Head of Kelly RPO

Together we change lives.

Kelly is a team of experts driven by our belief that the impact of the right person in the right job is limitless.  

No matter where you are in your career journey you can apply your knowledge and passion to move people, organizations, and communities forward.  You’ll have opportunities to grow your expertise and capabilities, both professionally and personally.  As a team we celebrate inclusion, caring and collaboration.  As a company we value your contribution, we work with integrity, and we always put people first – so your impact really will change lives.

Our Head of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a strategically driven, commercially accountable

leader who owns the growth, performance, and evolution of Kelly's RPO business. The Officer VP role holds full P&L responsibility for the RPO division, driving client acquisition, revenue growth, margin expansion, and EBITDA improvement — while setting and executing the go-to-market strategy that positions Kelly RPO as a top-tier, enterprise-grade solution in the global talent marketplace.

Reporting to the President, Staffing, BPO and RPO Solutions, this leader is expected to anticipate shifts in the talent acquisition landscape, act decisively, and adapt in real time — delivering scalable RPO solutions with agility, speed, and commercial rigor in a dynamic, competitive market.

Responsibilities:

People & Culture First

• Architect and lead a high-performance, people-first culture within the RPO division anchored in accountability, talent development, inclusion, and continuous improvement

• Build an environment of psychological safety paired with uncompromising performance standards and leadership accountability across delivery, operations, and client-facing teams

RPO Strategy & New Business Growth

• Own and continuously evolve the RPO go-to-market strategy, solution design, and pricing model across all verticals and geographies

• Drive scalable new logo acquisition through targeted pursuit strategies, enforce pricing discipline, and lead sustained margin expansion; proactively adjust strategy based on talent market and competitive shifts

• Develop and launch differentiated RPO solutions — including modular RPO, total talent, and embedded recruiting models — that create competitive market advantage and reflect future-of-work trends

Client & Talent Centricity

• Serve as executive sponsor for the organization's most strategic RPO accounts, ensuring strong governance, NPS performance, and long-term retention

• Deepen enterprise client relationships, expand scope and revenue footprint within existing accounts, and proactively identify at-risk accounts for remediation

• Lead high-stakes contract negotiations and solution re-designs that optimize outcomes for clients while protecting enterprise value and margin integrity

Delivery Excellence & Technology Enablement

• Ensure consistent, high-quality RPO delivery across all engagements through disciplined SLA management, recruiter productivity standards, and process governance

• Champion the adoption and optimization of ATS, CRM, AI-enabled sourcing, and talent analytics platforms to drive recruiter efficiency and hiring outcomes

• Partner with Technology and Operations functions to continuously evolve the RPO delivery model, reduce cost-to-fill, and enhance the candidate and hiring manager experience

Cross-Functional Alignment & Execution

• Orchestrate alignment across sales, delivery, operations, finance, HR, and marketing to execute enterprise priorities; redesign operating models and drive measurable reductions in cost-to-serve at scale

• Partner with Marketing and Growth functions to shape RPO pursuit strategy, thought leadership positioning, and market differentiation

• Ensure disciplined pipeline management, forecast integrity, and accountability against enterprise KPIs — including revenue, margin, time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, and client retention rate

Business & Financial Acumen

• Own and actively manage the full RPO P&L; translate financial performance — revenue, gross profit, and EBITDA — into clear operational decisions and accountable leadership actions at every level of the business

• Leverage workforce data, analytics platforms, and digital tools to identify growth levers, monitor business health, and drive evidence-based decisions; build or strengthen the analytics capability within the RPO team to move from insight to action with speed

Knowledge, Skills, and Experiences:

• 20+ years of progressive leadership in the RPO sector, with direct accountability for enterprise-level RPO engagements, P&L ownership, and multi-market delivery operations

• Proven new business builder with a track record of growing RPO revenue and sustaining client relationships through both expansion cycles and complex turnaround situations — not only favorable market conditions

• Demonstrated agility; able to read talent market signals, adapt RPO strategy and delivery models quickly, and execute decisively in ambiguity

• Experience driving margin expansion alongside revenue growth; strong pricing governance, commercial structuring, and deal economics expertise in RPO contexts

• Deep understanding of the RPO competitive landscape, enterprise client buying behavior, HR technology ecosystem (ATS, HCM, sourcing tools), and regulatory environment across North America and globally

• People-first leadership with a demonstrated track record of team development, retention, and strong culture; history of building bench strength and promoting leaders to greater roles — builds capability, not dependency

• Strong client and candidate experience orientation reflected in decision-making, delivery standards, and measurable outcomes

• Executive presence with credibility at the CHRO and C-suite level; skilled at translating RPO value into business outcomes and influencing board-level stakeholders

• Proven ability to lead cross-functionally across sales, delivery, operations, finance, and technology; demonstrated ability to drive alignment and outcomes across stakeholders outside direct ownership — without relying on positional authority

• Data-driven with strong analytical skills; able to translate workforce insights into business action; fluency in RPO analytics, recruiter productivity metrics, and talent acquisition technology platforms

• Experience operating in matrixed, multi-entity, or global environments preferred

• Led significant organizational transformation within RPO or staffing; maintained delivery performance and client satisfaction through change and drove adoption with both empathy and urgency — not change-averse, not a protector of the status quo

Location: Virtual / Remote

Travel: As required by business needs

The annual base pay for this position is listed below. Final compensation will be based on experience and may vary by geographic location.  

Total compensation package including benefits as applicable to the position – understanding that each person has unique professional and personal needs focused on your total well-being.  Explore our range of benefits at: Kelly Services | People Regular Staff 

Kelly is an equal opportunity employer committed to employing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, including, but not limited to, race, gender, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Equal Employment Opportunity is The Law.