Executive Search Senior Associate, Industrial

Heidrick & Struggles•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Heidrick & Struggles’ Executive Search Senior Associates play a critical role in the executive recruiting lifecycle, from candidate identification through placement. Working closely with Search Partners and Principals (Consultants), Senior Associates develop and execute search strategies, build candidate pipelines, assess prospective candidates, and manage candidate relationships throughout the process. They also assist with client relationship management and business development activities. The role involves researching industries, companies, executive roles, and functions, often in collaboration with colleagues across the globe. Senior Associates receive mentorship and professional development through an apprenticeship-style approach and have significant visibility, responsibility, and opportunities for impact and career development.

Requirements

4–6 years of professional experience or at least 3 years of transferable recruiting experience.
Undergraduate BA/BS degree.
Strong professional communication skills, including writing, articulating, and confidently delivering information with impact.
Ability to collaborate with external clients and candidates, influence them, and foster productive partnerships.

Nice To Haves

Prior full life-cycle recruiting experience in Executive Search, Contingent Search, In-House Talent Acquisition, or another industry requiring applied sales and research skills.
Demonstrated success managing multiple projects simultaneously and working across teams.
Experience targeting potential candidates and developing pitch materials.
Experience identifying market trends and researching information through various channels.
Ability to analyze, organize, and synthesize large volumes of information into insights.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Experience with Salesforce or another CRM.

Responsibilities

Develop position specifications and search strategies with the Consultant.
Conduct industry-specific and client-company research, map executive talent, and provide market insights to Consultants and clients.
Help prepare business development materials for prospective and current clients.
Contact prospective candidates to discuss client opportunities, obtain referrals, and gather market intelligence and feedback.
Conduct in-depth interviews to assess candidate qualifications and fit against position specifications.
Write candidate assessments and present candidates to clients.
Manage candidate relationships throughout the search lifecycle and keep the Consultant informed of candidate updates.
Contribute to client relationship management with the Consultant.
Build productive, trusting relationships with colleagues and collaborate across stakeholders.
Contribute to firm, practice, or office initiatives and help foster a collaborative environment.
Maintain accurate, high-quality, and reliable search information in internal and external research tools.
Maintain status reports and client-ready reports for internal and external presentations.
Manage multiple concurrent projects and deliver high-quality work on time.
Act with professionalism, confidentiality, and ethics, and persist through challenges while doing the right thing.