Executive search firms, headhunters and executive recruiters in the United States
Most of the mandates on my board sit in the US — venture-backed AI and software companies, health systems, law firms and fintechs hiring their next VP, Director or Head of function. Unlike larger executive recruiting search firms, every search is run by me end to end: I headhunt the market directly and refer executives straight to the hiring company.
What shapes leadership hiring in United States
- Venture-backed companies compress hiring timelines: shortlists in two weeks, offers in four to six.
- Pay transparency laws in states like California, Colorado, New York and Washington make banded, defensible offers non-negotiable.
- Hybrid is the default in the Bay Area and New York; fully remote leadership roles are now the exception, not the rule.
Sectors I search in
- AI, software and developer tooling
- Healthcare and life sciences
- Legal services and partner-track counsel
- Financial services and fintech
- Aerospace, robotics and defense
- Real estate and insurance
Compensation
US leadership bands on my current board run roughly $170K–$350K base, with OTE reaching $400K+ on revenue roles and equity layered on top at venture-backed companies.
How engagements run
I work US Eastern and Pacific hours directly, so interview loops run without delay. Engagements are available as retained search, fractional talent leadership, or per-hire contract recruiting.
Hiring hubs
- San Francisco Bay Area
- New York City
- Boston
- Los Angeles
- Seattle
- Austin and Dallas
- Denver
- Miami and Fort Lauderdale
For executives
If you are a senior leader targeting a US move or a step up, register interest against a live mandate and I review your profile personally — no application black hole.
Career servicesFor employers and boards
Founders, CEOs and CHROs engage me when a search is confidential, has already failed once, or needs an operator who can assess leadership rather than forward résumés.
Executive search service40 live United States mandates
Cities hiring in United States
Frequently asked
Do you place executives across all US states?
Yes. The live board is concentrated in California, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Colorado and Washington, but searches are run nationally and remotely where the role allows.
Are these roles direct with the hiring company?
Yes. I make direct introductions to the hiring company. There is no fee to you as a candidate, and the hiring decision stays with the employer.
How do executive search and headhunting firms find candidates?
Through direct, confidential headhunting rather than advertising. I map the leaders already doing the job at comparable companies, approach them privately, and assess them against the outcomes of the role — so shortlists include people who were never going to answer a job post.
What is the difference between executive search firms and executive recruiters?
Executive recruiting firms usually work on contingency and volume, and forward profiles from a database. Retained executive search is a partner-led mandate: market mapping, direct approach, structured assessment and referencing, with one accountable advisor on the search from brief to appointment.
How do I find and choose an executive search consultant?
Ask who will actually run the search, how the market will be mapped, what assessment evidence you receive with the shortlist, and how confidentiality is handled. With me the answer is the same on every mandate: I run it personally and you see the evidence behind each shortlisted leader.
What recruitment solutions work best for scaling teams?
It depends on stage. A single critical leadership hire suits retained executive search; three to five priority hires in a quarter suit a hiring sprint; an ongoing hiring plan without a talent leader suits fractional talent leadership or an embedded partner.
How do executives get access to confidential, unadvertised roles?
Most senior mandates never reach a job board. Registering interest puts your profile in front of me directly, and if there is a close match a recruiter emails you to arrange a short call. Nothing goes to a company until you say yes.