Senior Recruiter
Substack · San Francisco, CA
- On site
- Full-time
- $175,000 / year
- San Francisco, CA
Job highlights
- Own full-cycle GTM recruiting for Substack.
- Build proactive sourcing strategies and talent pipelines.
- Partner with hiring managers to define top talent.
- Optimize recruiting processes using Ashby and data.
- Ensure excellent candidate experience reflecting Substack brand.
About the role
Senior Recruiter - GTM Focus
Substack is building a new economic engine for culture, giving the brightest, most interesting, and most creative people on the internet the power of their own publishing platform. Substack empowers independent writers, artists, videographers, podcasters, and creators of all types to create, share, and make a living off their work through subscriptions, while offering them creative freedom, ownership, and a direct connection to their audiences.
Substack is looking for a Senior Recruiter to own and elevate our GTM recruiting function. This is not a role for someone who waits for the right resume to land in their inbox — we need a proactive, networked recruiter who takes pride in finding exceptional talent before they're looking, building relationships before there's a role to fill, and pushing the bar on every hire we make.
You'll be joining a small but mighty recruiting team (you'll partner closely with our EPD recruiter) and will report directly to our Head of Operations. This is a high-ownership role where you'll shape how we hire, not just execute on it.
Responsibilities
- Own full-cycle recruiting for GTM roles including sales, marketing, and business operations — from top-of-funnel sourcing through offer close
- Build and maintain a proactive sourcing strategy that goes well beyond inbound — tapping your network, identifying passive talent, and creating pipelines before roles open
- Partner closely with hiring managers to deeply understand each role, calibrate on what "great" looks like, and move quickly without sacrificing quality
- Own and optimize our Ashby instance — build dashboards, set up reporting, leverage AI and automation to drive recruiting efficiency
- Manage a strong candidate experience from first touch to offer, ensuring every interaction reflects the Substack brand
- Contribute to recruiting operations: tracking metrics, identifying bottlenecks, and continuously improving how we hire
- Occasionally support technical or engineering roles as needed
About You
- 6+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with a strong focus on GTM roles (sales, marketing, business operations, partnerships)
- A genuine network and the instinct to use it — you know how to reach people who aren't actively looking
- Ashby experience strongly preferred; comfort with ATS dashboards, reporting, and workflow automation
- A track record of owning recruiting functions, not just executing reqs — you've built pipelines, improved processes, and pushed back when needed
- Sharp attention to detail and a high bar for reliability — you follow through, communicate proactively, and never let things fall through the cracks
- Comfort working in a fast-moving, lean environment where you'll have real ownership and real impact
- Bonus: experience hiring for technical or engineering roles
Why Substack
Substack is building the future of independent media — a platform where writers, podcasters, and creators can build direct relationships with their audiences and earn a living doing what they love. We're a lean, high-conviction team that moves fast and takes our culture seriously. Every hire matters, and this role is central to who we become next.
Substack’s compensation package includes a market-competitive salary, equity for all full-time roles, and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation salary range for this role is $135,000-175,000. Multiple factors, including candidate experience and expertise, determine final offer amounts and may vary from the amounts listed above.
Substack is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status), age, national origin, veteran or disability status. We’re seeking people passionate about enabling independent expression and building a better business model for creators. If you want to see what media, communities, and content can become when unmoored from advertising models, and you have the skills and experience to contribute, we’d love to meet you.
Please see our Privacy Notice for details regarding Substack's collection and use of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking here.
Key skills/competency
- Talent Acquisition
- Full-Cycle Recruiting
- Go-to-Market (GTM) Recruiting
- Sales Recruiting
- Marketing Recruiting
- Business Operations Recruiting
- Passive Candidate Sourcing
- ATS Management (Ashby)
- Candidate Experience
- Recruiting Operations
Skills & topics
- Senior Recruiter
- Recruiting
- Talent Acquisition
- Go-to-Market
- GTM
- Sales Recruiting
- Marketing Recruiting
- Business Operations
- Ashby
- Passive Sourcing
- Full-Cycle Recruiting
- Creator Economy
- Media Tech
- Startup Recruiting
- Remote Work
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 6+ years of GTM recruiting experience, network-building, and ATS optimization skills, specifically mentioning Ashby.
- Showcase proactive sourcing: Detail your experience identifying and engaging passive candidates and building talent pipelines before roles are open.
- Demonstrate ownership: Provide examples of how you've owned recruiting functions, improved processes, and pushed for quality hires.
- Emphasize candidate experience: Describe your approach to managing the candidate journey and ensuring it aligns with brand values.
- Research Substack's mission: Understand their commitment to creators and independent media, and articulate how your recruiting approach supports this vision.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus for this Senior Recruiter role at Substack?
- The Senior Recruiter role at Substack primarily focuses on owning and elevating the Go-to-Market (GTM) recruiting function, specifically for sales, marketing, and business operations roles. The role requires a proactive and networked approach to identifying and attracting top talent.
- What experience is essential for this Senior Recruiter position at Substack?
- Essential experience includes 6+ years of full-cycle recruiting, with a strong emphasis on GTM roles. Proficiency with ATS systems like Ashby, a demonstrated ability to build talent pipelines, and a track record of owning recruiting functions are crucial.
- How important is network building for this Senior Recruiter role?
- Network building is extremely important. Substack seeks a recruiter who can proactively tap into their network to find passive talent, build relationships before roles are open, and consistently push the bar on hiring quality.
- What does Substack mean by 'owning' the recruiting function?
- Owning the recruiting function means taking full responsibility for the hiring process, from strategy development and pipeline building to process improvement and candidate experience, rather than just executing on a list of open roles.
- What is the salary range for the Senior Recruiter position at Substack?
- The cash compensation salary range for this Senior Recruiter role at Substack is $135,000 to $175,000 annually. Final offers may vary based on candidate experience and expertise.
- What is the expected work environment at Substack for this role?
- The work environment at Substack is described as fast-moving, lean, and high-conviction. This Senior Recruiter role offers significant ownership and impact within a team that values culture and makes every hire count.
- What is Ashby, and why is experience with it preferred for this role?
- Ashby is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Experience with Ashby is preferred because the role involves owning and optimizing the company's Ashby instance, including building dashboards, setting up reporting, and leveraging its automation features for recruiting efficiency.
- Does this Senior Recruiter role involve any technical or engineering recruiting?
- While the primary focus is on GTM roles, this Senior Recruiter position may occasionally support technical or engineering roles as needed. Prior experience hiring for these types of positions is considered a bonus.