Director, Talent Acquisition

About Us

Barkbus is the nation's premier mobile dog grooming company. We are dog-loving creatives, operators, technologists, and entrepreneurs taking a Silicon Valley startup approach to disrupt and modernize the fragmented legacy pet grooming industry. Driven by our mission to deliver joy to pets and their people, we're proud to operate across California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia. We’re the fastest-growing pet health & wellness startup in the country and would love you to join us in building the nation’s beloved pet brand.

Who We Are

We’re a collaborative, high-quality team of dog-lovers that solves problems with thoughtfulness, empathy, and speed. We have a big dream: to build a generational company that remakes the pet health & wellness industry nationally. We’re a fun, ambitious group that is working to build something new in pet care. We move with high velocity, collaborate closely, and deliver results faster than anyone in the market. We want your time at Barkbus to be the greatest time of your career. If you’re ready to build the future of pet care with high standards and speed, come on board. We need exceptional people to help us build something new in the world.

About This Role

Join us at Barkbus as our Director of Talent Acquisition and play a key role in shaping the future of pet wellness by building and scaling world-class recruiting teams. This person will lead two distinct recruiting teams: a high-volume groomer recruiting team responsible for hiring top grooming talent at scale, and a corporate recruiting team focused on attracting critical talent to help us scale our business infrastructure. This is a unique opportunity to build and refine a best-in-class recruiting engine that powers our company’s rapid growth.

The ideal candidate is an experienced recruiting leader who has successfully led the talent acquisition function at a fast-growing startup, thrives in an ever-changing environment, and is passionate about scaling teams with operational excellence and exceptional candidate experience.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing recruiting team across groomer and corporate functions to consistently deliver on ambitious hiring goals.

• Design and implement scalable recruiting systems, processes, and workflows that drive operational efficiency, consistency, and high-quality hiring at scale.

• Establish and maintain a robust recruiting metrics and reporting cadence that drives transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with cross-functional leadership to deeply understand workforce planning priorities and develop proactive talent strategies aligned with business growth objectives.

• Own and evolve our employer brand strategy to position Barkbus as the destination for top talent in the pet care industry.

• Champion a world-class candidate experience in partnership with the People team, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience and long-term engagement.

• Be an advocate of DEI and bring thoughtful strategies towards building an inclusive environment while diversifying our candidate pool.

• Ensure the recruiting team is equipped with the right tools, technology, and training to succeed and operate at a high level.

• Serve as a thought partner and trusted advisor to the VP of People and broader leadership team on talent acquisition, including industry trends and changes in the desired total compensation components the labor market demands.

Qualifications & Experience

• Must be both a people and dog lover!

• 10+ years of progressive recruiting experience, including 2+ years leading the talent acquisition function at a fast-growing startup.

• Proven track record of building, scaling, and optimizing high-volume non-exempt and corporate recruiting functions simultaneously.

• Applies a data-first mindset to translate recruiting performance into strategic insights, with expertise in building dashboards, monitoring funnel health, and guiding decisions through data.

• Ability to create and refine recruiting metrics, reporting frameworks, and process documentation that enable operational visibility and continuous improvement.

• A natural leader who embraces ambiguity, adapts with agility, and consistently drives alignment in fast-paced, high-growth environments.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to clearly communicate recruiting vision, strategy, and progress to key stakeholders.

• Shape an authentic, differentiated employer brand that amplifies our culture, attracts exceptional talent, and sets Barkbus apart in a crowded talent landscape.

• A deep commitment to crafting high-touch, exceptional candidate experiences at scale

• Track record of maximizing ATS capabilities to automate workflows, surface data insights, and drive scalable recruiting operations.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive Base Salary: 150K-165K, based on experience.

• Stock options upon required tenure.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Retirement Savings Plan to support your future.

• Pet Insurance to keep your furry friends healthy.

• Monthly cell phone stipend to stay connected.

• ClassPass membership to support your fitness and wellness goals.

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