At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead high-stakes C-suite searches and shape the firm's evolution.
- Company: Philanthrope is a co-owned executive search firm focused on long-term leadership solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy co-ownership, profit sharing, and a flexible, supportive work culture.
- Other info: Join a firm that values trust, quality, and long-term relationships over transactional targets.
- Why this job: Make a meaningful impact in a collaborative environment while shaping future leadership.
- Qualifications: Experience in retained search at Principal or Partner level is essential.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 £ per year.
Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory
Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory
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Direct message the job poster from Philanthrope | Certified Co-op
Partner at Philanthrope | Trustee at Ways Into Work
Partner track: a co-owned firm for experienced professionals ready to build something lasting
A Structurally Different Firm
Philanthrope LLP is a cooperative executive search and leadership advisory firm, where co-ownership creates continuity, accountability, and deep client investment. We are trusted by investors, B Corps, and boards who want leadership decisions to serve the long term. Our consultants are co-owners, with a direct say in governance and a share in profits. Clients benefit from a stable, accountable team invested in long-term outcomes, not short-term transactions. We work with values-led organisations, from B Corps to responsible investors, to appoint and develop leaders who align purpose with performance and culture with governance.
Our approach combines a structured, five-stage search process with behavioural insight, co-ownership, and shared accountability, ensuring a rigorous, human-centred experience from role definition through integration. We don’t just fill roles. We help shape leadership that builds culture, serves stakeholders, and delivers lasting value — whether by strengthening board succession, aligning leadership with values, or supporting scale without losing integrity.
As a co-owned partnership, we operate with transparency, rigour, and integrity. Influence and value are shared, not concentrated. Members shape strategy, share profits, and take part in decisions that guide the future of the firm.
If you are serious about the craft but question the industry’s incentives, if you want to grow something principled, not just personal, this is a rare opportunity to help build a firm designed for long-term trust.
The Role
This is an opportunity to join Philanthrope at a thoughtful and purposeful stage in our development. We have strong client momentum, a growing portfolio of retained mandates, and a team committed to careful, long-term growth.
As Principal, you will lead retained C-1 search mandates and advise on high-stakes C-suite transitions. Just as importantly, you will help shape how we evolve — through systems, standards, and culture.
You will work across all aspects of the firm: delivery, design, and development. One day, you might build a psychometric evaluation brief. The next, draft governance diagnostics for a client. Then mentor a Consultant, contribute to a white paper, or refine our revenue attribution model.
This is a high-trust, high-autonomy role, ideal for someone who wants to do serious, meaningful work in a collaborative environment. You’ll often be engaged before a formal search begins, helping clients define leadership needs, assess organisational risk, and align stakeholders around the right decisions.
What You’ll Do:
- Lead search: Manage C-1 mandates from start to finish and support complex C-suite transitions.
- Build intellectual property: Shape frameworks, write thought pieces, and develop proprietary methods.
- Develop the firm: Improve systems, methodology, business development, and team capability.
- Contribute broadly: Mentor consultants, co-design client diagnostics, or refine our profit-sharing model.
- Act like a partner: Share insight, uphold quality, and help steward a firm you co-own.
Who You Are
You are a thoughtful, experienced professional who values substance over style and wants to do work that matters.
- You bring serious retained search experience at Principal or Partner level. Whether you are already established or ready to step into that level, we support progression with structure and trust.
- You think systemically about leadership, organisations, and value creation.
- You’ve advised boards, earned trust, and delivered in high-stakes contexts.
- You care about governance, culture, and long-term outcomes, not just placement.
You may not think of yourself as a salesperson, especially if you’re tired of transactional targets, narrow KPIs, or credit battles that reward noise over substance. Our growth is rooted in long-term relationships, not pressure-based origination. But you care deeply about trust, quality, and helping clients get leadership right. If you’ve ever thought, “I love the work, but not the industry,” this could be your next step.
What We Offer
- Co-ownership from day one: Every Principal becomes a cooperative member with a stake in governance, profits, and long-term direction.
- Progression with influence: Advancement brings a genuine voice in strategy and model design, not just a new title.
- Revenue-linked earnings: Remuneration is structured around attributable revenue, ensuring clarity and fairness. You are rewarded not just for origination, but for meaningful delivery, evaluation, and engagement.
- Profit share and strategic voice: You share in firm-wide profits and have a say in how we grow — structurally and financially.
- Autonomy and impact: You help shape both client outcomes and the firm’s evolution — structurally and culturally.
- Psychologically informed evaluation: Our approach combines behavioural science, narrative-led assessments, and AI-supported research, enabling us to assess leadership potential in context, not just credentials on paper.
- A serious but human culture: Grounded, flexible, and intellectually ambitious, without bravado or bureaucracy.
This is a home for thoughtful consultants who want to do the best work of their careers without compromising their values.
How to Apply
We don’t scale fast. We scale well, focusing on meaningful growth, long-term partnerships, and refining our model with every new engagement.
If you care as much about how a firm works as what it delivers, and want to build with people who share your standards, get in touch via LinkedIn or email hello@philanthrope.co.uk.
Feel free to include a short note on:
- What kind of leadership you believe the future needs
- Where you see search, or yourself, going next
What Makes Us Different
- Co-ownership over commission
- Leadership ecosystems over placements
If that resonates, we’d love to hear from you.
Seniority level
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Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
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Employment type
Full-time
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Job function
Human Resources, Consulting, and Business Development
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Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory employer: Philanthrope | Certified Co-op
Philanthrope LLP stands out as an exceptional employer, offering a unique co-ownership model that empowers its consultants to shape the firm's direction and share in its success. With a strong commitment to long-term relationships and a culture that values integrity and collaboration, employees are provided with meaningful growth opportunities and the autonomy to influence both client outcomes and the firm's evolution. Located in the vibrant City of London, this is a place where thoughtful professionals can thrive while making a significant impact in the executive search and leadership advisory space.
Contact Details:
Philanthrope | Certified Co-op Recruitment Team
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We think this is how you could land Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory
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We think you need these skills to ace Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Passion for Talent Acquisition:In your cover letter, let your passion for recruiting shine through! Talk about what drew you to talent acquisition. Share experiences where you helped others find their dream jobs or any times you've been involved in hiring processes – it’ll show us at Philanthrope | Certified Co-op that you're genuinely invested in the field.
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Tailor Your CV for the Job:When applying for Principal | Executive Search & Leadership Advisory at Philanthrope | Certified Co-op, tailor your CV to reflect the job description. Highlight previous experiences in recruitment, candidate sourcing, or employee engagement that align with what we’re after. Personalisation shows we’re not just another checkbox on your job applications!
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How to prepare for a job interview at Philanthrope | Certified Co-op
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