Associate Director, Interim Executive Search

Associate Director, Interim Executive Search (C-Suite & Board) | Private Equity-Backed Businesses

Location: London Salary: £50,000 – £60,000 base + quarterly bonus scheme

The Opportunity

We're working exclusively with one of the leading Executive Search and Interim Management firms serving mid-market private equity across Europe and the UK – widely regarded as the standout player in this space.

Their Interim practice is being scaled rapidly under a Partner who joined from a major global search firm and has delivered an outstanding trajectory since arriving:

This growth has been underpinned by genuine investment in onboarding and business development support – new joiners are actively introduced to the market, not left to sink or swim.

Due to continued growth, they're now looking to add an Associate Director to a close-knit, high-performing Interim team of three (two Partners and a Consultant) - described as "a cohesive bunch who just get on really well."

The Desk

You'll be working across Interim appointments at C-suite, Board and Chair level , spanning multiple sectors with a particular concentration in Tech, Industrials, Services, Healthcare and Financial Services . The majority of the workload is Interim CEO and CFO mandates, alongside senior executive appointments across all functions. This is a genuinely senior desk — nothing below C-1.

Recent placements include:

• Interim CIO of a major UK retail and consumer group
• Interim CEO of a North East-based energy brokerage
• Chair of a £100m turnover technology company
• Interim CFO of a £50m turnover fragrance business
• Interim COO of a £1bn healthcare business during an active acquisition
• CRO of a services business

What They're Looking For

• Bright, energetic and resilient – someone who thrives on pace and volume
• A good sense of humour paired with a genuine work ethic, and the polish to hold your own in conversations with senior stakeholders
• Background in either contract/interim recruitment , or strong knowledge of the private equity industry
• Equally, a high-performing contingent recruiter looking to move into a higher-reward, senior market, without sacrificing the pace and volume they're used to (as they might if moving into a purely retained search environment), would be seriously considered
• Understanding of IR35 and the tax implications of interim working is a strong bonus, but not essential as this can be taught

What's On Offer

• Base salary of £50,000 – £60,000
• Quarterly bonus scheme
• A proven, fast-moving desk with an exceptional billing trajectory already established
• Structured onboarding and genuine investment in your pipeline from day one
• A small, tight, collegiate team culture