Harnham

Are you searching for a Head of Analytics to join your PE-backed business? The mistake most firms make is hiring for a technical stack. In 2026, a strong analytics leader isn’t defined by the tools they use, but by their ability to link data directly to the P&L. As growth-stage and PE portfolios mature, the requirement has shifted. It is no longer about general reporting, it’s about commercial execution. Swipe to see the three pillars of high-value analytics leadership.  Read the full analysis on how analytics drives value in PE portfolios in the comments. #DataLeadership #PrivateEquity #Analytics

Around 80% of organisations say AI is critical to competitive advantage. Boston Consulting Group estimates only 5% are generating real value from it. The gap isn't about tools. It's how AI work gets delivered, who owns it, and whether it connects to the decisions a business makes. In our latest newsletter, we look at what's changing for data and analytics teams across the UK and US: • Why most AI investment isn't translating into ROI • How high-performing teams are combining hiring, project delivery, and upskilling • What it looked like when we placed a Head of Data Science & Analytics in 30 days, then built a 17-person team around them Worth a read if you're working through any of this on either side of the table. Read the full newsletter ⤵️ #AIRecruitment #DataTalent #AIHiring

What roles are companies hiring? What salaries should you be paying? How should you structure your first AI hires? In this market, the same title can mean very different things depending on the business, the stage, and what the role is expected to deliver. We’ve seen senior AI leadership roles in the US reach $400k+ when the scope is tied directly to building and scaling capability. At the same time, similar titles can sit at very different levels depending on whether the focus is research, product, or delivery. The question isn’t just “what should we pay?” It’s “what are we actually hiring for?” We’ve broken this down further in our AI hiring guide, including roles, salary benchmarks, and how to structure teams. Download it in the comments. #AIHiring #DataTalent #Harnham

In most cases, it shows up like this: → Candidates come through quickly, but it’s not clear why they’re a fit → There’s little conversation about whether the role is realistic or how it compares to the market → Everything gets agreed to, even when timelines, budget, or requirements don’t quite add up The process moves, but you’re still not confident you’re speaking to the right people. Sound familiar? Kyle Arriola recently spoke with Simon Clarke about how companies are approaching this in the US, including what to look for and where hiring processes often go wrong. Read the full piece in the comments. #AIHiring #DataTalent #Harnham

We asked our network what matters most when choosing an AI recruitment partner? Swipe to see how the responses broke down ⤵️ While the results were fairly spread out, quality over speed still came out on top. Speed is often positioned as a strength in recruitment. On its own, it’s not. In AI hiring, fast delivery without depth usually leads to poor screening and weak alignment to the role. According to Kyle Arriola (AVP, Data & AI Talent Acquisition): “If a firm is promising speed without talking about quality… that’s a huge warning sign.” Kyle also spoke about how teams are approaching AI hiring in the US, and what to look for in a recruitment partner. You’ll find the full blog in the comments. #AIRecruitment #DataTalent #AIHiring

If you’re building data and AI teams right now, you’ve probably run into at least one of these:  How should AI hiring actually be structured? Where do hiring processes start to break down? What works when you’re trying to scale data teams? How are leaders approaching AI adoption in practice? We’ve pulled together a set of short videos where hiring leaders and practitioners share how they’re approaching these in real teams. Explore our Data & AI Video Hub in the comments. #AIHiring #DataLeadership #Harnham

Why doesn’t analytics always translate into better decisions? Portfolio reporting can improve. Dashboards can look better. But if analytics isn’t tied to pricing, forecasting, and day-to-day decisions, nothing really changes. Most functions fail because no one owns execution. That’s where analytics leadership makes the difference. But timing matters, too. Hire early, and the role lacks direction. Hire too late, and analytics stays reactive. Sound like a rock and a hard place? We’ve broken down how to get this right across PE portfolios in our latest piece. Link in the comments. ⤵️  #DataLeadership #DataAnalytics #HiringTrends #Harnham

What makes a strong AI or data recruiter in the US? It comes down to how well they understand the work behind the role. In this market, titles vary, and similar experience on paper can mean very different things in practice. Strong recruiters look past the CV. They understand the tooling, the trade-offs, and how teams are set up. They ask the right questions and can speak credibly with both candidates and hiring teams. That also shows up in how they work with clients and leads to better hiring decisions. Curious what others have seen. What stands out to you when working with a recruiter in this space? Link to the blog in the comments. #AIHiring #DataTalent #Harnham

Unclear roles, inconsistent titles, and CVs that don’t show who can actually do the job. We’re seeing these come up a lot in AI hiring right now. So when it comes to choosing a recruitment partner, we’re curious: #AIRecruitment #DataTalent #AIHiring

Why do some tech teams scale quickly while others struggle, even with the same access to talent? Here’s why: These roles sit in small, competitive talent pools, which means reactive hiring simply does not work in this space. In this video, Joshua Poore explains how an embedded approach allows for a targeted and proactive way of hiring. This means having more focus, more precision, and the flexibility to add bandwidth when demand increases. Sound good? If this is something you’re also thinking about in your team, feel free to reach out. #DataRecruitment #AIHiring #EmbeddedSolutions #Harnham