time to fill and attracting diverse talent. Can “plan the work”, but then be able to “work the plan”.  Will roll up their sleeves and get it done.  Experienced at defining, tracking, and measuring success. 

Who Wins with Others.  This role is fundamentally about helping the organization and its leaders, be successful.  This leader will be able to have a strong leadership presence and be able to build relationships with all members of the organization, from Coordinators to Senior Leaders. This person will have the ability to lead from the front (have a strong point of view), as well as lead via influence (be adept at enrolling a range of stakeholders). 

Exposure to Hyper-Growth that required adaptability as a leader to evolve the team & processes. Exposure either as part of an organization or group that experienced significant growth that required business transformation.

Global in Outlook, North American in Grounding.  Has experience in recruitment programs that span borders & beyond North America into APAC & EMEA. Understands the complexities within regions & countries. Has meaningful professional experience in North America.

As Passionate about IDEA as we are.  A demonstrated commitment to building talent attraction strategies that embolden an inclusive culture and embrace diverse perspectives. (IDEA = Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action)

nice to haves

• Vertical Retail Experience
• Direct to Consumer Experience
• Performance Apparel Experience
• Agency Recruitment Experience in combination with In-House Recruitment
• Experience in High Volume Recruitment
• Has Led through Business Transformation
• Has lived/worked outside of North America.