Global Head of Talent

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

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MS/MA in OD, IO Psychology, or related field) strongly preferred.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.