Recruiting for a senior vacancy in any sector can be tough. There are all sorts of methods, and when you’re looking for directors, senior managers or board level appointments, you want to get it right. So, if you want to find the ideal candidate in less time and for less cost, you’ll need to know about executive recruitment.
How executive search agencies help
Executive recruiters like AWS Executive headhunt the market-leading candidates – the ones other recruiters can’t find.
Our approach is more proactive than the traditional methods of sourcing talent, and is sometimes called search and selection or headhunting. The candidates we find are often already in a role, so we need to engage with them in a more personal way.
Putting the wrong person in a high-level position can be a costly mistake. So working with an executive recruiter means you’re working with people who understand the weight of the challenge and who know just where to find the very finest talent. And when you have experts helping you fill a knowledge gap and reach otherwise unreachable candidates, you can better manage the risk and complete the process quickly.
The process
- The employer (this could be a Charity, NGO, or a corporate organisation) tells us they need senior or highly-skilled talent.
- They often give us exclusive rights to work on the placement.
- We’ll then gain an in-depth understanding of the skills and character the employer wants.
- We do what we do best – identify the best people for the job.
- We engage with them, bridging the gap between the employer and the candidate.
Once we’re confident we’ve found the right candidate, we introduce them to the employer, and often play a part in the negotiations.
Executive recruitment is a more intensive process than regular recruitment. So while our fees are often higher than a regular recruitment agency, so is our level of service.
Unlike contingency recruitment, we tend to work on a retained basis. This means we receive an upfront fee before additional fees for a successful placement. We might also charge a fee at the shortlisting stage.
Recruiters vs executive recruiters
| Recruiters… | Executive recruiters… |
| handle all job levels | fill senior and specialist positions |
| look for people seeking a new role | choose from passive candidates |
| find a range of candidates | find the one ideal candidate |
| work on a contingency basis | work on a retained basis |
When to use an executive recruiter
This should normally be if you want to fill a key or high profile role, or if you’re looking for someone with rare or specialist skills. These will normally be permanent positions, but executive recruiters like us will also work on fixed term contract jobs.
We specialise in finding senior managers, directors and CEOs including roles such as:
- Development Director
- Operations Director
- Finance Director
- Director of Fundraising
- Director of Marketing & Communications
- Director of Policy & Engagement
- Director of Enterprise & Knowledge
- Director of People & Organisational Development
- Climate Resilience Manager
- Climate Impact Manager
- Human Resources Partner
- Business Development Manager
- Strategic Partnerships Manager
- Head of Philanthropy & Sponsorship
- Heading of Funding Operations
- Head of Income Generation
- Head of Business Development
- Trustee / Board Appointments
- Chairperson
Finding an executive recruiter
If you have a job to fill, you’re already in the right place. Check out our Executive Search site and talk to us today. Please also feel free to contact us directly via email – [email protected] / [email protected]
