Engagement Director

HireBetter is a national recruiting firm that partners directly with founders, executives, and investors to build next-level leadership teams. We specialize in retained search and talent strategy that helps high-growth companies scale faster and smarter.

The Opportunity

HireBetter is seeking an experienced Engagement Director to lead executive search engagements for high-growth clients. This is a hands-on role for a seasoned recruiting leader who can combine executive presence, consultative advisory skills, and full life-cycle recruiting expertise.

The ideal candidate will bring experience in retained executive search and in-house talent acquisition, with exposure to RPO or contingency models as a plus.

More than filling roles, the Engagement Director will act as a trusted advisor to our clients (including CEOs, boards, and investors) - guiding leadership conversations, asking the right questions, and ensuring searches are aligned to the client’s true needs.

Overview

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary client partner, leading executive search engagements and advising CEOs, founders, and boards on talent strategy
• Lead retained and executive-level searches, serving as the face of HireBetter throughout the engagement
• Assess and refine client needs, asking thoughtful questions and ensuring role requirements align with organizational objectives
• Manage the full search lifecycle: sourcing strategy, candidate outreach, deep behavioral interviews, shortlisting, client presentation, and reference checks
• Collaborate closely with the delivery team to execute searches efficiently and effectively
• Guide clients on interview best practices and provide candid, actionable feedback to ensure an exceptional candidate and client experience
• Lead after-action reviews to continuously improve search outcomes

Qualifications

• 8+ years of executive-level recruiting experience, with a mix of retained search and in-house talent acquisition; experience in RPO or contingency search a plus
• Proven track record recruiting C-suite and senior executives (CEO, CFO, CMO, CHRO, etc.), ideally in professional services, private equity, or high-growth environments
• Strong executive presence with the ability to confidently engage, influence, and guide senior leaders and boards
• High emotional intelligence and exceptional listening skills; able to uncover and address clients’ true needs
• Demonstrated ability to differentiate between recruiting models (retained, contingent, in-house, RPO) and communicate value to clients
• Skilled at consultative problem-solving, including advising on role definition and guiding difficult client conversations
• Strong sourcing and recruiting capabilities
• Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills with a confident, approachable style
• Highly organized, able to manage multiple executive searches simultaneously while delivering exceptional client service
• Entrepreneurial mindset; experience as a business owner or senior leader is a strong plus

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Human Resources and Consulting

Industries

• Executive Search Services

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