Chess.com · 7 hours ago
Director, Recruiting & Candidate Experience
United States
Full-time
Remote
Director/Executive
10+ years expChess.com is one of the largest gaming sites in the world and the #1 platform for playing, learning, and enjoying chess. As Director, Recruiting & Candidate Experience, you will set the strategy for our recruiting function, lead the full hiring lifecycle, and ensure a positive experience for every candidate.
GamificationGaming
Responsibilities
Lead recruiting across a global, fully remote organization, navigating regional market differences and scaling responsibly
Design and direct a multi-year talent acquisition strategy aligned to our mission and long-term business goals
Own hiring outcomes across the company, balancing speed, quality, and long-term talent health
Lead and scale a high-performing recruiting organization, developing strong mentors and leaders and a best-in-class internal function
Architect and continuously refine our end-to-end recruitment infrastructure, from workforce planning to onboarding, in partnership with People Operations
Lead high-impact or critical searches as needed, managing sensitive and complex roles while modelling best practices for the broader team
Partner closely with department leaders, executives, and PBPs to provide expert insight on overall talent strategy, role design, and talent assessment
Use recruiting analytics to generate clear, actionable insights that inform company-wide decisions
Lead employer branding in collaboration with our Marketing and Communications teams, positioning Chess.com as a destination for top talent in tech and gaming
Design equitable hiring frameworks that expand our reach and support fair, consistent candidate evaluation
Raise the bar across the company by educating teams on effective interviewing, assessment, and modern hiring practices
Stay ahead of global talent market trends and emerging recruiting technology to keep us competitive
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in talent acquisition, with at least 4 years specifically spent leading teams and shaping recruiting strategy. You have a track record of not just managing recruiters, but developing them into high performing strategic partners
Experience leading recruitment for remote and globally distributed teams
Strong experience in the tech or gaming industries. You understand the unique challenges of hiring for specialized roles (like software engineering and product management) within highly competitive markets
Expert in how to audit, implement, and optimize a full recruitment tech stack (ATS, sourcing tools, and data platforms) to create seamless workflows for your team
Comfortable and effective communicator with diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership. You can translate complex recruiting data into clear business cases and influence decision-making at the highest levels
Highly analytical and comfortable navigating the ambiguity of a fast-paced, global environment. You use metrics to identify trends and gaps and are quick to pivot strategies as the needs of the business evolve
Experience designing equitable hiring practices that measurably improve candidate quality, reach, and fairness across the funnel
Genuine interest in the gaming world and Chess.com's mission. You understand the nuances of game development and can speak the language of the people we are looking to hire
Preferred
Degrees in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related fields may be a plus, but are not required
An existing network within the gaming or tech communities (e.g., connections at game studios, tech hubs, or specialized engineering communities)
Experience in Global Scaling: Experience managing recruitment across multiple time zones or for a company that has undergone significant transformation
Hands-on experience with data visualization tools (like Tableau, Looker, or advanced Excel) to build custom recruiting dashboards and reporting suites
Employer Brand Portfolio: A track record of building employer brand through content, storytelling, or community engagement
Knowledge of unconventional sourcing methods beyond LinkedIn, such as GitHub, Discord, or niche gaming forums
Company
Chess.com
Chess.com is an online community for chess players to learn and discuss strategy and play with others in real-time.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$0.55MKey Investors
General Atlantic
2022-01-14Private Equity
2018-01-01Acquired
2013-01-01Secondary Market· $0.55M
Leadership Team
Adam Mayer
SVP of Monetization
Recent News
2025-12-15
Business Standard India
2025-12-15
Company data provided by crunchbase