How does headcount planning change when you operate inside an Alphabet portfolio company? In this bonus episode, Jason Gingrich of Intrinsic breaks down how moonshot teams plan hiring, align with finance, and model recruiter capacity using data instead of guesswork. Listeners will walk away with practical ideas for forecasting, prioritization, and defending hiring plans with confidence.

Execution is where plans succeed or fail. In this episode of Headcount Experts, we break down how recruiting capacity, financial constraints, AI, and org design collide after Q4. If you are planning for 2026, this is the conversation you need to hear.

This episode explains how every stakeholder, from Finance to HRBPs to hiring managers, shapes the headcount plan, and why data, ROI, and communication determine whether planning succeeds or collapses.

This episode explains the full lifecycle of closing out your annual headcount plan — from data cleanup and prioritization to finance alignment and cross-functional communication. Eric and Chris walk through the eight essential steps TA, HR, and FP&A leaders must take to create a clean transition into the next plan year. Listeners will learn how to manage variance, set expectations, navigate global nuances, and build a predictable Q1 launch.

This episode translates headcount planning from theory to an executable system. You’ll get a practical five-step framework and hear how Ashby’s Jim Miller operationalizes a rolling, revenue-anchored model that smooths recruiter workload, improves forecast accuracy, and keeps leaders aligned.

When headcount analytics are constrained on spreadsheets, forecasts fail, NPS drops & costs rise. Hear how our experience shaped the way software revolutionizes this part of the business.

How to use last year’s variance and capacity data to build a more accurate, defensible headcount plan for the year ahead.

We break down the three major styles of headcount planning and how TA, Finance, and HR leaders can use data and collaboration to navigate Q4 planning.

Headcount Experts Chris Mannion & Eric Guidice to talk about how recruiting leaders can use Q4 to build credibility, forecast hiring demand, and finally stop firefighting through planning season.