Retained Search
Proactive outreach into a deep, mission-driven network, including exceptional candidates who are not actively looking, guided by a disciplined process and tools that keep every decision grounded in evidence.
The Approach
Every search follows the same disciplined arc: personal, transparent, and built around your stakeholders.
90–120 days, launch to signed offer
We begin with stakeholder interviews to understand the role as your community actually experiences it. From there we build a project plan with clear milestones and a position prospectus that tells the truth about the opportunity.
You’ll know what happens when. A typical search runs from launch to signed offer in 90–120 days, with every phase mapped against your committee’s calendar.
We recruit proactively into our network rather than waiting for applications, including passive candidates who are not actively looking but who are right for your mission.
Weekly updates to the search committee and regular check-ins mean you are never wondering where things stand.
A screened candidate pool with qualification summaries and facilitated interviews, so your committee can move forward with confidence.
We support offer negotiation, communicate respectfully with every candidate, and stay engaged through the first year with onboarding check-ins.
Practice Areas
Filter by the sector you serve or the role you need to fill.
By Industry
Research universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and independent schools. We understand the interplay of faculty, enrollment, student life, advancement, and operations, and how to find leaders who can navigate all of it.
By Industry
Hospitals, health sciences, health-centered nonprofits, and wellbeing foundations. Organizations that carry community health deserve transformative leadership. We help them find it.
By Industry
Museums, symphonies, operas, theaters, ballets, and collections public and private. We look for leaders with a passion for the arts, a commitment to innovation, and a record of real community impact.
By Industry
Our work with faith-based organizations is shaped by the idea of accompaniment, inspired by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. We walk alongside our clients, honoring the significance of their missions and the nuances of their paths.
By Industry
From community organizing to political organizing, we look beyond professional expertise to a demonstrated commitment to inclusivity, equity, and societal change.
By Function
President, CEO, and across the C-suite: COO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CHRO, and beyond. Leaders who align with your vision, values, and strategic objectives.
By Function
Chief Development Officers, Vice Presidents of Advancement, Directors of Development, and the roles that fuel mission-driven work. Fundraising is our deepest bench: roughly 70% of our placements are advancement-focused.
By Function
CMOs, directors of marketing, and communications leaders who shape brand, drive engagement, and build meaningful connections with the people your mission serves.
By Function
CTOs, Directors of Advancement Services, and the data and systems leaders who make modern fundraising possible, optimizing donor relationships and organizational efficiency.