Vice president, ai talent acquisition

At Penguin Solutions (Nasdaq: PENG) – The AI Factory Platform Company – we’re building a team of innovators who thrive on collaboration, creativity, and the opportunity to help shape the future of AI. As part of the AI technology revolution, our teams design, build, deploy, and manage AI factories for enterprises, sovereign AI initiatives, and neocloud providers worldwide.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Penguin Solutions operates globally through a network of R&D, manufacturing, and sales locations. For nearly three decades, we have operated at the intersection of memory and AI/HPC infrastructure. That engineering expertise positions us to power the next generation of AI workloads, from training to inference and agentic AI at scale.

Penguin Solutions brings together differentiated infrastructure software, advanced memory, compute systems, end-to-end services, and industry-leading partner solutions in a full-stack AI factory platform designed to help customers deploy and scale AI workloads with speed and precision.

At Penguin Solutions, we value ideas over hierarchy and empower employees to take ownership, drive innovation, and grow through challenging work, continuous learning, and exposure to advanced AI tools and technologies. With flexibility where it matters and a strong focus on outcomes, Penguin Solutions is a place to do your best work, grow your career, and make a meaningful impact.

Job Overview

The Global VP, AI Talent Acquisition sets the global strategy, standards, and governance for end-to-end talent acquisition across regions, while leading execution for senior and executive hiring, including building differentiated approaches to attract and hire AI-focused talent. The role drives consistent processes, systems, and reporting to improve quality of hire, speed, cost, and candidate experience.

Responsibilities

1. Strategy, Governance & Operating Model
   • Define and evolve the global TA strategy aligned to enterprise talent priorities and workforce plans.
   • Partner with business and technical leaders to translate AI strategy into hiring priorities, role definitions, and workforce plans (e.g., applied ML, GenAI, MLOps, data engineering, AI product).
   • Own global TA standards, policies, and end-to-end processes; clarify global vs. regional roles and decision rights.
   • Serve as the escalation point for governance to ensure consistency, transparency, and compliance across regions.
2. Senior & Executive Hiring
   • Lead end-to-end hiring for Director-level and executive roles in partnership with senior leaders and HR.
   • Build and maintain strategic talent pipelines for critical roles and capabilities; provide market insight to inform hiring decisions.
   • Develop sourcing and assessment strategies for AI/ML and data roles, including calibrated interview frameworks, technical evaluation partners, and competitive offer/closing approaches in tight talent markets.
   • Ensure consistent assessment and selection standards for senior hiring.
3. Metrics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
   • Own the global TA KPI framework (quality, speed, cost, and candidate experience) and define reporting standards.
   • Consolidate regional performance into monthly dashboards; lead executive reviews with CHRO and senior leadership.
   • Use insights to identify risks and drive improvement actions across processes, capability, and partner performance.
4. Systems, Data & Tools
   • Set the global TA systems strategy (e.g., ATS) including selection, implementation governance, and data standards.
   • Ensure consistent system adoption, data integrity, and reporting across regions.
   • Leverage data, automation, and responsible AI-enabled recruiting capabilities (where appropriate) to improve sourcing efficiency, screening quality, and pipeline visibility for critical skill segments.
5. Programs & Onboarding
   • Design and govern global recruiting program frameworks (e.g., intern/trainee/MBA and other early-career programs).
   • Define success metrics, roles, and governance for programs and onboarding.
   • Lead the design and global implementation of a consistent onboarding framework in partnership with HR, IT, and business leaders.
6. Partners, Employer Brand & Enablement
   • Set the global strategy and governance for executive search firms, agencies, and external partners; manage preferred supplier models and performance reviews.
   • Partner with Communications/Marketing to align employer brand/EVP and candidate experience standards; build strategic talent pipeline approaches.
   • Shape EVP messaging and targeted campaigns to attract AI/ML and data talent (e.g., thought leadership, community engagement, university/research relationships, and conference presence).
   • Enable stakeholders through training for hiring managers and leaders (process, interviewing/assessment, decision quality).

Qualifications

13+ years of progressive talent acquisition leadership, including global or multi-region scope; experience leading senior/executive hiring, including scarce technical talent segments (e.g., AI/ML, data, software engineering). Demonstrated experience sourcing, assessing, and closing AI/ML and data talent across levels (individual contributor through senior leadership), with strong understanding of AI labor markets, compensation dynamics, and candidate motivations. Demonstrated ability to build governance, operating models, and scalable TA processes across geographies. Strong analytics and executive communication skills; able to translate TA metrics into actions and decisions. Experience with ATS strategy, data standards, and driving adoption and change management. Collaborative, consultative leader with strong stakeholder management and vendor/partner oversight experience.

Location

This role is located in Fremont, CA and is expected to be onsite three days per week.

Travel

As needed.

Compensation & Benefits

The base pay range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position in California is $240,000 - $270,000; the pay ultimately offered may vary based on business considerations, including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and education. The position is bonus-eligible, and there are medical, dental, and vision benefits available. There is a 401k saving plan and other benefits, such as Paid Time Off, Life Insurance, and an Employee Assistance Plan.

Inclusion & Belonging Statement

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces differences and fosters belonging for all.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, national origin, race, ethnicity, creed, gender, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.