Summary

The Executive Faculty Search Associate is a key member of a team-based executive faculty recruitment function focused on identifying, attracting, and advancing top-tier faculty leaders. This role blends candidate sourcing and recruitment with high-quality administrative and operational support across multiple concurrent searches. The Associate partners closely with the search lead, search committees, and institutional stakeholders to ensure a transparent, timely, and inclusive process that elevates MCW’s leadership capacity.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive market research, competitor analysis, and talent mapping to identify potential executive faculty candidates.
• Build and maintain internal database of national and diverse leadership candidates aligned with institutional priorities.
• Monitor academic, clinical, and professional networks for emerging leadership talent.
• Stay informed about market trends, leadership mobility, and diversity initiatives relevant to executive faculty recruitment.
• Conduct proactive outreach to identified candidates, introducing MCW opportunities and cultivating interest.
• Perform early-stage pre-screening conversations to assess interest, qualifications, and fit.
• Maintain ongoing communication with passive candidates to ensure engagement for current and future searches.
• Partner with search team to craft compelling outreach messaging, role briefs, and candidate-facing materials.

• Prepare search materials: position profiles, search strategies, candidate summaries, interview guides, scorecards, rubrics, and briefing packets.
• Facilitate search committee operations: agendas, minutes, documentation, feedback collection, and decision-tracking.

• Contribute to post-search reviews to capture lessons learned, update best practices, and inform future talent strategies.

• Foster a collaborative team environment; share knowledge generously and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Knowledge – Skills – Abilities

Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of executive search principles, talent acquisition strategies, and academic leadership structures.
• Knowledge of Human Resources policies, best practices, and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with MCW’s culture, mission, and values, with the ability to align talent strategies accordingly.
• Awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices in recruitment.
• Understanding of market trends, leadership mobility, and institutional priorities in academic medicine.

Skills

• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills for market research, talent mapping, and candidate evaluation.
• Exceptional communication skills (oral and written) with the ability to engage all levels of the organization, facilitate discussions, deliver presentations, and produce clear written reports.
• Advanced organizational and project management skills to manage multiple searches and competing priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with ATS/CRM (Workday) systems.
• Skilled in preparing detailed search documentation (position profiles, candidate summaries, interview guides, scorecards).
• Ability to create compelling outreach messaging and candidate-facing materials.

Abilities

• Ability to work independently while thriving in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments and deadlines with attention to detail and a focus on high-quality outcomes.
• Ability to develop and maintain credibility and trust with institutional leaders and stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt effectively to change and exercise independent judgment in planning and prioritizing workload.
• Ability to navigate and build relationships within a complex matrix organization.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate professionalism in all interactions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage internal and external clients, including administrators, physicians, peers, and support staff.
• Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement and institutional citizenship.

Qualifications

Appropriate experience may be substituted for education on an equivalent basis.

Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Minimum Required Experience: 2 years’ experience in executive search, talent acquisition, or related recruitment roles

Preferred Experience: Academic medicine or healthcare experience a plus

Physical Requirements

Work requires occasionally lifting moderate weight materials, standing, or walking continuously.

Work Environment

Occasional exposure to dust, noise, temperature changes, or contact with water or other liquids. Work is performed in an environmentally controlled environment.

Sensory Acuity

Ability to detect and translate speech or other communication required. May occasionally require the ability to distinguish colors and perceive relative distances between objects.

#LI-AV1

Why MCW?

• Outstanding Healthcare Coverage, including but not limited to Health, Vision, and Dental. Along with Flexible Spending options

• 403B Retirement Package

• Competitive Vacation and Paid Holidays offered

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Paid Parental Leave

• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

• Pet Insurance

• On campus Fitness Facility, offering onsite classes

• Additional discounted rates on items such as: Select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation and entertainment etc.

For a brief overview of our benefits see: Benefits Overview

For a full list of positions see: MCW Careers

At MCW all of our endeavors, from our internal operations to our interactions with our partners, are driven by our shared organizational values: Caring – Collaborative – Curiosity – Inclusive – Integrity – Respect. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives through merit-based processes and in alignment with all applicable laws. We believe that embracing human differences is critical to realize our vision of a healthier world, and we recognize that a healthy and thriving community starts from within. Our values define who we are, what we stand for and how we conduct ourselves at MCW. If you believe in embracing individuality and working together according to these principles to improve health for all, then MCW is the place for you. For more information, please visit our institutional website.

MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination:

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.