Whaley Search Partners is a retained executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on Vice President, President, General Manager, and C-suite appointments. We help organizations define the mandate, reach the relevant market, assess executives carefully, and make a confident final decision.

We work with organizations facing important leadership decisions during growth, succession, transformation, integration, professionalization, or change. Clients may be privately owned, founder-led, family-owned, publicly traded, or private-equity-backed.

Our work is concentrated at the Vice President through C-suite level, including Presidents, General Managers, division leaders, functional executives, and other enterprise-critical appointments.

Retained search gives one firm responsibility for leading the assignment from role definition through offer and transition.

Contingency recruiting generally focuses on presenting candidates and earns a fee only if a placement is made. Retained search is designed for senior leadership decisions that require deeper research, assessment, confidentiality, and counsel.

Every engagement is personally led by the Managing Partner from the initial intake through candidate assessment, presentation, and final selection. Depending on the needs of the assignment, additional research and operational support may be used behind the scenes, but the client relationship is never delegated.

Heather personally conducts the substantive candidate interviews, evaluates each candidate against the agreed search criteria, and determines who is presented. You have one accountable partner throughout your search, with direct access whenever judgment, candor, or a difficult decision is required.

The search begins with a focused 60–90 minute intake with the hiring authority and relevant stakeholders. We go beyond the job description to clarify the business mandate, culture, stakeholders, success measures, compensation, risks, and conditions for success.

Timing depends on the mandate, candidate market, interview process, and speed of client decisions. We establish a realistic plan at the outset and maintain momentum without forcing a deadline that could compromise the outcome.

Most searches produce a carefully assessed shortlist of four to six executives. The goal is to present credible, differentiated choices that give the client a clear basis for comparison and decision-making.

It gives the client meaningful choices instead of several versions of the same candidate.

The shortlist intentionally includes a lighter option—an executive stepping into greater scope; an on-mandate option—an executive closely matching the brief; and a heavier option—an executive who has already operated at greater scale. This helps clients test assumptions and compare meaningful tradeoffs.

This deliberate contrast helps decision-makers calibrate what the role truly requires rather than defaulting to artificial consensus.

Yes. Many strong executives are not actively applying for roles. We discreetly approach leaders whose experience, results, motivation, leadership style, and circumstances may align with the mandate.

Every assessment is tied to what the next leader must accomplish.

Search firms may be restricted from recruiting certain executives connected to current clients or recent placements.

We review those obligations before accepting a search and will disclose—or decline—an assignment if they would meaningfully limit access to the relevant candidate market.

The client remains actively involved. The partnership works best when decision-makers provide access, prompt feedback, and continued alignment around the mandate while we lead the search.

Yes. We structure the interview process, prepare both sides, gather feedback, identify areas requiring deeper examination, coordinate references, support offer strategy, and help the client reach a well-informed decision.

Yes. Our role continues through resignation, counteroffer risk, transition, and early onboarding so the executive and organization can begin with greater alignment and momentum.

Yes. We handle confidential replacements, sensitive succession matters, newly created roles, and other leadership situations requiring discretion. The search strategy and information-sharing process are tailored to the situation.

We share information carefully and in stages.

Once mutual interest is established, we typically ask executives to sign an NDA before particularly sensitive information is disclosed. We also protect confidential client materials, including financial information, transaction details, organizational charts, and succession plans.

Yes. Executives may confidentially share their background for appropriate future mandates.

An introduction does not guarantee an immediate opportunity, and we do not contact a current employer or conduct references without the executive’s knowledge and permission.

We are best suited for organizations that value direct access, candid counsel, careful assessment, discretion, and active involvement from decision-makers.

Our retained model may not be the right fit when the priority is resume volume or engaging several firms on the same assignment.

Choose the conversation that fits your situation.

For companies: Tell us what is changing, what is at stake, and what the next leader must accomplish. A completed job description is not required.

For executives: Share your background and the types of leadership situations where your experience may be relevant. Introductions are handled confidentially.