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.

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.

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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