Executive Search Associate - Financial Officers Practice

Introduction

Sheffield Haworth is a leading global consultancy specialising in executive search, change consulting, and strategic advisory. Founded in 1993, the firm has grown to 200 professionals across 15 locations in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region. We partner with clients across multiple industries, with a strong track record of delivering people-led transformation across the financial services, professional services, industrials, real estate and technology sectors.

Clients benefit from deep industry insights, our wide-ranging networks and high standards of delivery from our global team.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities and Disability Confident, committed employer.

Financial Officers

Led by Justin Gault, our Global Financial Officers Practice helps organisations appoint senior finance executives who shape strategy, strengthen governance and drive commercial performance.

We provide executive search and talent management services across CFO, finance director, treasury, senior finance and internal audit appointments. Our mandates span the UK, Europe, the US and Canada.

The Role

We are looking for an intellectually curious, proactive and dependable Associate to support the delivery of our executive search and advisory engagements.

You will help identify and engage senior finance talent, build an understanding of organisations and markets, and turn research into clear insights for colleagues and clients. You will contribute throughout the search process, from initial market mapping and candidate outreach through to assessment, client presentations and candidate communication.

This is a hands-on role in a busy, collaborative team. You will need to learn quickly, take ownership of your work and remain calm and organised as priorities change. In return, you will gain exposure to senior finance leaders, international mandates and the commercial development of an executive search practice.

Key Responsibilities

Research and market intelligence

• Conduct thorough desk and telephone research to identify relevant organisations, senior finance leaders and potential candidates.
• Develop target lists, organisational maps and candidate profiles, applying sound judgement to assess relevance against each brief.
• Analyse and interpret information from multiple sources, presenting findings clearly and accurately.
• Track senior appointments, organisational changes and market developments, sharing insights that support searches and new business opportunities.

Search delivery and candidate engagement

• Approach prospective candidates and sources professionally, building relationships and gathering relevant information.
• Support candidate assessment by exploring experience, motivations and suitability against the requirements of a role.
• Prepare accurate candidate summaries, search updates and other client materials.
• Maintain clear, timely communication with candidates throughout the process, including updates, feedback and closure.
• Work closely with consultants to keep assignments moving and respond to changing client requirements.

Business development and advisory support

• Contribute research and analysis to pitches, proposals and client presentations.
• Support advisory projects covering topics such as talent availability, compensation, diversity, organisational structures and market perceptions.
• Identify relevant market intelligence and potential opportunities to deepen client relationships.
• Suggest practical ways to improve our research methods, processes and service.

Knowledge management and teamwork

• Maintain accurate, current records in our database, including candidate information, research findings and conversation notes.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and follow the firm’s data management standards.
• Share knowledge, communicate progress and flag questions or potential delays early.
• Provide practical support across the team, taking initiative when colleagues are managing competing demands.

Skills & Experience

• Ideally 0–2 years’ experience in executive search or contingency recruitment, including internships. Exposure to finance-related appointments or recruitment within financial services would be advantageous.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Confident engaging by telephone with senior professionals and producing clear, concise written work.
• A thorough, resourceful approach to finding, checking and interpreting information.
• Follows through on commitments, maintains high standards and takes responsibility for progressing work.
• Able to absorb unfamiliar information quickly, ask thoughtful questions and identify what matters.
• A practical, hands-on approach and willing to get involved in the detail and pick up tasks that help the wider team deliver.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, changing priorities and tight deadlines, while remaining calm and focused.
• Persistent when research is challenging or outreach receives limited responses; receptive to feedback and willing to adjust approach.
• Able to manage competing tasks without losing accuracy or overlooking follow-up.
• A dependable team player who shares information, offers support and recognises when to seek guidance.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel, to produce presentations, reports and analysis.

Salary & Benefits

• Competitive Salary offered dependent on skill/ experience
• Discretionary Bonus Award
• Continuous training and development
• 25 days leave allowance
• Private Health Insurance
• 5% Employer pension contribution
• Hybrid working, with UK-based remote candidates also considered. The team regularly works remotely and maintains close collaboration across locations.

Inclusion at Sheffield Haworth

Inclusion is central to our ethos at Sheffield Haworth. We embrace varied perspectives and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and included. Our values of Trust, Humanity, Inclusion, and Excellence guide us in all that we do.

• Equal Opportunity: We are an equal opportunity and disability-confident employer, adhering to the Equality Act 2010. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and characteristics.
• Inclusive Culture: Our culture values altruism and encourages professional growth within a supportive community.
• Support and Accommodations: We ensure reasonable accommodations for all individuals throughout the application process and employment.

For more on our commitment to inclusion, visit our inclusion page.