Program Manager, Executive Search Channel & Vendor Strategy

Who We Are

At Kyndryl, we run and reimagine the mission-critical technology systems that drive advantage for the world's leading businesses. We are at the heart of progress; with proven expertise and a continuous flow of AI-powered insight, enabling smarter decisions, faster innovation, and a lasting competitive edge. For our people-Kyndryls-that means doing purposeful work that powers human progress. Join us and experience a flexible, supportive environment where your well-being is prioritized and your potential can thrive.

The Role

You will operate as the single point of accountability for the executive search channel, shaping how Kyndryl engages with external partners, manages multi-million-dollar search investments, and delivers consistent hiring outcomes across regions. Your work will balance strategy development with operational execution, using data, structured governance, and stakeholder alignment to drive measurable improvements in hiring performance.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with executive stakeholders, Talent Acquisition leadership, Procurement, Legal, and external partners to build a disciplined, scalable, and insight-driven search model that supports critical leadership hiring.

• Define and manage the global strategy for the preferred executive search firm ecosystem, including firm selection, segmentation, and deployment
• Establish a clear and scalable vendor operating model that supports priority talent pipelines and reduces fragmentation
• Build long-term partnerships with key search firms aligned to business-critical hiring needs

• Oversee active executive searches to ensure delivery of high-quality, business-aligned candidate slates
• Monitor search progression, pacing, and outcomes, identifying risks and defining clear intervention actions
• Set expectations with agencies on search briefs, market positioning, and candidate quality standards
• Drive corrective actions including recalibration, escalation, or vendor replacement when performance gaps occur

• Manage end-to-end commercial governance including vendor approvals, engagement models, and adherence to preferred terms
• Oversee SOWs, contracts, purchase orders, and invoicing in partnership with Procurement and Finance
• Ensure all searches are executed through approved vendors within compliant frameworks
• Optimize search spend, balancing cost management with quality hiring outcomes

• Define and implement SLAs, KPIs, and performance standards for all executive search partners
• Build and maintain dashboards to track search progress, cycle time, candidate quality, and hiring outcomes
• Analyze vendor performance and ROI to inform vendor selection and ongoing optimization
• Translate data into actionable insights that improve search strategy and execution

• Implement standardized global governance processes across executive search activities
• Drive adoption of new vendor models and operating practices across regions and business units
• Engage stakeholders through structured communication and clear expectations on ways of working

• Design and continuously improve end-to-end executive search agency workflows across intake, briefing, search execution, and offer stages
• Ensure consistent use of Workday ATS and Encore CRM for pipeline tracking, reporting accuracy, and visibility
• Define system usage standards for internal stakeholders and external agencies
• Partner with HR Technology and Operations to enhance automation, reporting, and vendor tracking capabilities
• Identify and remove process inefficiencies to improve agency cycle time, candidate experience, and hiring leader satisfaction
• Establish a feedback loop using system data and stakeholder input to continuously refine workflows and vendor engagement models

• Extensive experience in executive search operations, vendor management, or executive recruitment program leadership
• Demonstrated experience managing complex global programs with multiple stakeholders and regions
• Proven track record of driving delivery performance accountability
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, contracts, and vendor spend
• Experience defining and managing governance frameworks including SLAs, KPIs, and compliance standards
• Advanced analytical capability with experience building dashboards and translating recruiting data into actionable insights
• Experience working with ATS and CRM systems to manage pipelines and reporting
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders through structured recommendations, data insights, and clear decision frameworks

• Experience designing or transforming executive search vendor models at a global or enterprise level
• Background partnering with Procurement and Legal on vendor frameworks and contract negotiations
• Experience driving change management initiatives across distributed or global teams
• Familiarity with executive hiring across multiple industries or geographies
• Experience improving recruitment workflows through automation or process optimization