Cerenome (Nasdaq: CNSY) is a clinical-stage central nervous system (CNS) oncology company focused on transforming how rare and severe brain and spinal cancers are diagnosed, monitored, and treated. Our work brings together advanced diagnostics, targeted radiotherapeutics, and data analytics to address some of the most difficult challenges in neuro-oncology. Our portfolio includes CNSide, our proprietary cerebrospinal fluid-based diagnostic platform designed to support the diagnosis and management of cancers involving the central nervous system, and REYOBIQ™, our investigational radiotherapeutic currently in clinical development. As we grow, many of the systems, capabilities, and ways of working that will support our next stage are being built now. We see that as an opportunity—and we're looking for people who do, too. Role Cerenome is seeking anAssociate Director, Talent Acquisitionto help build and lead a scalable talent acquisition operation as the organization enters its next stage of growth. This role will be hybrid, with weekly onsite presence at the Houston (Medical Center) office. This is a builder-doer role. Working closely with HR leadership and leaders across Cerenome and CNSide Diagnostics, this individual will personally lead searches while building the processes, pipelines, technology and external partnerships needed to support our continued growth. The AD/TA role will drive big impact, because it will be leading executive, specialized and routine search efforts. You will translate workforce plans into actionable recruiting strategies, identify and engage scarce biotechnology and life sciences talent, manage candidates and hiring teams through the recruiting process, and help create a more consistent and data-driven approach to how we hire. We are looking for someone who can think strategically but also enjoys doing the work! Someone equally comfortable sourcing a difficult candidate, advising a leader on hiring strategy, improving an ATS workflow, managing an agency partner, and helping us build and enhance our existing recruiting routines.
Responsibilities:
Lead end-to-end recruiting across Cerenome and CNSide Diagnostics, from intake and sourcing through offer and acceptance. Build proactive talent pipelines for anticipated workforce needs, with particular focus on specialized biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, clinical, scientific, technical and commercial talent. Partner with HR leadership and hiring leaders on role definition, ideal candidate profiles, recruiting strategy, market realities and hiring priorities. Translate workforce plans into actionable recruiting plans, helping the organization appropriately prioritize and sequence hiring. Build consistent, scalable practices for sourcing, screening, interviewing, candidate selection and offers while maintaining a high-quality candidate experience. Lead the implementation, optimization and ongoing use of our (pending) applicant tracking system and related recruiting technology, workflows and reporting. Manage external search firms and recruiting agencies, including vendor selection, negotiation, performance and spend; determine when external support adds value versus when searches should be handled internally. Develop practical recruiting metrics and reporting, including time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, pipeline health, source effectiveness, offer acceptance and agency utilization. Strengthen Cerenome's employment brand and how we communicate our mission, culture and growth story to prospective employees. Build practical interview tools and selection standards and help hiring managers strengthen interviewing and candidate-assessment capability. Ensure a strong handoff from recruiting into preboarding and onboarding, supporting a seamless transition from candidate to employee. We also anticipate this role playing an active role in onboarding new hires and supporting culture work.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Life Sciences or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.12+ years of progressive talent acquisition experience, including meaningful recruiting experience within biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostics or broader life sciences. Experience working in a high-growth or scaling organization and building or materially improving recruiting processes and infrastructure. Strong hands-on sourcing capability and demonstrated success identifying and engaging passive talent, not simply managing applicants or external search firms. Experience implementing, optimizing and working within leading applicant tracking systems such as Workable, Greenhouse, Lever, Workday Recruiting, iCIMS, or Smart Recruiters. Experience managing external recruiting/search partners, including vendor performance, fees and overall agency strategy. Strong business judgment and communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively with executives, hiring managers and HR colleagues. Comfortable working independently, creating structure from ambiguity and balancing strategic work with hands-on execution. Ability to work a hybrid schedule with a few scheduled onsite days each week, as needed to support business operations.
