Executive Researcher

Introduction

At IBM Corporate Headquarters (CHQ) and Other Functions, diverse teams such as marketing, finance, legal, operations, HR, and more work together to keep IBM moving forward. These functions play a vital role in solving complex challenges, supporting our clients’ success, and creating collaborative environments for IBMers worldwide. Working in CHQ and Other Functions means contributing your expertise to a global network that values teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation. You’ll have opportunities to grow your career while helping IBM operate with excellence and scale its impact across industries. With a culture that emphasizes learning.

Your Role And Responsibilities

Functional Expertise & Strategic Research Leadership

• Leverage deep expertise in executive research methodology, tools, and talent intelligence to lead complex, high-impact research projects aligned with hiring priorities.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to recruiters and hiring leaders, providing market insights, talent mapping, and diverse research to support executive searches.
• Drive diversity-focused research strategies to ensure equitable and representative top-of-funnel pipelines.
• Lead and improve research operations by aligning with global standards, ensuring data integrity, and optimizing usage of tools and platforms.

Problem Solving & Business Partnership

• Recognize and solve complex functional challenges using a combination of analytical rigor, business acumen, and creativity.
• Build and maintain influential relationships with stakeholders across executive recruiting, HR, and the business to align research initiatives with broader talent strategies.
• Translate data and insights into clear, actionable recommendations that inform executive hiring decisions and long-term workforce planning.

Leadership & Team Contribution

• Provide mentorship and domain leadership within the research team and broader executive recruiting function.
• Lead special projects, initiatives, and cross-functional efforts to elevate research capability and executive hiring excellence.
• Inspire a high-performance culture by using data and feedback to drive continuous improvement, both individually and across the team.
• Actively contributes to shaping team culture, processes, and performance measurement.

Program and Business Impact

• Take ownership of projects that span functions and regions, contributing to business-critical initiatives and optimizing hiring outcomes at the executive level.
• Participate in strategic planning cycles (e.g., headcount planning, talent segmentation) and contribute to long-term talent intelligence strategies.
• Operate with high autonomy, proactively identifying opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and enhanced impact.

Preferred Education

Bachelor's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

• 8+ years of executive recruitment and executive research experience, with deep expertise in research methodologies, market analysis, and digital recruitment tools.
• Proven ability to lead complex research and talent intelligence projects, consulting with executive-level stakeholders to guide strategic hiring decisions.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities, skilled in transforming data and market insights into actionable recommendations that influence executive hiring strategies.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills, with demonstrated success partnering across levels and functions to drive outcomes.
• Experience driving diversity sourcing strategies and building inclusive pipelines, while mentoring others and contributing to high‑performing, collaborative team environments.

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

• Experience working in a matrixed global organization.
• Understanding the executive search landscape will be advantageous.
• Familiarity with executive search tools, platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Recruiter, Hire EZ), and CRM/ATS systems.
• Background in market intelligence, organizational mapping, or strategic sourcing at the executive level.

Key skills/competency

• Executive Research
• Talent Intelligence
• Market Analysis
• Diversity Sourcing
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Planning
• Data Analysis
• Recruitment Methodology
• CRM/ATS
• Leadership