Everything I take on is exclusive. One brief at a time, worked end to end by me, from the first conversation about the role to the day your new hire starts. There are two ways to run a search, plus a smaller piece of project work alongside them.
Exclusive search
The default. No retainer, and the fee is tied entirely to the result. It suits most mid-to-senior commercial roles where the brief is clear and the market is one I'm already talking to every week.
- 50%On verbal acceptance
- 50%On day one
Retained search
For senior or complex briefs, or ones that need to run quietly. The difference is commitment from both sides up front, and a plan we hold each other to.
It starts with me talking you through a short deck: my read of your business, the role, and what you're actually trying to achieve with the hire. If I've got something wrong, that's the moment to find out.
From there we agree a timeline and a project plan from the outset. A typical search looks like this:
- Week 1A market map, agreed with you before anyone is approached
- Weeks 2 to 4Usually 25 to 35 proper conversations, narrowed to a longlist of 10 to 15 that we work through together in an agreed order
- Week 5A shortlist of three to five, each benchmarked against everyone I've seen
The fee is structured around that plan and agreed before we start, in a way that suits both sides. There's no fixed formula, and no two searches have been staged quite the same way this year.
The plan is strict, but these things change. A candidate shifts how you see the role, or a reporting line moves halfway through. When that happens we change the plan together and keep going.
Remuneration benchmarking
Useful before a hire, during a restructure, or when you want to know where your packages sit against the market. It covers team structure, reporting lines, base salary, bonus mechanics and full package detail. Scoped and priced per project.
Where to start
Most of these start with a call about the role, the team around it and what's changed. If it's a fit, I'll tell you how I'd run it. If it isn't, I'll say so and point you somewhere better.