Principal Consultant - Executive Search

Candidate Opportunity Brief

Position: Principal Consultant

Reporting to: Head of Business

Overview

The Principal Consultant is a pinnacle role within recruitment consulting that operates at the sharp end of all consulting 360 activities. This high leadership, low management position offers autonomy to deliver exceptional customer (Client & Candidate) management, client development, customer experience and to manage all aspects of the vacancy lifecycle.

The Opportunity

Deputising for the Head of Business or Business Manager, the Principal Consultant perfects all elements of high performing recruitment consulting, gaining advanced leadership skills and exposure to business management and operations. The role serves as a springboard to future management positions or a long term career anchor focused on mastery, billing, commission and the excitement of the profession.

About Ford & Stanley Group

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group comprises specialist teams covering talent acquisition from Shopfloor to Boardroom, and broader talent solutions including Leadership Development, Performance Coaching & Mental Fitness Support. The client base spans over 150 employers from start up & SME to large corporates across six specialist sectors in the UK, Europe and North America, with a significant presence in the rail sector.

The Group is privately owned, headquartered in Pride Park Derby, employs approximately 60 people, and has achieved an average annual growth of 18% since inception. Team loyalty is high with an average recruiter tenure of 3.2 years.

Our mission is to create 10 million Better Workdays and we support sustainability through our conservation meadow.

Learn more about our culture, mission and values on our Join us page and see the work our teams do for the environment here.

The Role

The Principal Consultant sits between a Managing Consultant and Business Manager, blending top level billing expertise with mentorship, strategy and business development. We expect a top biller, client advisor and role model who can influence both clients and colleagues, shaping the company's growth direction while maintaining strong individual results.

Primary Responsibilities

• Generate strong personal revenue and financial contribution consistently.
• Manage senior or complex client relationships and deliver high value search assignments.
• Uphold exceptional key performance indicators such as shortlist coverage, CV to interview, and worked to filled ratios.
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients, providing talent advisory beyond simple role filling.
• Win new business and grow key accounts through consultative selling.
• Identify market opportunities and position the Group as a thought leader within its specialist sector.
• Build client partnerships that generate repeat business and increase exclusivity.
• Handle client or candidate misunderstandings, disagreements or risks in the absence of the Head of Business.
• Mentor junior and mid level consultants; share market knowledge, techniques and best practice.
• Set standards for quality, process and professionalism within the team.
• Be seen as an expert in a specific sector or discipline.
• Review, triage and act on leads from research teams; proactively nurture opportunities such as candidate exits, market intelligence, live vacancies and network intel.
• Engage in warm new business development, securing referrals, building relationships and converting candidate relationships into new client relationships.
• Represent the Group at hosted and industry networking events and socials.
• Deepen relationships with existing clients, schedule regular review meetings, and identify opportunities to expand into other departments.
• Maintain regular check ins even when there are no live vacancies, inviting clients to events and building trust for future hiring needs.
• Lead by example, coaching junior consultants on client development and driving new business.
• Execute all aspects of the vacancy lifecycle to an exemplary standard, including market research, candidate brief building, advertising, head hunting, interviews, offers and onboarding.
• Ensure a 100% CV to interview ratio and produce winning shortlists using all available tools.
• Maintain professional MPC/PCM activities within the executive search business, identifying and presenting high value talent.

Essential Hard Skills

• Demonstrable experience of growing and expanding client relationships and commercial opportunities across a portfolio.
• Track record of exceeding quality metrics and financial targets.
• Exceptional consulting skills within permanent or contract recruitment, with strong performance metrics such as CV to interview and worked to filled.
• Experience representing the organisation at trade shows and networking events with demonstrable ROI.
• Minimum of five years as a high performance recruiter in any sector.
• Reside within a daily commutable distance of Pride Park, Derby.

Essential Soft Skills

• Engaging, passionate and confident, able to build rapport in warm and cold relationships.
• Articulate and confident communicator, internally and externally.
• Proactive, hungry and energetic personality.
• Problem solver, decisive with a no task too big mindset.
• Highly driven, self motivated with a desire for high level commercial and relationship results.
• Exceptional negotiator with high levels of emotional intelligence.

Working Arrangements & Location

The Group maintains a proudly in office policy. Working hours are 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, with a 4:30 pm finish on Fridays. Flexibility is granted as required, with the expectation to be in office when colleagues and customers need support.

Interview Process

• Initial discussion with the Group Sales & Commercial Director - informal conversation.
• 1st Stage Interview - discussion with the Group Chairman, followed by a formal interview with the Head of and Director of the business unit. Includes Q&A and an office tour.
• Final Stage - face to face with the Group Commercial Director and two potential future colleagues, culminating in a 3 slide presentation:
  1. Why you want to work for Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group.
  2. Why the Group would be glad you joined the team.

Salary Banding

Low - £40k Mid - £42.5k Top - £45k

Package

• Car Allowance
• Uncapped Commission Scheme
• Pension: 4% employer / 5% employee (Opt in/opt out)
• 25 + 8 bank holidays
• Extended Christmas break & company shutdown
• Sell holidays (max 5)
• Life Assurance: 4 Annual Salary
• Health Shield - free dental, eyecare, discounted gym, massages
• Private medical care (3 years + service)
• 24/7 Confidential Mental Fitness & Performance Coach Access
• Fully expensed half year company away day
• Fully expensed iPhone
• Work from anywhere laptop with seamless connectivity
• Sickness: after probation - 10 days at full pay, 10 days at half pay

Benefits

• World class leadership training
• Clear progression route with structured quarterly PDRs and IDPs
• Monthly / quarterly team social budget
• Regular company and team socials
• Access to leading candidate sourcing and head hunting software
• Fully stocked Beer & Prosecco fridges
• High quality privately owned offices
• Free parking
• Opportunities to volunteer at the conservation meadow, planting trees for every placement
• 'The first 7' years company recognition experience
• £500 internal referral scheme.

Equal Opportunities

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all seekers. We treat everyone equally irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, or political beliefs, and require all staff to act in accordance with this policy.

Services

We are a recruitment and talent advisory business.