Recruiting since 2009·500+ leadership hires·Engaged · Executive · Contingent · Staffing · Embedded Recruiting
Executive search intake meeting with prospective CEO in penthouse boardroom
Engaged Headhunters/Solutions/Executive Search

Executive search,
without the retained risk.

Senior leadership and C-suite placements. Senior headhunters, niche networks, end-to-end. The recruiter who pitches the search runs it.

Scope a confidential search
01Who & When to Use

Mitigating hiring risk at the C-suite and VP level.

Executive search is the discipline of placing senior leaders, typically VP-level and above, where the candidate pool is mostly passive and the role has a high replacement cost.

It relies on deep niche research, direct outreach, and a calibrated shortlist sized to the role. Unlike traditional firms that charge in three tranches regardless of outcome, we structure engagements to align with your risk profile.

Searches are confidential to the market by default. Off-limits agreements protect your existing leadership team.

Search Delivery

Typical TargetVP, SVP, C-Suite
Time to Shortlist14-21 Days
Time to Offer60-90 Days
ConfidentialityHigh (NDAs)
The 45-Day Search Execution Lifecycle

From Kickoff to Signed Offer

Scope Your Search →
Search Kickoff · Days 1 – 7Step 1 of 4

Calibration & Persona Mapping

We define the hard capabilities, culture fit, and target peer company list. We craft the position specification and build the passive candidate persona.

Key Deliverables & Milestones:
✓Position Specification & Role Scorecard
✓Target Peer Company Sourcing List (50+ firms)
✓ProHireHQ AI Passive Outreach Campaign Set Up

Process & Deliverables

Built around a single principle: the recruiter who pitches the search is the one who runs it. The file stays with the senior headhunter the whole way.

01

Scoping & Structure

We define the role, the bar, the geography, the urgency, and the fee structure (engaged or contingent). Off-limits and confidentiality scope agreed in writing.

02

Market Mapping

We map the live universe of qualified candidates inside the niche. ProHireHQ AI sourcing surfaces passive talent in parallel with direct research.

03

Direct Outreach

Personal outreach by the headhunter running the search. The role stays off the public boards. Each candidate gets the scope and the story directly, one at a time.

04

Calibrated Shortlist

A small, deliberate shortlist with full diligence: references, compensation validation, cultural read, and motivation. Calibrated to your bar after round one.

05

Close & Guarantee

Offer support, counter-offer management, start-date logistics. Replacement guarantee runs for the agreed window.

Commercial Structure

Same headhunter, same shortlist quality. Different fee structures for different risk profiles. Pick the one that matches the search.

The technology maps the market. The headhunter secures the executive.

Proprietary Infrastructure

ProHireHQ Infrastructure

  • ⚡Scales AI sourcing without scaling the fee
  • ⚡Maps organizational charts of competitor firms
  • ⚡Automates initial credential validation
Human Judgment

Senior Headhunter

  • ✦Navigates counter-offers and executive compensation
  • ✦Assesses cultural and board-level fit
  • ✦Maintains strict code-name confidentiality in the market
● Start a Search

Tell us the role, the niche, the urgency.

We come back inside one business day with a scoping call, a fee quote, and a candidate market read.

Scope an executive search Learn about Engaged Search

Executive Search FAQs

The questions hiring managers ask in the first call. Answered the way we answer them in the call.

What is executive search?

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Executive search is the process of identifying, attracting, and placing candidates into senior leadership roles, typically VP-level and above. It relies on deep niche research, direct outreach to passive candidates, and a calibrated shortlist sized to the role.

How is your executive search different from a typical search firm?

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Most traditional firms charge in three tranches regardless of outcome and hand the file to a junior associate after kickoff. Our model is engaged (deposit + balance on placement) or contingent (paid on placement) depending on the search. The senior headhunter who pitches the role is the one who runs it. ProHireHQ-driven AI sourcing scales the outreach without scaling the bill.

What roles do you place?

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C-suite (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CMO, CHRO, CRO, CIO, CISO), VP and SVP roles in operations, product, engineering, sales, finance, HR, and clinical leadership in healthcare. We specialize in senior leadership where the candidate pool is mostly passive.

What industries do you cover?

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Healthcare and behavioral health, technology and AI, finance and wealth management, manufacturing, construction, aviation, life sciences. The recruiter on the network is a niche headhunter; the network covers more niches than the public list shows. Ask.

How long does an executive search take?

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Most senior searches close in 60 to 90 days from kickoff to signed offer. Highly specialized roles (rare niches, restricted geographies) can run 90 to 120 days. We pace the search against your urgency and tell you up front what the realistic window is for the role.

Is there a replacement guarantee?

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Yes. The window is scoped per engagement, longer windows adjust the fee, and the terms are agreed in writing at the start of the search.

What does executive search cost?

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Executive search runs 25 to 35 percent of first-year compensation, structured as engaged or contingent depending on the role and your preference. The fee structure is selected with you at scoping and is the same fee whether the candidate is sourced via direct outreach or AI advertising.

Do you sign off-limits agreements?

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Yes. Off-limits agreements protect your existing leadership team from being approached by us during and after the engagement. Standard scope is the company itself; broader off-limits (subsidiaries, board-adjacent companies) is negotiated per engagement.

Who actually runs my search?

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The senior headhunter you meet on the kickoff call runs the search end-to-end. Each headhunter on the network has a decade or more in their vertical and is supported by ProHireHQ for sourcing scale and the firm for the back-office.

Can you run a confidential search?

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Yes. Most senior searches are confidential to the market. The role stays off public listings. The company is named only after candidates sign an NDA. Diligence and reference checks run under code-name discipline.