Position Summary:
The Business Development Partner is a revenue-generating, growth-focused role responsible for driving new client acquisition and expanding Human Capital Solutions’ (HCS) footprint across its core industry verticals - Diversified Industrials, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Technology, and Private Equity. This person will identify, cultivate, and close new retained executive search, interim/fractional leadership, and leadership consulting engagements by building trusted relationships with C-suite decision-makers - Boards, CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, and COOs - as well as Private Equity operating and talent partners who influence portfolio-company hiring.
This is fundamentally a professional-services sale: a consultative, relationship-driven process rather than a transactional one. The ideal candidate has sold complex professional services before (executive search, management consulting, staffing, audit/advisory, or similar) and brings a personal network of senior-executive relationships that maps directly to HCS’s target buyers and industries.
This person will also act as a trusted advisor and brand ambassador for HCS, partnering closely with our Managing Directors, Global Panorama Partners, and search consultants to translate new relationships into signed engagements and durable, repeat client partnerships.
Absolute Minimum Must-Haves / Experience / Requirements:
- 10+ years of proven business development or sales experience with a track record of consistently meeting revenue goals, selling professional services (e.g., executive search, management consulting, staffing/RPO, audit or advisory, legal, or similar B2B services) - not products or software.
- A demonstrated, verifiable track record of closing new business directly with C-suite buyers (Board, CEO, CFO, CHRO, and/or COO) - able to speak to specific engagements closed, revenue results, and typical deal size.
- An existing personal network of relationships with senior executives at the Board/CEO/CFO/CHRO/COO level within one or more of HCS’s core industries: Diversified Industrials, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Technology, and/or Private Equity.
- Experience selling into and navigating complex, multi-stakeholder, consultative buying processes (retained/advisory sale, not transactional).
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Impeccable integrity, discretion, and judgment given regular access to confidential client and candidate information.
Preferred / Nice-to-Have (not required):
- Subject Matter Expert in one or more of the HCS Verticals (Diversified Industrials, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Technology, and Private Equity)
- Prior experience specifically selling retained executive search, interim/fractional leadership, or leadership advisory/coaching services.
- Existing relationships with Private Equity operating partners or talent partners who influence portfolio-company leadership hiring.
- Familiarity with CRM and business-development pipeline tools.
- Referenceable brand recognition or existing relationships within HCS’s specific target industries across the US
- MBA or other advanced degree.
- Experience partnering closely with delivery/search teams to scope engagements, set fees, and set realistic client expectations.
- Active involvement in relevant industry associations, boards, or networking organizations (e.g., CHRO networks, PE/M&A associations, industry trade groups).
- Familiarity of the lean enterprise model
Primary Responsibilities:
- Own and drive the full new-business sales cycle - prospecting, outreach, relationship development, pitch/proposal, negotiation, and close - for retained search and consulting engagements.
- Build and maintain a robust, qualified pipeline of new business opportunities with Boards, CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, COOs, and PE operating partners across HCS’s core verticals.
- Meet or exceed assigned new-business revenue and booking targets on a quarterly and annual basis.
- Represent HCS’s value proposition, proprietary methodology (e.g., Zero-Based Position Description Design, Performance Assurance Guarantee), and industry expertise in client-facing meetings and proposals.
- Collaborate closely with Managing Directors and search consultants to ensure a smooth handoff from signed engagement to search execution, with aligned client expectations.
- Maintain accurate, current pipeline, activity, and contact records in the firm’s CRM.
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Represent HCS at industry conferences, networking events, and association meetings to build brand visibility and generate new leads.
- Partner with Marketing on content, campaigns, and thought leadership that supports business-development efforts.
- Provide market and competitive intelligence to firm leadership to help inform positioning, pricing, and service-offering decisions.
- Support proposal development and pricing strategy in partnership with the Managing Partner and CEO.
- Contribute to building repeatable business-development processes and best practices as the function matures.
Desired Business Outcomes / Key Accomplishments: (How will success be specifically measured within the first 30 days?)
- Complete onboarding into HCS’s methodology (Zero-Based Position Description Design, Performance Assurance Guarantee), service lines, and target verticals.
- Meet individually with CEO and each Managing Director and search team to understand active engagements, ideal client profile, and the sold-to-search handoff process.
- Audit and organize existing Board/CEO/CFO/CHRO/COO network in the CRM; segment contacts by industry and near-term opportunity.
- Build an initial target account list of at least 50 priority companies and 50 executives across HCS’s core verticals.
- Schedule and complete the first introductory conversations with prospective clients or referral sources.
Desired Business Outcomes / Key Accomplishments: (How will success be specifically measured within the first 90 days?)
- Build a qualified pipeline of at least 50 active new-business opportunities with C-suite decision-makers.
- Deliver at least 75 formal proposals or pitches for retained search or consulting engagements.
- Represent HCS at industry event(s), conference(s), or association meeting(s).
- Establish a repeatable outreach cadence and a weekly pipeline-review rhythm with firm leadership.
- Have at least 3 new engagement in late-stage negotiation or signed.
Desired Business Outcomes / Key Accomplishments: (How will success be specifically measured within the first 120 days?)
- Close and hand off 6 signed engagement(s).
- Maintain a healthy, growing pipeline of $250k in active opportunities.
- Demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration with CEO and Managing Directors, evidenced by smooth engagement handoffs and satisfied clients.
- Present a documented business-development / territory plan and sales forecast for the next two quarters to firm leadership.