Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs

Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs 

Shark Programs, Recruiting & University Relations 

SharkNinja •  Talent Access • Needham, MA • Reports to: SVP, Talent Access 

Are you ready to be part of something new and exciting? Our Early Talent function is in build mode — fast moving, dynamic, and full of opportunities to create and shape programs from the ground up. Since this role was first created, Early Talent at SharkNinja has become a CEO-sponsored growth engine: our Shark Programs now span AI, robotics, social, affiliates, and web development, with intern and co-op cohorts embedded directly in the business, delivering real work with real accountability. Today, that lgobal portfolio spans 400+ approved interns and co-ops roles across 9 concurrent cohorts, a multi-million-dollar program budget, and a footprint of 20+ countries across North America, EMEA, and APAC — with continued global expansion underway. This role offers hands-on ownership of that engine — requiring adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to jump in and refine and scale what's working. 

The real opportunity? Running a hyper-growth, executive-visible portfolio at an inflection point — gaining rare experience in program design and expansion, and growing your career while making a meaningful, measurable impact. If you are excited by the idea of building, collaborating, and shaping the future of Early Talent at SharkNinja, this role is for you! 

The Role 

The Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs will own the strategy, operations, and growth of SharkNinja's Shark Programs and broader Early Edge experience — positioning SharkNinja as an employer of choice for early career talent. Operating with significant autonomy and executive visibility, you will serve as a strategic advisor to Talent Access leadership, P&C Business Partners, executive sponsors, and business leaders — shaping where the portfolio expands next, standing up new cohorts against defined launch conditions, and building the team and infrastructure the program needs to scale, including into new international markets. You are the enterprise subject matter expert on university relations, internship and co-op program design, and cohort operations, carrying forward a proven playbook: high-touch selection, hands-on daily coordination, defined scope frameworks, and performance scorecards that give every Shark a clear definition of success. 

What You'll Own 

• Portfolio strategy and expansion: assess where the Shark and Early Edge model goes next, build the business case with executive sponsors, and stand up new cohorts against the program's launch conditions — sponsorship, assessment rigor, daily coordination, and performance frameworks 
• Team and infrastructure: hire, build, and lead the Early Talent recruiting and program team (recruiters, coordinators, program specialists) — hands-on in year one, transitioning to team-led execution as the portfolio scales — including program budget, vendor, and platform ownership 
• Global program operations across the Shark portfolio — AI Sharks/SharkByte, Robot Sharks, Social Sharks, and the newest cohorts in Affiliates and Web Development — including cohort calendars, onboarding, scope charters, stand-up cadences, and 30/45-day scorecard reviews 
• Recruiting oversight: set intake standards with business sponsors, own sourcing strategy and assessment design, and ensure a high-touch, 5-star candidate experience — including executive-level referrals — executed day-to-day through the recruiting team you build and lead 
• University relations: campus partnerships, co-op program relationships, career fairs, and employer brand activa