Associate, Executive Search

About the Company

Spencer Stuart is one of the world's leading executive search and leadership advisory firms. We partner with boards, CEOs, and executive teams to address critical leadership challenges, including executive search, succession planning, leadership assessment, and organizational effectiveness.

About the Role

Associates are expected to work proactively and efficiently on multiple client engagements through the combination of solid project management skills, proactive and quality search execution, ownership mentality, and strong, team-oriented delivery to specific client needs. Each assignment is driven by a team, including at a minimum a Consultant, Associate, and Executive Assistant. There are times when an Associate may be working with multiple team members located in different geographies.

Executive search skill sets include strong communication and assessment abilities applied to evaluating business experiences and professional competencies of top executive talent as they relate to a client’s specific need. Successful candidates for the Associate position will also have project management ability, results orientation, rigorous attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and enjoy the challenge of working internally with a variety of consultants and externally with diverse, senior-level executives and board members. Associates will be expected to acquire deep and insightful candidate pool knowledge over time, which would be related to a specific industry, function, or geography.

Responsibilities

• Contribute actively to the start-up phase of the search by participating in client kick-off meetings with the Consultant(s) and assisting in the development of the search strategy and target list of companies. As appropriate, contribute to winning client pitches by providing benchmark candidate profiles and other background information.
• Gather relevant information regarding the appropriate industries and target companies, including identifying potential prospects and sources.
• Represent the client effectively in the marketplace and present a comprehensive universe of qualified candidates by partnering with the Consultant(s) and maintaining confidentiality throughout the search process.
• Anticipate needs to drive the search to closure and be ready to provide additional information, such as related industry trends, market findings, reaction to the opportunity, compensation data, etc., gathered during the search.
• Communicate effectively with the search team, including Consultant(s), other Associates/Senior Associates and Executive Assistant(s), and remain fully abreast of search developments in order to communicate accurately and credibly regarding the assignment.
• Prepare organized information for the client progress report/meeting by teaming with the Consultant(s) and the Executive Assistant(s). Provide an informed perspective on prospects/candidates and how they line up against the key selection criteria outlined by the client.
• Ensure up-to-date assignment, company, and candidate information during the course of an assignment is always available for colleagues by leveraging technology and information from the Firm’s state-of-the-art, proprietary database.
• Be aware of activities and changes in general business and in the industry/functional areas where specialized.
• Add to the Firm’s knowledge by identifying and beginning to develop expertise in a defined industry, functional or geographic candidate pool.
• Be willing and proactive about contributing to local, practice, or Firm-wide initiatives. Coordinate and share practice-related information for potentially broader distribution; participate in practice calls and meetings as appropriate.

Ideal Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree with a strong academic record.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in consulting, research, executive search, talent advisory, professional services, or another analytical environment.
• Domain expertise in an industry or functional area would be helpful.
• International mindset and, ideally will have experience working across borders.
• Fluent in English (required) and Dutch (preferred).

To see and hear more about our organization, its culture and values, as well as what it’s like to work at Spencer Stuart, please visit