Director of Executive Search
Reporting to: Chief Executive
Responsible for: Executive Search Team
Location: London, hybrid with minimum 2 days per week in the office
Salary: c.£100,000 per annum + bonus and access to our share options scheme
Objective of Role
The Director of Executive Search will lead the delivery, performance, and growth of Prospectus’ Executive Search business. This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for divisional revenue, profitability, and market positioning, alongside responsibility for high-quality, values-led search delivery.
The role combines strategic business development, operational leadership, and hands-on client delivery to drive sustainable income growth, deepen client relationships, and evolve executive search practice in line with emerging best practice, including the responsible use of AI and technology.
You will embed a high-performing, inclusive, and values-led culture, grounded in Prospectus’ core values of Community, Collaboration, and Trust, while positioning the Executive Search practice as a trusted and forward-thinking partner to impact organisations in the UK and internationally.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Team Management
As a key member of the Prospectus Leadership Team, contribute constructively to strategic discussions, with a strong focus on decision-making, commercial performance and cross-organisational collaboration.
Provide clear and consistent leadership for the Executive Search division, setting direction, priorities, and expectations to ensure high-quality delivery and sustainable growth.
Hold full accountability for the Executive Search P&L, including income growth, fees, and accurate forecasting.
Build and sustain an inclusive, high-performing team culture rooted in trust, mutual support, open feedback, and continuous professional development.
Ensure the team upholds best practice in inclusive, candidate-centred recruitment and continues to develop strong sector insight and advisory capability.
Lead regular team meetings, performance reviews, and development conversations, supporting individuals to grow both commercially and professionally.
Client Development and Income Growth
Build, deepen, and sustain long-term, trust-based relationships with senior leaders, boards, and decision-makers across UK and international impact organisations, including NGOs, foundations, charities and social enterprises.
Win new executive search business through existing networks, warm leads, referrals, and proactive business development, converting insight into retained assignments.
Grow income through a balanced focus on new client acquisition, account expansion, repeat business, and increased average fee value.
Collaborate internally on go-to-market strategy, client mapping, pipeline development, and cross-practice opportunities to support divisional and organisational growth.
Personally lead retained executive search assignments from brief through to appointment, ensuring an outstanding client and candidate experience.
Represent Prospectus externally through conferences, events, publications, and thought leadership, strengthening the firm’s reputation as a trusted adviser in leadership and recruitment for social impact.
Search Practice and Innovation
Lead the ongoing development of executive search practice, ensuring Prospectus remains a modern, credible, and high-quality search partner in an evolving market.
Champion the responsible and ethical use of AI and technology to enhance executive search delivery, including candidate research, market mapping, insight generation, and process efficiency.
Identify opportunities to streamline and automate activity where appropriate, enabling consultants to focus more time on advisory work, relationship-building, and income generation.
Ensure that innovation in tools and methodologies aligns with Prospectus’ values, inclusive recruitment principles, and commitment to equity and fairness.
Support the team to build confidence and capability in adopting new tools, approaches, and ways of working that improve quality, speed, and commercial effectiveness.
Person Specification
Experience and Skills
Proven senior leadership experience within executive search, recruitment, or demonstrable transferrable from a relevant sector, including the not for profit sector, with responsibility for team performance and income delivery.
Demonstrable track record of growing revenue and managing a profitable portfolio of retained executive search or advisory assignments.
Strong business development capability, with confidence converting relationships into new and repeat retained work.
Credible client adviser, able to challenge constructively and guide boards and senior leaders on leadership, organisational needs, and appointments.
Experience of embedding inclusive equity, diversity and inclusion practices and equity-centred approaches across your work.
Commercially astute, with experience in pricing, forecasting, and managing performance against financial targets.
Interest in, and practical understanding of, how AI and technology can be applied responsibly to enhance executive search practice.
Personal Qualities
Collaborative, comfortable operating in a non-hierarchical, purpose-led culture.
Relational, emotionally intelligent, and trusted by clients, candidates, and colleagues.
Commercially driven and entrepreneurial, with the initiative and ambition to grow income and influence.
Curious and future-focused, with an openness to innovation and change.
Committed to social impact and aligned with Prospectus’ values of community, collaboration, and trust.
Terms and Benefits:
Annual leave allowance for full time staff is 28 days plus statutory holidays, rising to 30 days at 2 years’ service, and to 35 days at five years’ service
Annual profit related bonus scheme
Access to share option scheme
Access to Worklife Employee Assistance Programme – free 24hr confidential information, support and counselling service
Employee ‘perk service’ – discounts across retail, restaurants and entertainment venues
Pension fund with matched company contribution
6 days volunteering in company time
Access to a bike loan scheme
Employee loan scheme
Free eye test
