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Nikita R. Steals, Managing Partner of Northwest Talent Solutions

Leadership

Nikita R. Steals

CTASPMPSPHR

Managing Partner, Northwest Talent Solutions LLC
Vice President, Client Success, TriSearch

The NWTS brand film: narration with an original score, visuals and English captions.

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Most organizations plan their workforce once a year, then spend the rest of it reacting. I spent my career on the other side of that problem, leading talent at enterprise scale, across private industry and the public sector. At Northwest Talent Solutions, we built the NWTS Method so leaders can stop guessing. NWTS DecisionIQ puts that method in your hands. Know what your next hire, reskilling plan or automation decision will cost before you make it, with every calculation open to inspection. The NWTS Executive Academy prepares your leaders to make those decisions with confidence. And when the answer is a leader for your most important seat, our partnership with TriSearch delivers retained search and recruitment at scale. We're AI-native, because the right tools make better decisions possible. And we're human-first, because the decisions that shape people's careers belong with people. Let's build what comes next.

Enterprise talent and workforce transformation executive. Fifteen years leading talent at enterprise scale for Capital One, Amazon Web Services and Conduent, across the public sector and private industry. Now on the client’s side of the table, with a clear view: technology should strengthen people’s work, and every workforce decision should be grounded in business strategy and financial intelligence.

Recognition

  • Most Innovative Consulting Firm, 2024CEO Weekly · Northwest Talent Solutions
  • Visionary of the Year, 2024Best of Best Review
  • Game Changing Leaders, 2024CEO Weekly · Visionary Entrepreneurs Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Landscape
  • Marquis Who’s WhoBiographical registry

Career.

Capital OneVP, Global Tech Talent Acquisition. Scaled the technology organization 66% in 18 months, contributing to $2B+ in business impact; grew senior AI/ML and TPM hiring 88% year over year. Named North Star Strategist.
Amazon Web ServicesLed the largest talent acquisition transformation across AWS Infrastructure: a 72% increase in global technical hiring in year one across North America, EMEA and APAC.
ConduentSenior Director, Global Talent Acquisition. Workday HCM transformation across 60,000+ employees; reduced HR operating costs 58% ($17M annualized) and lifted recruiter productivity 40%.
Ascension12Founded and scaled with Fortune 500 clients including Capital One, PwC and Raytheon; secured a $3M enterprise RPO agreement; exited through acquisition by a global RPO organization.

Clients of Northwest Talent Solutions include Baker Tilly, Eaton Corporation, Caterpillar and Becton Dickinson.

66%Technology organization scaled in 18 months at Capital One, contributing to $2B+ in revenue growth
72%Increase in global technical hiring in year one at Amazon Web Services, across North America, EMEA and APAC
58%HR operating cost reduction at Conduent: $17M in annualized savings
88%Year-over-year growth in senior AI/ML and technical program hiring at Capital One

Selected results from Nikita R. Steals's executive career.

Why she built DecisionIQ.

Inside Capital One, Amazon and Conduent, the workforce questions that mattered most were financial: what a hiring plan would cost against revenue, whether to build or buy a capability, where automation would free real capacity. Those enterprises had analysts to answer them. Most companies of 50 to 1,000 people don't.

DecisionIQ puts the same discipline, the NWTS Method™, into a tool any leadership team can use, with every calculation open to inspection.

Awards and honors.

2024Visionary of the YearBest of Best Review
2024Top Visionary Leader of the YearBest of Best Review
Leadership CouncilNational Small Business Association
North Star StrategistCapital One

In their words.

Reproduced exactly as written by clients, colleagues and managers, with their permission.

“Nikita demonstrated a keen understanding of Capital One’s organization and strategy, an intuitive grasp of the relevant technologies, and the ability to communicate clearly and with authenticity. She’s playing a really important role in the dialogue on how technology can have a positive impact on historically overlooked parts of the workforce.”
Fernando Rodriguez-VillaCEO, AdeptID · JFF Horizons conference speaker panel
“We instructed Nikita and her firm to assist with filling two key roles in our US office. Since we were unfamiliar with the US market, we required a company that was knowledgeable and had access to a strong talent pool. Within four weeks, both positions were filled. Communication is one area that Nikita and her firm excel at. A pleasure to work with — we will be instructing the firm further in the future.”
John Hudson, M.A., F.R.S.A.Client · International US office expansion
“What truly set Northwest Talent Solutions apart was their professionalism and personalized attention. Nikita and her team were transparent, insightful, and committed to understanding my aspirations. They not only connected me with a company seeking my talents but ensured a strong cultural fit. The experience was seamless and stress-free. I am incredibly thankful for their expertise and support.”
Christopher PowellVP of Business Development, The Concourse Group
“Nikita and I worked together during the build out of a new entity in EMEA for AWS. She was brought in to manage a highly ambiguous and unstructured global recruitment business. Nikita brought much managerial stability, direction and data use to the business reporting, and was able to use this data to demonstrate why decisions needed to be made. It was a pleasure working with Nikita, I highly recommend her ability to manage large complex businesses and deliver results.”
Duncan MooreProject Manager, Barclays · colleague at AWS
“Nikita’s been a colleague and a friend. She and I have worked on several critical projects and delivered. Her understanding of talent scape and beliefs in building talent experiences is exemplary. Nikita is able to deliver to strategic priorities by rallying organisations resources and using influence while maintaining a hearty sense of humour results in great partnerships both on and off work.”
Vikrant KapurP&L Owner, Enterprise Transformation · colleague at Amazon
“I had the pleasure of attending one of Nikita Steals’ signature events recently. It was a testament to her expertise beyond just human capital strategies. The event was flawlessly executed, with high attendance and a vibrant atmosphere for networking with influential figures. It was clear Nikita understands the power of fostering connections and building communities. This experience solidified my impression of Nikita as a true visionary leader. As CEO of Northwest Talent Solutions, she seamlessly blends talent acquisition with DEI strategies, driving success for a diverse range of organizations. Her impressive 25+ years of experience includes senior leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies like Amazon. Nikita’s dedication to building inclusive teams, coupled with her talent for community engagement, makes her a valuable asset. I highly recommend her.”
David J. Albritton, PCCCertified Executive Coach (ICF PCC)
“I had the privilege of working with Nikita during the ramp up phase of Northwest Talent Solutions. Her passionate vision for the future and ability to think innovatively about industry challenges sets her apart. She consistently demonstrates transparency in her decision-making process and encourages exploration of new methodologies. Nikita’s enthusiasm for transformative ideas and openness to emerging solutions makes her a thought-provoking leader to work with. Her willingness to share her strategic thinking process provides valuable insights into entrepreneurial leadership.”
Emily WingReported directly to Nikita at NWTS
“Nikita is a strong recruiter who can navigate her way through any challenge thrown her way. She was a hugely valuable team member supporting one of our largest markets. Her relationship management skills and her technical recruiting experience helped to bring a consultative approach to her role supporting her internal clients. Nikita was also a great team member to her peers and others in the recruiting group.”
Hyunsoo ShinTalent Acquisition Leader · formerly managed Nikita directly
“I have known Nikita ever since she hired me into Phillips. She is one of those few people that are fiercely passionate about what they do and are relentless in achieveing what they set out to pursue. I have been amazed by her ability to communicate and extract the best out of difficult employees within the organization. Her quest for excellence will take her places! All the best Nikita!”
Sunil AbrahamSenior Director, Global Supply Chain, Curtiss-Wright Corporation