Title- Associate Director
Base- upto £100k
OTE- 35% NFI + Team Overrides
WFH- 2 Days
Background in Strategy, Transformation or Technology Sectors required
This role sits within the Commerce & Industry practice, an established part of the business with an 18‑year heritage. You will be able to leverage a highly successful Independent Consulting and Interim Management offering, a mature key‑account strategy, long‑standing client relationships, and a proven go‑to‑market model that consistently secures high‑quality mandates.
The practice is further supported by a central delivery function that provides market mapping, research, talent intelligence and end‑to‑end execution support. This infrastructure enables you to focus your time on senior client development, stakeholder engagement and securing retained search work at pace and scale. Together, this creates a platform with both immediate traction and substantial long‑term opportunity for growth, reputation building and commercial impact.
You will operate as a senior individual contributor specialising in Retained Executive Search— originating, pitching and winning senior‑level mandates (C‑suite, C‑1 and leadership roles) typically in the £150k+ compensation range. You will act as a market‑facing expert, building and owning your portfolio, cultivating new relationships, and elevating our presence across the senior hiring landscape.
Key Responsibilities
• Drive your own business development pipeline, identifying, engaging, and converting new clients across target sectors, independently leading retainer sales.
• Expand share of wallet with existing clients through advisory-led relationship building and consistent exceptional delivery.
• Build long-term partnerships with senior stakeholders, including C-suite, ExCo members, and senior HR/People leaders.
• Own full delivery of retained C-suite, C-1 and senior leadership searches, collaborating with the Central Delivery Function to design and execute rigorous search strategies, including market mapping, talent intelligence and competitor insights.
• Act as a recognised expert in your chosen market vertical(s), bringing insight, structure and clarity to clients’ senior hiring challenges.
• Collaborate with the wider team to share best practice and search methodology. Experience & Competencies
• Proven track record in retained search, delivering roles at the £120k–£200k+ level. • Strong commercial acumen, able to consult, challenge, and guide senior stakeholders. • The gravitas to operate at Board, C-suite and senior leadership level. • Experience in strategy, transformation, technology, finance, commercial, or functional leadership hiring.
What Success Looks Like
You will play a pivotal role in elevating our commercial performance, helping us grow our average fee by 30% and increase retained work to 75% of all mandates won over the next two years, while benefiting from a commission scheme paying up to 35% of NFI.