A leadership transition
Maintain a thoughtful search while responsibilities or organizational priorities change.
EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Who will lead your next chapter?
A senior hire shapes priorities, decisions, and the people around them. Start with the mandate, then build a focused search for the experience and judgment the role requires.
Let’s connectWHEN IT MAY HELP
A search built around your situation.
A new direction
Clarify the leadership experience needed for a new function, business model, or stage of growth.
A difficult search
Revisit the role, market, and candidate outreach when the current pipeline is not producing a credible shortlist.
THE ENGAGEMENT
What we can work on together.
We agree on scope, responsibilities, timing, and fees before the work begins.
- A written role brief with first-year outcomes and decision criteria
- A target-market map and outreach plan
- Candidate conversations focused on relevant leadership evidence
- A shortlist with strengths, questions, and practical considerations
- Interview coordination and candidate communication through the agreed search stages
QUESTIONS TO START WITH
Start with the leadership mandate.
Bring what you know. We can clarify the open questions together.
- What must this leader accomplish in the first six to twelve months?
- Which decisions will they own, and who will they report to?
- Which leadership experiences are essential rather than preferred?
- Who must agree on the final selection?
- What compensation range, location expectations, and confidentiality limits apply?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Before we begin.
When is executive search the right approach?
Use it when the role carries significant leadership responsibility, the candidate pool is narrow, or discretion matters. We first discuss whether a focused leadership search fits the need and the available budget.
How is it different from posting a job?
A job posting primarily reaches people who choose to apply. A search also identifies potential candidates, approaches them directly, and explores whether the role and its expectations would make sense for them.
Can a search be confidential?
We can agree on what may be shared, which individuals may receive updates, and when the organization or role can be identified. Confidentiality expectations should be written into the engagement before outreach starts.
How will candidates be evaluated?
We define job-related criteria at intake and use consistent questions to gather evidence. Candidate summaries distinguish demonstrated experience from areas that still need verification. Your organization owns the final hiring decision.
How long will the search take?
Timing depends on the mandate, market, compensation, candidate availability, and interview decisions. We agree on checkpoints and a feedback rhythm rather than promise a fixed completion date before reviewing the role.
What do I need before we begin?
A clear business need, an accountable decision-maker, an approved compensation range, and interview availability are useful starting points. If the role is still taking shape, we can begin with an intake conversation.
COMPLIMENTARY BUYER’S GUIDE
Make a clearer decision about interim talent.
A practical guide to assignment planning, evaluating a partner, stakeholder alignment, and a successful handover. Includes a comparison scorecard and a ready-to-use assignment brief.
Register for the free guideSubmit your details through Let’s connect to unlock the PDF.
ABEL J. DAVILA
Interim Talent
A Practical Buyer’s Guide
12 pages · Planning tools · Partner questions
abeljdavila.comA PRACTICAL NEXT STEP
Tell me what needs to happen.
Share the role or project, your timeline, and the challenge you want to solve.