People and Talent Recruitment for New York Technology Companies
Founded in 2016, Hawkwood is a specialist People, HR & Talent Acquisition recruitment agency with a New York office in Brooklyn. We recruit People, HR and Talent Acquisition professionals exclusively for technology companies, from their first dedicated People hire through to Chief People Officer and CHRO.
We work with Founders, People leaders and the investors backing them, typically from Series A to Series D, on permanent, interim and fractional hires.
Why Use a Specialist for Your Head of People or CHRO Search?
Hiring a Head of People, VP People or CHRO raises questions before the search starts: what level of seniority your company stage needs, who the role reports to, and which job title will attract the candidates you want.
Hawkwood recruits only People and Talent professionals, and only into technology companies. That focus gives us a detailed view of what strong looks like at each level of the People function, which we use to advise on your brief and to assess candidates.
We have been mapping the same candidate market since 2016, and have often already spoken to most of the candidates we will approach before a search begins. Read how we compare to an executive search firm.
Read our guide to hiring your first Head of PeopleRoles We Recruit
People Leadership
Chief People Officer, CHRO, VP People, People Director and Head of People.
Talent Acquisition
Founding Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Partners and Heads of Talent.
People Operations
HR Generalists, People Operations Managers and Associates.
People Partnering
HR Business Partners and People Business Partners.
These roles can be permanent, interim or fractional, depending on the work and the support your team needs.
How We Run Your Search
The recruiter who takes your brief also finds, approaches, screens and manages the candidates, so the advice you get at offer stage comes from someone who has spoken to each candidate directly.
We agree the role's priorities, what success looks like, and the essential and preferred criteria, then introduce a shortlist with written assessment summaries. Your recruiter supports you through interviews, offer and acceptance.
See our full approachExamples of Our Work
Companies with US teams: The technology companies we have made People and Talent hires into include Figma, Reflection, Serval and Fundamental, all with teams in the United States.
Across the UK and the United States: We have specialised in People and Talent hiring for ten years, across the UK and the United States, with recruiters in London, New York, San Francisco and Miami.
300+ successful People & Talent hires into growth companies including
“We worked with Hawkwood on a search for a people lead at Phoenix Court recently and could not have been more impressed. They have a genuine, deep understanding of the HR market, unparalleled candidate network, and huge empathy with their clients.
Recommended to CEOs by VCs & PEs including
Questions About Hiring People and Talent in New York
How is a specialist People recruiter different from an executive search firm?
Executive search firms usually recruit senior leaders across multiple functions, with People roles sitting in a broader operations practice, and often split the work between a client-facing partner and a research team. Hawkwood recruits only People and Talent professionals, and the recruiter who takes your brief runs the whole search end-to-end, creating greater continuity. Read the full comparison.
Do you recruit for CHRO and Chief People Officer roles?
Yes. We recruit across the People function, from People Partner and People Operations roles through to Head of People, VP People, Chief People Officer and Chief HR Officer, on a permanent, interim or fractional basis. See our Chief People Officer and Head of People search.
How long does a People or Talent search typically take?
We usually share two initial candidates within the first 1.5 weeks. Your feedback helps us refine the search early, either confirming we’re on the right track or highlighting where we need to adjust. Interviews typically begin in week two, and the process usually concludes within five weeks when everything runs broadly to plan. The timing depends on the length of your interview process and your team’s availability. This is the search timeline, not a guaranteed start date, which also depends on the successful candidate’s notice period.
Can you help with Interim or Fractional People hires?
Yes. Interim hires can cover a vacancy or defined project; fractional professionals provide expertise on a part-time basis. You can typically interview interim or fractional consultants within two to three days of briefing us. Explore fractional and embedded expertise.
Do you recruit outside New York?
Yes. We recruit across the United States, the UK and Europe, with recruiters based in New York, San Francisco, Miami and London. Our recruiters in each market can also support companies growing internationally.