VP, Talent
Auckland - New Zealand
Job Summary
At Halter were on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time-intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break No quad bikes no dogs no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. Its changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us youll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out-think out-work and out-care. Were committed to delivering real change in the world - this isnt easy and in truth we love that its hard.
Were backed to deliver on a mission that matters by Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund Bessemer Venture Partners BOND DCVC Blackbird Promus Ventures Rocket Labs Peter Beck and Icehouse ventures.
To find out more visit our LinkedIn & Instagram.
Halter is on a mission to bring the worlds farming onto a smarter more sustainable platform - and getting there means hiring a lot of brilliant people fast without losing what makes Halter Halter. Thats where this role comes in.
Were looking for our first-ever VP Talent: someone who can set the strategy that takes Halter to thousands of people by 2028 and stay close enough to the ground to make sure every candidate - whether theyre in Denver Buenos Aires Taranaki or Auckland - has an exceptional experience. Youll own talent end to end: early careers company-wide hiring and executive search from first sourcing message through to signed offer.
Youll be leading a large multi-functional team (15 and growing) so this role is as much about people leadership and execution intelligence as it is about strategy. Youll build the culture systems and operational rigour that let a team that size move fast without losing quality. And youll do it as a genuine partner to the Executive team - shaping the hiring strategy not just executing it.
Its a rare opportunity: building a strong existing foundation into a world-class function with real influence over how Halter scales and a seat at the table where those decisions get made.
Talent Strategy & Vision
Create and execute Halters end-to-end talent strategy - proactive and reactive company-wide spanning early careers through to executive recruiting.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead a high-performing recruiting organisation building a culture of excellence and accountability through hands-on mentorship coaching and continuous operational improvement.
Develop the leaders beneath you so the function can keep scaling without bottlenecking through you.
Operational Excellence
Engineer scalable talent processes from talent mapping and sourcing through offer delivery ensuring a consistent high-quality candidate experience across every level and stage.
Keep raising the bar on both speed and quality never trading one for the other.
Talent Intelligence & Reporting
Architect organisation-wide reporting frameworks that make Halters hiring data genuinely useful not just available.
Translate complex talent metrics into narratives that help leadership make sharper calls on workforce planning and sourcing strategy.
Technology & Innovation
Partner with other leaders to architect and evolve a scalable talent ecosystem.
Use AI as a strategic lever automating the repeatable parts of the funnel so the teams time shifts toward high-impact judgment and relationship-building.
Executive Partnership
Act as a strategic partner to the Exec team and senior leaders influencing talent decisions by aligning acquisition strategy with long-term workforce planning and business objectives.
Bring a well-informed independent point of view - this role is about shaping decisions not just implementing them.
People Leadership Team
Act as a core partner on the People leadership team contributing to the development and execution of a comprehensive company-wide people strategy.
We think there are two kinds of backgrounds that could excel in this role - and were genuinely open to both plus anyone who doesnt fit neatly into either bucket but can make the case:
A seasoned high-growth Talent or People leader - someone whos operated as a VP or Director of Talent People or even CPO and has scaled a recruiting function through a hyper-growth stage.
A Sales Marketing or GM leader with a strong bent for people - someone who hasnt necessarily run Talent before but has a track record of building and leading high-performing teams is familiar with a funnel and has a genuine passion for talent as a craft and the commercial instincts to treat it like a growth function.
Beyond that were looking for:
A proven people leader with experience managing managers and building high-performing organisations of 30.
Strong data fluency comfortable building and interrogating your own reporting rather than reviewing someone elses dashboard.
A track record of building scalable high-volume processes without sacrificing candidate (or customer) experience.
Genuine enthusiasm for using AI and modern tooling to change how a function operates not just to tick a box.
Excellent executive communication skills able to distil complex data into a clear story for senior stakeholders.
Strong commercial and business acumen - you think about talent as a lever on business outcomes not a service function in isolation.
Comfortable with ambiguity and a high degree of autonomy with the judgment to know when to escalate and when to make the call yourself.
We dont rule anyone out on background alone - if youve got the operating chops and the passion for people we want to hear from you.
Delicious snacks and drinks are available for your daily flow.
Healthy body healthy mind. Were partnered with Southern Cross Health Insurance to support your well-being.
We offer 6 months of fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers 4 weeks of fully paid secondary caregiver leave and many other parental benefits that support you and your family.
Our personal growth is important. Halter offers an annual $1000 self-development budget to be used for anything that fuels personal growth.
Our time to recharge is valued were offered wellness leave and unlimited paid annual leave.
Importantly we offer an inclusive and attractive remuneration package made up of salary benefits and an employee stock ownership plan.
Humans are wired for connection. Being office first is a core pillar of our culture because in-person connections drive your growth learning impact and relationships. Strong relationships make it easier to disagree give feedback and do meaningful work together.
Were office first not office only. Working from the office is our default but we flex when needed. We have a high-trust culture where everyone is trusted to do whats best for Halter.
Our office vibe is special the high energy and spectacular people make work enjoyable. Your growth and impact are unlimited here coming from solving problems innovating and constantly learning from each other.
Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but dont necessarily tick every requirement on this job description please still get in touch and apply to Halter. Wed love to chat to see if youll be an epic fit!
If this opportunity sounds like you please apply below by sending through your cover letter explaining why youre excited about this role and working at Halter along with your CV and well be in touch!
Please also feel free to check out the careers page for more information on working at Halter and dont forget to follow us on LinkedIn & Instagram.
Work that genuinely matters. Every now and again a company comes along that transforms an entire industry and leaves the world in a better place. Our team gets to be part of something truly meaningful helping farmers improve their livelihoods spend more time with their families and build more sustainable operations.
Spectacular people solving hard problems. Our culture is designed for talented people to do work that changes lives. The team is filled with diverse kind and driven people who push each other to do their best work. Youll be thrown into the deep end tackling complex challenges and building something tangible that solves real problems.
Youll grow here. Autonomy mastery and learning define how we work. Youll have the freedom to work on interesting problems master new skills and continuously develop yourself both through your role and our $1000 personal growth fund.
This isnt easy and we love that its hard. Working at Halter will be the most rewarding and the most challenging work of your life. We move fast take bold bets and work hard to reshape an entire industry. As one team member put it: Joining Halter is a bit like strapping yourself to a rocket ship but its an epic journey to be a part of!
Required Experience:
Exec
About Company
Manage your pasture, virtually fence and shift your cows, monitor their health and detect heats. All through solar-powered collars and an easy-to-use app. Trusted by over 1000+ farmers.