Valuable Recruitment

Executive Search for high stakes leadership hires

When the cost of a wrong hire is high, you need more depth in alignment, assessment, and closing.

Deep stakeholder alignmentExtended assessmentLeadership evidence checks

Choose the right level of depth

Headhunting is best when speed and precision matter most. Executive Search is best when the hire is a leadership anchor and stakeholder alignment matters.

FeatureHeadhunting
Speed & precision
Executive Search
Depth & alignment
Speed to shortlistUnder 10 days2-4 weeks
Role complexityCritical rolesLeadership anchor
Stakeholder alignmentMinimalDeep calibration
Assessment depthStructuredExtended + references
Scorecard
Offer support

More alignment, deeper assessment

  • Stakeholder calibration across decision makers
  • Leadership evidence checks and behavioral assessment
  • Deeper reference conversations
  • Onboarding success criteria definition
Close & Onboard
Deep References
Extended Assessment
Stakeholder Alignment

The Executive Search process

A deeper, more consultative approach for leadership hires.

1

Stakeholder alignment

We calibrate with all decision makers on role outcomes, must-haves, and culture fit.

2

Market mapping

Deep dive into target companies, competitor landscape, and talent pools.

3

Extended assessment

Behavioral interviews, leadership evidence checks, and comprehensive scorecards.

4

Close & onboard

Offer negotiation support and 90-day success criteria.

Leadership roles we fill

Executive search for high-impact positions across digital-first companies.

Marketing

Chief Marketing Officer

Growth

VP of Growth

Product

Head of Product

Revenue

Chief Revenue Officer

Engineering

VP of Engineering

Operations

Chief Operating Officer

Executive search fees

Executive search is priced at 15–20% of the placed candidate's first-year base salary. The rate depends on search complexity, quality of the brief, and the number of top candidates put forward for review. All engagements are retained.

Retained executive search
15% – 20%

C-suite, VP, and Director roles. Rate varies with search complexity, brief quality, and number of top candidates put forward. Includes stakeholder calibration, extended leadership assessment, deep reference conversations, and onboarding success criteria.

What's included
Fixed scope

Role brief, success scorecard, market mapping, structured interviews, leadership evidence checks, shortlist delivery in 2–4 weeks, offer support, and 90-day check-in.

A retainer is payable at kickoff to initiate the search. The balance is due on placement. All engagements include a rebate period. Book a call to discuss your specific role.

What you pay for an executive search

Concrete dollar examples by role level. Use this as a working estimate before we confirm the engagement letter.

C-Suite roles
Base: $250,000
Rate: 15% – 18%
$37,500 – $45,000
VP roles
Base: $200,000
Rate: 16% – 19%
$32,000 – $38,000
Director-level executive search
Base: $170,000
Rate: 16% – 20%
$27,200 – $34,000
High-complexity multi-stakeholder search
Base: Varies
Rate: 18% – 20%
Calculated on placement

Executive search is structured as a retained engagement. A portion of the fee is paid at kickoff to initiate the search and signal commitment. The remaining balance is paid on placement. The retained model gives us the mandate to dedicate full research capacity to your role, conduct deeper stakeholder alignment, and run a more rigorous assessment than a contingency-style search would allow.

For a wider view of how executive search fees are structured across the industry, read our guide on how much executive search costs in 2026. For a fuller comparison with mid-senior search, see our headhunting service.

Detailed fee examples by role

Indicative fee ranges for common executive search engagements. Final fee is agreed in writing before the search begins.

RoleBase salaryRateFee
Head of Marketing / CMO$200,00015% – 20%$30,000 – $40,000
VP of Growth$220,00015% – 20%$33,000 – $44,000
Chief Revenue Officer$280,00015% – 20%$42,000 – $56,000
CEO (small company)$250,00015% – 20%$37,500 – $50,000
VP of Product$230,00015% – 20%$34,500 – $46,000

Where a search lands inside the 15 to 20 percent band depends on the number of stakeholders involved, how niche the requirement is, the geography of the search, and how compressed the timeline is. A confidential CRO replacement with a board interview loop sits at the higher end. A repeat engagement with a clear scorecard and a single decision maker sits at the lower end. The retainer at kickoff is part of the total fee, not in addition to it.

What the fee covers

A clear scope upfront so you know exactly what is part of the engagement and what sits outside it.

What is included

  • Stakeholder calibration with all decision makers
  • Deep market mapping across target companies
  • Direct outreach to passive senior candidates
  • Shortlist of 3 to 6 vetted leadership candidates
  • Structured scorecards and leadership evidence checks
  • Extended reference conversations with former reports and peers
  • Offer negotiation and counter-offer management
  • 90-day onboarding success criteria and rebate

What is not included

  • Job board advertising or sponsored listings
  • Third-party psychometric or personality testing platforms
  • Candidate relocation, visa, or immigration costs
  • Travel for in-person board or panel meetings
  • Executive coaching or post-hire leadership development
  • Compensation benchmarking studies beyond the role at hand

Where any of these are required, we can recommend specialist partners or scope them as separate work before kickoff so the engagement letter stays clean.

What makes executive search different from headhunting

Both involve direct outreach and structured assessment. The difference shows up in depth, time, and who is in the room.

Longer process by design

Headhunting targets a shortlist in under 10 days. Executive search runs 2 to 4 weeks because stakeholder calibration, leadership evidence checks, and deeper reference work cannot be compressed without losing signal. The extra time is where the risk reduction comes from.

Board and multi-stakeholder involvement

A leadership hire usually has more than one decision maker. CEO, board members, peer executives, and sometimes investors. We run a calibration session with each stakeholder before the search starts, document where they agree and where they differ, and use that as the source of truth through the process.

Deeper assessment, not just more interviews

Executive search adds structured leadership evidence checks. We look for documented outcomes the candidate has driven, the context around those outcomes, and how they show up in reference calls with former reports and peers. This goes beyond capability and into how the candidate actually leads.

Retained, not contingency

Executive search engagements are retained because the work happens whether or not a placement is made in the first cycle. A retainer at kickoff funds the calibration, mapping, and outreach phases. Contingency models do not work at this level because the depth required cannot be done speculatively.

Multi-stakeholder alignment as a deliverable

On a senior hire, a candidate who passes the hiring manager but loses one board member rarely lands. Part of the executive search engagement is making sure the shortlist holds up across the full decision group, and managing the conversation when stakeholders need to recalibrate against the market.

MA
Written by Mihai Arsene
Founder, Valuable Recruitment · Bucharest, Romania

Mihai Arsene has led executive search mandates across 70+ countries, placing C-suite, VP, and Director-level talent at agencies, SaaS companies, and AI-native businesses. He founded Valuable Recruitment in 2020 and personally leads every executive search engagement.

Frequently asked questions

Choose Executive Search when the hire is a leadership anchor, when stakeholder alignment across multiple decision makers matters, or when the cost of a wrong hire is particularly high.
We include deeper stakeholder calibration, leadership evidence checks, extended reference conversations, and onboarding success criteria definition.
Typically 2-4 weeks to shortlist, depending on the complexity of the role and stakeholder availability.
C-suite, VP, Director, and other leadership roles where the hire will have significant organizational impact.
Yes. We define onboarding success criteria upfront and can support the first 90 days if needed.
Through structured behavioral interviews, evidence of past leadership outcomes, and deep reference conversations with former reports and peers.
Executive search is priced at 15–20% of the placed candidate's first-year base salary. The exact rate depends on search complexity, quality of the brief, and the number of top candidates put forward for the hiring manager to review. All executive search engagements are retained with an upfront kickoff fee.
A retained search means a portion of the fee is paid upfront to initiate the search — this gives us the mandate to prioritise your role and provides a clear commercial partnership. Contingency means the full fee is paid on placement only, with no upfront commitment. We use retained for executive search and can offer contingency for mid-senior headhunting.
Yes. We coordinate interview schedules and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on criteria before the process begins.
We facilitate calibration sessions to align on priorities before the search begins, reducing friction during final decisions.
The fee covers stakeholder calibration with all decision makers, deep market mapping, direct outreach to passive senior candidates, structured behavioral interviews, leadership evidence checks, extended reference conversations with former reports and peers, offer negotiation and counter-offer management, and 90-day onboarding success criteria with rebate. There are no separate research fees or hidden expenses.
Executive search runs longer by design, includes board and multi-stakeholder calibration, and uses leadership evidence checks rather than capability checks alone. It is always retained. Headhunting is faster, suits a single hiring manager, and can be retained or contingency. See our /headhunting page for the full breakdown of when each model fits.
Typically 2 to 4 weeks to shortlist after kickoff and calibration. Total time from kickoff to signed offer is usually 6 to 10 weeks depending on stakeholder availability, the seniority of the role, and how compressed the interview loop can be without losing signal.
All executive search engagements include a 90-day rebate window. If the placement leaves or is asked to leave within that period, we either run a replacement search at no additional fee or issue a partial refund based on time worked. Specifics are agreed in the engagement letter before kickoff.
Yes. We regularly run confidential searches for replacement hires, sensitive restructures, or roles where the incumbent has not yet been informed. We use anonymised briefs in outreach, NDA the shortlist, and only reveal the company name once a candidate has cleared internal screening.
Yes. We have run mandates across more than 70 countries since 2013. Regional searches include local salary benchmarking, work authorization, and time zone alignment with the leadership team. Remote and hybrid leadership roles are also part of the standard scope.
Retained means a portion of the fee is paid at kickoff to fund the research, mapping, and calibration phase. The balance is paid on placement. Contingency means the full fee is only payable if a placement is made. We use retained for executive search because the depth required cannot be done speculatively. Contingency works for some headhunting engagements where the role is well defined and the timeline is short.

Related reading

Practical guides on leadership hiring, assessment methodology, and search pricing.

Topgrading: How to Interview for A-Player Hires

The structured interview methodology we use to evaluate executive candidates against role outcomes and behavioral evidence.

Read the guide

9 Methods to Recruit C-Level Executives

A practitioner breakdown of the sourcing, assessment, and closing tactics that move executive searches.

Read the guide

How Much Does Executive Search Cost in 2026?

Fee structures, retained vs contingency, and what drives the rate inside the typical 15 to 25 percent band.

Read the guide

Start your executive search

Tell us about the leadership role you need to fill. We will advise on the right level of depth for the search.

Shortlist in 2–4 weeks. Structured leadership assessment. Founder-led, no handoffs.

Deep stakeholder alignmentExtended assessmentLeadership evidence checks

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