17 years of senior placement·500+ leadership hires·Engaged · Contingent · Staffing · RPO
Engaged Headhunters/Solutions/Retained Search
Solutions · Search model

Retained Search.

The classic structure for dedicated senior search. We run it when the mandate calls for it, and improve on it when it doesn't.

Fee
25-35% of first-year comp
Structure
Thirds, or deposit + balance
Best for
Board & C-suite mandates
Guarantee
Scoped per engagement
Definition

What is retained executive search?

Retained executive search is an exclusive engagement. The hiring company commits a fee, classically paid in thirds: on signing, at shortlist, at placement, and in exchange a dedicated senior consultant runs the search end-to-end. It is the standard structure for board, C-suite, and confidential mandates.

The strength of the model is dedication: one senior search partner, one client, full process. The weakness is the fee structure: the installments are owed whether or not the search closes.

We run retained search both ways. The classic thirds structure when a board mandate or investor requirement calls for it, and an engaged structure when it doesn't: same dedication, smaller deposit, and the majority of the fee owed only on placement.

How it works

The mechanics, in five steps.

From mandate to closed offer. The senior partner who pitches the search is the one who runs it. The file never gets handed to a junior associate after the engagement letter.

  1. Mandate & structure

    We define the role, the bar, the confidentiality profile, and the timeline, then quote both structures side by side: classic thirds and engaged deposit-plus-balance. You pick the one that fits the mandate.

  2. Market mapping

    We map the live universe of qualified candidates inside the niche before the first call: who is in seat where, at what compensation, with what likely motivation to move.

  3. Confidential outreach

    Direct, discreet approach to the mapped candidates, alongside passive-talent advertising where the mandate allows it. Confidential searches stay confidential: the company name is released only to vetted finalists.

  4. Calibrated shortlist

    A small, deliberate shortlist with full diligence: references, compensation validation, and a cultural read against your leadership team. Calibrated after round one.

  5. Close & guarantee

    Offer construction, counter-offer management, start-date logistics. The replacement guarantee runs for the agreed window, in writing from day one.

Compare

Classic retained vs. Engaged.

Same dedication, same senior partner, same process. The difference is how much of the fee is tied to the result.

Classic Retained

  • Fee paid in thirds: signing, shortlist, placement
  • Owed whether or not the search closes
  • Exclusive, dedicated senior partner
  • Standard for board and investor-mandated searches
  • 25-35% of first-year compensation

Engaged Search

  • Smaller deposit, deployed into the search itself
  • Balance owed only on placement
  • Same exclusive, dedicated senior partner
  • Passive-talent advertising funded from day one
  • 25-35% of first-year compensation
Where this runs today

Retained-grade search by industry.

Industry pages are SEO/AEO entry points. The actual product is the headhunter, and headhunters work in niches we may not yet list.

SILO · 01

Healthcare leadership

Clinical · health-tech · behavioral health

CMOs, Medical Directors, Clinical Ops, Healthcare CEOs

See headhunters →
SILO · 02

Technology

CTOs · VP Engineering · AI · Product

CTOs, VP Engineering, Heads of AI, CISO, VP Product

See headhunters →
SILO · 03

Finance

CFOs · Controllers · Asset management

CFOs, Controllers, VP Finance, Tax Directors

See headhunters →
SILO · 04

Manufacturing

Plant ops · supply chain · industrial

Plant Managers, VP Operations, Supply Chain Directors

See headhunters →
SILO · 05

Construction

Project leadership · field ops · estimation

VP Construction, Project Executives, Estimators, Superintendents

See headhunters →
SILO · 06

Aviation

Operations · maintenance · safety

Directors of Maintenance, Chief Pilots, Safety Officers

See headhunters →
FAQ

Retained search,
specifically.

The questions hiring leaders ask when they are comparing retained firms. Answered the way we answer them in the call.

Is the retained fee refundable if the search fails?
Classically, no. The installments compensate the firm's dedicated time and process, not the outcome. That is exactly why we default to the engaged structure: the deposit funds the search work, and the majority of the fee stays contingent on a placement you actually make.
Who are the big five retained search firms?
Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds Associates, Egon Zehnder, and Heidrick & Struggles. They are the right call for global board work. For senior and niche leadership roles, a boutique with a decade inside the specific vertical typically out-delivers a generalist practice, because the partner who pitches the search is the one who runs it.
Do you run classic retained engagements?
Yes. When a board mandate, an investor requirement, or the confidentiality profile of the search calls for the classic thirds structure, we run it that way. When it doesn't, we quote the engaged structure, which most clients prefer once they see the two side by side.
What roles justify a retained or engaged search?
Board, C-suite, VP, and niche-critical roles where the candidate pool is mostly passive, the search is confidential, or the cost of a mis-hire is a multiple of the fee. If the role can be filled from active applicants, contingent search is the honest recommendation and we will say so.
Is there a replacement guarantee?
Yes. Replacement guarantees are scoped per engagement and agreed in writing at the start of the search. Longer guarantee windows adjust the fee; the trade-off is walked through at scoping.
●Start a retained-grade search

Tell us the mandate. We'll quote both structures.

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

Start a search →See engaged →
SILO · 01 · FOR COMPANIES