Global Head of Talent

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description Ares is seeking a Partner‑level Global Head of Talent to architect and lead a cohesive, enterprise‑wide talent program that enables the firm’s long‑term growth, performance, and leadership continuity. Reporting directly to Global Chief HR Office, this newly created role is accountable for end‑to‑end talent strategy and execution across Talent Management, Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion & Community Engagement. This leader will translate firm strategy into a clear, sequenced global talent agenda, setting the operating model, governance, and capabilities required to attract, develop, deploy, and retain top talent at scale. The role will be deeply hands‑on in evolving and leading Talent Management and Talent Development, ensuring these capabilities mature into a best‑in‑class, future‑ready model. This individual will also continue to enable and advance the Talent Acquisition and DEI & Community Engagement agendas in line with the broader Talent strategy. The Global Head of Talent will serve as the enterprise integrator, decision‑maker, and owner of outcomes across the talent lifecycle, taking a data centric approach to bring clarity, rigor, and accountability while operating with strong commercial acumen and a client‑first mindset. Reporting Relationships Reports to: Partner, Head of Human Resources Supervises: Partner, Chief Diversity Officer and Head of DEI & Community Engagement Managing Director, Head of Talent Acquisition Head of Talent Development Head of Talent Management Primary Functions & Responsibilities Enterprise Talent Strategy & Leadership Define and own a single, integrated global talent strategy spanning TM, TD, TA, and DEI, explicitly aligned to Ares’ business strategy, growth priorities, and risk profile. Set, sequence, and actively manage a multi-year global talent roadmap, balancing ambition with execution capacity and change absorption. Serve as the enterprise point of accountability for talent outcomes, trade‑offs, and prioritization decisions. Talent Function Leadership/Oversight Talent Management: Lead the continued evolution of the firm’s Talent Management / HR Business Partner model to deliver trusted, high-impact advisory support to leaders and employees globally. Establish a clear TM operating model (roles, capabilities, decision rights, escalation paths) that enables consistency while flexing to business context. Redefine and standardize the role of the HR Business Partner with clear service delivery expectations, job responsibilities, and measurable success criteria. Ensure TM operates as a strategic, data‑informed user and advisor, deeply embedded in business planning and leadership decisions, with strong cross‑COE collaboration and shared accountability for outcomes. Talent Development: Design and lead a firm‑wide talent and leadership development strategy that is aligned to enterprise business priorities, spanning early career through senior leadership and Partner succession. Own and evolve core talent and development frameworks, including: Performance management philosophy and enablement Promotion, progression, and career architecture frameworks Leadership and manager capability models High‑potential identification, assessment, and successor development Learning and development capabilities and programs across the enterprise Architect a scalable Talent Development operating model, including clear roles, levels, governance, and decision rights, and assess the optimal organizational design required to deliver enterprise impact, potentially including the establishment of a dedicated Head of Talent Development role and supporting leadership structure. Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of a holistic talent and learning system ensuring strong integration with broader HR platforms and technology goals. Establish clear standards for program quality, measurement, and ROI, using data and feedback to continuously refine development offerings and ensure they directly support performance, readiness, and leadership depth. Talent Acquisition: Provide strategic leadership and oversight of global Talent Acquisition (campus, lateral, executive hiring), ensuring alignment to enterprise workforce plans and long-term capability needs. Partner with the Head of Talent Acquisition to ensure recruitment remains high caliber, data driven, and globally consistent, with a strong employer brand and candidate experience. DEI and Community Engagement: Partner with the Chief Diversity Officer to embed DEI principles into talent systems and decisions, including hiring, development, progression, and succession. Ensure DEI metrics, governance, and outcomes meet institutional standards and support long term business performance. Support the evolution of Community Engagement strategies that reinforce Ares’ values and enhance reputation and impact. Executive Influence & Stakeholder Management Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and Partners, shaping talent and leadership decisions with judgment, credibility, and discretion. Partner closely with the CHRO and HR leadership to align enterprise priorities, manage tradeoffs, and drive decisive action. Lead complex, global talent discussions with confidence and clarity, particularly where priorities compete or risk is elevated. Operating Discipline & Execution Excellence Establish a strong operating cadence across the talent function, including goal setting, progress reviews, and outcome tracking. Integrate workforce analytics, dashboards, and KPIs into a coherent enterprise view of talent health, risk, and readiness. Own the talent initiative portfolio, ensuring disciplined execution, change management, and measurable impact across regions. Team Leadership & Culture Build and lead a high performing, unified talent leadership team, fostering a “one talent” mindset across TM, TD, TA, and DEI. Set clear expectations for excellence, collaboration, and accountability; coach and develop leaders to operate at enterprise scale. Serve as a visible role model for Ares’ leadership and cultural standards. Evaluate differing perspectives on talent programs, delivery models, and tradeoffs, and make clear, timely enterprise decisions. Education Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MS/MA in OD, IO Psychology, or related field) strongly preferred. Professional Profile Partner level or equivalent executive with deep, multi-disciplinary talent expertise, particularly across Talent Management and Talent Development. Proven ability to design, lead, and scale enterprise talent operating models in complex, global organizations. Experience Required 20+ years of progressive HR leadership, including prior Head of Talent or equivalent enterprise role. Significant experience in large, global financial services or adjacent professional services environments with high expectations for rigor, governance, and execution. Experience building and/or transforming a talent strategy and organization for the future; integrating previously separate teams into a cohesive, high performing group. Strong track record influencing senior leaders, making high stakes decisions with imperfect information, and driving alignment across diverse stakeholders. Strong data driven orientation (KPIs, dashboards, workforce analytics) to inform decision making and track outcomes. General Requirements Executive presence and Partner level gravitas; capable of credibly engaging the C suite and other senior leaders when needed. Strong commercial mindset; instinctively connects talent decisions to performance and risk. Decisive, accountable, and comfortable operating in ambiguity and making decisions. Exceptional communicator and storyteller with senior audiences. High integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to developing leaders and teams. Demonstrated ability to lead leaders, build bench strength, and develop high performing teams and cultures. Ability to travel as needed across regions to lead and support global initiatives. Compensation The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role. $350,000-$400,000 The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit. Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world‑class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more. There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active. #J-18808-Ljbffr