# Excelon Associates - Full Content > Retained and contingency executive search firm founded in 2007. Headquartered in Asheville, NC with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL. Sectors: higher education, healthcare, financial services, government, and skilled trades. International practice: Gulf and GCC, MENA, South Asia, UK and Europe. Key facts: Retained search fees are 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in thirds at search start, first slate presented and interviewed, and candidate hired. Contingency fees are 20 to 25 percent, paid on hire only. Placements carry a 90 day guarantee, scaling to 6 months at executive level. Travel is billed at cost with no markup. Over the last 12 months the firm ran 88 searches with an average slate of 5 qualified candidates delivered in 3 to 5 weeks. Index of pages: https://excelonassociates.com/llms.txt Live openings: https://excelonassociates.com/jobs/ --- ## Home Source: https://excelonassociates.com/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] Excelon Associates | Homepage v4 | WordPress/Divi Code Module Canonical: https://excelonassociates.com/ Full-width layout. Paste into a single Code Module inside a full-width Divi section (no row padding). Section order tuned for engagement: proof and identity first, process primes the mid-page conversion form, resources retain, people and FAQ close toward the final CTA. ============================================================ -->--> Retained and Contingency Executive Search · Est. 2007 We Find the Leaders Your Organization Needs Excelon Associates is an executive search and recruitment firm specializing in higher education, healthcare, and financial services. Retained and contingency engagements. US-based and international placements. Start a Search Browse Open Roles Recent PlacementsExplore Our IndustriesHigher EducationPresidents, provosts, deansInternational RecruitmentUK, Gulf, South Asia, MENAHealthcareClinical and academic leadersFinancial ServicesExecutive and senior rolesGovernmentState and local governmentsTemporary StaffingInterim and contract leadership Open Roles · Newest First View All Open Roles Aug 7, 2026Newest Professional Education & Partnerships Manager Miami, FL Aug 7, 2026 Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Tampa, FL Aug 7, 2026 Regional Director of Student Support Services Orlando, FL Aug 7, 2026 Regional Program Director, Construction Trades Orlando, FL Aug 4, 2026 Marketing Manager Miami, FL Our Clients Who Do We Work With? Colleges, universities, health systems, financial services firms, and government organizations across the US and internationally trust Excelon Associates with their leadership searches. Who We Are What Is Excelon Associates? Excelon Associates is a retained and contingency executive search firm founded in 2007, headquartered in Asheville, NC, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL. The firm places presidents, provosts, deans, program directors, clinical leaders, and financial executives for organizations across the US, UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Headquartered in Asheville, NC.Black bear country. 2007Firm Founded 88Searches in the Last 12 Months 3 to 5 wksTo a Qualified Slate 5Average Finalists per Slate Global Reach Where Do We Place Candidates? Excelon Associates runs searches from three US offices, in Asheville NC, Boca Raton FL, and Delray Beach FL, and places candidates domestically and internationally, with completed placements across the United States, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.Every arc starts in Asheville. Tap a region to explore it. Asheville HQ Excelon Associates Google Business Profile 4.8(45 reviews) 1100 Ridgefield Blvd #100, Asheville, NC 28806 Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm View Profile on Google Florida Offices Boca Raton + Delray Beach, FL · Offices United Kingdom United Kingdom · Placements North AfricaEgypt + North Africa · Placements Middle East Middle East · Placements South Asia South Asia · Placements Mainland Europe Mainland Europe · Placements Singapore Singapore · Placements Australia + NZ Australia + New Zealand · Placements 3US Offices 7Placement Regions 88Searches · Last 12 Mo Headquarters Offices Placement Regions Learn about our international recruitment practice How We Work Built for Both Sides of the Search Whether you are hiring or looking, Excelon delivers a relationship-first approach that job boards and generalist staffing agencies cannot match. For Employers We Find Who You Cannot Our retained and contingency search process goes far beyond job postings. We proactively identify, vet, and present candidates who are not actively looking but are exactly who your organization needs. Dedicated search team for every engagement 3 to 5 week average time to a qualified slate Higher education, healthcare, and financial services expertise US domestic and international placement capabilities Offices in Asheville NC, Boca Raton FL, and Delray Beach FL Start a Search For Candidates Roles Worth Your Time We work with institutions actively recruiting for senior and executive roles. Submit your resume or browse current openings to see where Excelon Associates can take your career. Senior and executive-level placements Higher education, healthcare, and financial services roles Confidential and professional representation US and international opportunities Ongoing career advising and placement support Browse Open Roles Our Specialties Which Industries Do We Recruit For?Four industries. One engine underneath. Excelon Associates recruits for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government organizations, with an integrated temporary staffing practice across the same sectors. Higher Education Presidents, provosts, deans, VPs, program directors, faculty, and administrators for colleges, universities, and trade schools nationwide and internationally. Learn More Healthcare Clinical educators, nursing faculty, program directors, and administrative leaders for healthcare education, hospital systems, and allied health organizations. Learn More Financial Services Executive and senior professional placement for financial services firms, fintech organizations, investment management companies, and related institutions. Learn More Temporary Staffing Flexible staffing solutions including interim leadership and contract placements across all of our core sectors. Learn More Also serving government agencies and international engagements. View all service markets Our Process How Does an Excelon Search Work?Finalists in 3 to 5 weeks, on most searches. Every engagement follows the same structured, transparent process, designed to deliver a qualified slate in weeks, not months. DiscoveryWe learn your organization, the role, and what success actually looks like for this hire. SourcingProactive outreach to qualified candidates, including those not actively seeking new positions. VettingRigorous screening, credential verification, and fit assessment before any candidate reaches you. PlacementQualified slate delivered, interviews facilitated, offer supported. Average 3 to 5 weeks. GuideHow to Hire an Executive Search Firm PricingExecutive Search Fees Explained ProofRecent Search Campaigns Start a Search Have a Role to Fill? Submit your open role in about two minutes and hear back from a recruiter within one business day. 1A recruiter responds within one business day. 2Vetted finalist shortlist in three to five weeks. 3Retained search across five specialist practices since 2007. 4No cost and no obligation to start the conversation. Prefer to talk now? Call +1 (828) 417-7094. Engagement Timeline TodayRole submitted Day 1Recruiter response Weeks 3 to 5Finalist slate delivered Submit Your Role Tell us about it in about two minutes. A recruiter responds within one business day. Your Name Work Email Organization Practice Area Select one Higher Education Healthcare Financial Services Government Temporary Staffing Not sure / Other Role You Are Hiring Submit Your Role No cost or obligation to start the conversation. Free Resources Sample Job Descriptions A free library of professionally written sample job descriptions across higher education, healthcare, financial services, government, and technical roles, drawn from real retained search hiring needs. Search the library or start with a sample below: Search Higher Ed Academic Director View Sample Higher Ed School Registrar View Sample Admissions Director of Admissions View Sample Higher Ed Director of Alumni Relations View Sample Executive Deputy CEO View Sample Executive Head of Digital View Sample Government City Manager View Sample Government Police Chief View Sample View the Full Library Insights From the Excelon Blog Practical guidance on executive search, hiring, and leadership recruitment, written by the team running the searches. Latest Insight · Aug 11, 2026 Executive Search Fees: What Firms Charge in 2026 Read the Analysis Harnessing the Power of AI: Securing the Best Jobs in Higher Education Jun 30, 2026 Retained vs. Contingent Search: What's the Difference? Jun 5, 2026 Recruiting Senior Administrators in Higher Education: A Best-Practice Guide Jun 5, 2026 Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Faculty at Colleges and Universities Jun 4, 2026 All Posts Our Team Who Will Run Your Search? Decades of combined experience in the sectors we recruit for. We know your field, not because we read about it, but because we have worked in it. Susan Forman President / CEO LinkedIn Randie Levine VP, Education & Healthcare LinkedIn Monica Vered VP, Business Development LinkedIn Joshua Forman VP, Operations LinkedIn Meet the Full Team Questions Frequently Asked Questions What does Excelon Associates do? Excelon Associates is a retained and contingency executive search firm founded in 2007. We recruit senior leaders and hard-to-fill professional roles for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government organizations across the US and internationally, with an integrated temporary staffing practice across the same sectors. How much does an executive search firm cost? Retained search at Excelon Associates runs 25 to 30 percent of first-year compensation, billed in thirds as the search progresses. Contingency search runs 20 to 25 percent, due only when a candidate is hired. Our executive search fees guide covers both models in detail. How long does an executive search take? Most searches reach a vetted finalist slate in 3 to 5 weeks. A full search cycle, from kickoff to accepted offer, typically runs 60 to 90 days depending on the role and market. Does Excelon Associates place candidates internationally? Yes. We are headquartered in Asheville, NC with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL, and we have placed candidates across the US, UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Is Excelon Associates a job board? No. Every engagement gets a dedicated search team that identifies, approaches, and vets candidates directly, including passive candidates who are not actively applying anywhere. How do I start a search? Submit your role through the form on this page or call +1 (828) 417-7094. A recruiter responds within one business day, and there is no cost or obligation to start the conversation. Ready to Get Started? Let's Find Your Next Great Hire Institutions and organizations across the US and internationally rely on Excelon Associates for retained and contingency executive search. Tell us about your role and we will take it from there. Start a Search Contact Us +1 (828) 417-7094 · Asheville, NC · Boca Raton, FL · Delray Beach, FL [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Executive Search Fees: What Firms Charge in 2026 Source: https://excelonassociates.com/executive-search-fees/ Executive Search · Employer Resources Executive Search Fees: What Firms Charge in 2026 By Excelon Associates • Updated August 10, 2026 • 8 min read What executive search costsRetained vs. contingencyWhat the fee includesEstimate your feeExcelon in practiceFAQ Key Takeaways Retained search at Excelon runs 25 to 30% of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments. A retainer buys our time and immediate priority. Contingency search runs 20 to 25%, a more passive engagement where you pay only if you hire our candidate. The fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost. Every placement carries a 90 day guarantee, scaling to 6 months at executive level. 88 searches completed in the last 12 months, with a qualified slate of 5 candidates delivered in 3 to 5 weeks on average. What executive search costs Most executive search firms charge between 20 and 30 percent of the placed candidate's first year compensation. At Excelon Associates, retained search runs 25 to 30 percent and contingency search runs 20 to 25 percent, and the gap is not arbitrary: a retainer buys our time, a dedicated team on your role immediately, while contingency is a more passive engagement paid only on a hire. Every placement carries a written guarantee either way. This guide covers what those numbers include, how payment actually works, and how to budget for your next senior hire. Every current number is published in one place in our executive search benchmarks for 2026, covering fees, timelines, and salary ranges from 88 completed searches. 88searches, last 12 months3-5 Wksto a qualified slate5candidates per slate, average90 Daysguarantee, up to 6 months What does an executive search firm cost? Executive search fees are the professional fees an employer pays a recruitment firm to fill a senior role. They are almost always calculated as a percentage of the hired candidate's first year compensation, typically 20 to 30 percent, and the employer pays them. The candidate never does. You will also hear them called headhunter fees, recruiter fees, or placement fees; the terms are interchangeable. The percentage reflects what you are buying. Retained search secures our time: a dedicated team works your role immediately, with priority over everything else on our desk, because the engagement exists to secure the candidate now. Contingency search is a more passive arrangement that moves at a casual pace, and you pay only on a successful hire. Here is how the two compare at Excelon Associates.   Retained Search Contingency Search Fee 25 to 30% of first year compensation 20 to 25% of first year compensation What you buy Our time: a dedicated team on your role immediately, regardless of what else we are engaged in Our network and process, engaged at a more casual pace Pace Urgent. Built to secure the candidate now Passive. Candidates presented as the search surfaces them You pay In three milestone payments across the search Only if you hire our candidate Best fit Roles you need filled immediately, with a committed team Clients who want flexibility, or want us to prove our value first Guarantee 90 days, up to 6 months at executive level 90 days, up to 6 months at executive level Retained vs. contingency pricing How does retained search pricing work? Retained search at Excelon is 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, with the exact figure set by the difficulty of the specific search. The premium over contingency is not a markup on the same work. A retainer buys our time: your search gets a dedicated team the day it starts and holds priority regardless of what else we are engaged in, because the entire point of a retained engagement is to secure the candidate immediately. The fee is billed in three equal parts tied to milestones you can see, so payment tracks progress rather than promises. First third: the search begins Your dedicated team kicks off discovery, builds the role profile, and launches sourcing and the digital campaign. Second third: slate presented and interviewed Due when the first slate of qualified candidates has been presented and interviewed. Our average slate is 5 candidates, delivered in 3 to 5 weeks. Final third: candidate hired The last payment lands only when your candidate is officially hired. When does contingency search make sense? Contingency search at Excelon runs 20 to 25 percent of first year compensation, and you pay nothing unless you hire our candidate. It is a more passive engagement by design: the search moves at a casual pace rather than on a sprint. That suits clients who want more flexibility, are not yet certain exactly who they want, or are not ready to commit to a retained engagement. Our goal is always retained search, because a committed engagement produces the best outcome for both sides. But we are comfortable proving our value first. Many of our retained clients started exactly that way. For a deeper comparison, read our guide on retained versus contingent search. What the fee includes What is included in the fee? Everything except candidate travel. Excelon's fee is all inclusive, which is not the industry norm; many firms bill advertising, assessments, and administrative costs on top of the percentage. Included in every Excelon fee Billed separately Dedicated search team, all digital marketing and advertising for the role including campaigns that reach the first page of Google, proactive outreach to candidates who are not actively looking, screening and credential verification, interview coordination, and offer support. Candidate travel only. Excelon pays travel costs upfront and invoices them for reimbursement at cost, with no markup. What does the placement guarantee cover? Every Excelon placement carries a 90 day guarantee. If the hire leaves or does not work out inside that window, we rerun the search at no additional fee. For executive level placements and above, the guarantee scales up to 6 months, because the cost of a leadership mis-hire deserves a longer safety net. How much does temporary and interim staffing cost? Temporary staffing is priced differently: a markup of 40 to 60 percent on the employee's hourly rate, depending on the state. That rate includes full employer of record service through our partner, People2.0. Payroll, benefits, compliance, onboarding paperwork, every piece of the administrative backend is handled for you. The only thing on your plate is the work itself. If you decide to convert a temporary employee into a permanent hire, a conversion fee applies, scaled to how long the candidate has been on assignment. Details on interim leadership and contract placements are on our temporary staffing page. What determines where your fee lands in the range? Not your industry. Excelon prices higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government searches on the same basis. What moves the number is the anticipated difficulty of the specific search, which we score with a proprietary model before we quote: how scarce the talent pool is, how specialized the credentials are, the geography, the timeline, and the level of confidentiality required. A demanding search is priced as a demanding search, whichever sector it sits in. It also means a straightforward search is never priced as if it were a hard one. Estimate your fee Enter the expected first year compensation for the role and see the fee range under both models. First year compensation (USD) Retained Search $37,500 to $45,000 25 to 30% of first year compensation, billed as three equal milestone payments. Contingency Search $30,000 to $37,500 20 to 25% of first year compensation, paid only on a successful hire. Estimates for planning purposes. Your exact fee reflects the assessed difficulty of the search and is quoted before any engagement begins. Want a firm number instead of a range? Tell us about the role. Start a Search Excelon in practice What does this look like on a real search? In 2026, the University of East London, a public university founded in 1898, engaged Excelon to fill multiple roles across three continents: the United States, Egypt, and India. Different markets, different credentialing requirements, one process. 3Continents recruited across: USA, Egypt, India 10 DaysCandidates presented, for each search in each country 60 DaysTo accepted offers From the Blog How to Hire an Executive Search FirmThe 10 questions employers ask before engaging a firm, answered.Retained vs. Contingent SearchA deeper look at the two engagement models and when each fits.Temporary Staffing SolutionsInterim leadership and contract placements across our core sectors. Executive search fees: frequently asked questions How much does an executive search firm cost? Most firms charge 20 to 30 percent of the placed candidate's first year compensation. Excelon Associates charges 25 to 30 percent for retained search and 20 to 25 percent for contingency search, with the exact figure set by the anticipated difficulty of the search. What is the difference between retained and contingency fees? The price difference reflects what you are buying. A retained fee, 25 to 30 percent at Excelon, secures the firm's time: a dedicated team works your search immediately and with priority, billed in three milestone payments, because the goal is to secure the candidate now. A contingency fee, 20 to 25 percent, is a more passive engagement that moves at a casual pace, and you pay only if you hire the candidate. How is a retained search fee paid? In three equal parts tied to milestones: one third when the search begins, one third when the first slate of candidates has been presented and interviewed, and the final third when the candidate is officially hired. Are there costs beyond the fee? At Excelon, no. The fee is all inclusive, covering the search team, all digital marketing and advertising for the role, screening, and offer support. The single exception is candidate travel, which Excelon pays upfront and invoices for reimbursement at cost. What happens if the hire does not work out? Every Excelon placement carries a 90 day guarantee, and for executive level placements the guarantee scales up to 6 months. If the hire does not work out inside the guarantee window, the search is rerun at no additional fee. How much does temporary staffing cost? Temporary staffing is priced as a 40 to 60 percent markup on the employee's hourly rate, depending on the state. The rate includes full employer of record service through People2.0, which handles payroll, benefits, and the entire administrative backend. A scaled conversion fee applies if you hire the candidate permanently. Do executive search fees vary by industry? At Excelon Associates, no. Fees are set by a proprietary model that scores the anticipated difficulty of each individual search, not by the industry it sits in. A demanding search is priced as a demanding search whether it is in higher education, healthcare, or financial services. How long does an executive search take? Excelon delivers a qualified slate of candidates in 3 to 5 weeks on average, against an industry norm of 90 days or more. In a recent multi country engagement, candidates were presented within 10 days of each search launching and offers were accepted within 60 days. Who pays the executive search fee? The employer, always. Candidates never pay a fee to be represented, presented, or placed by Excelon Associates. How much do headhunters charge for executive roles? Headhunter fees and executive search fees are the same thing, and the math is identical: 20 to 30 percent of the placed candidate's first year compensation across the industry. At Excelon Associates the figure is 25 to 30 percent for retained search or 20 to 25 percent for contingency, and the employer always pays it, never the candidate. Get an exact quote for your search Tell us about the role and we will come back with a firm fee, a timeline, and the team that will run it. No obligation, and the first conversation is free. Start a SearchContact Us --- ## Retained vs. Contingent Search: What's the Difference? Source: https://excelonassociates.com/retained-vs-contingent-search/ Executive Search · Search Models Retained vs Contingent Search: What's the Difference? By Excelon Associates Updated June 5, 2026 8 min read On this page What is retained search? What is contingent search? Side-by-side comparison Fees in real numbers How each model works When to use each Decision test Container and hybrid search By sector Common mistakes Questions to ask FAQ How Excelon helps The difference between retained and contingent search comes down to commitment and how the firm gets paid. In a retained search, you pay an executive search firm in stages to work your role exclusively. In a contingent search, you pay only when one of the firm's candidates is hired, often while working with several firms at once. Both approaches fill jobs, but they do it in very different ways, and choosing the wrong one for a given role is an expensive mistake. Here is how each model works and how to decide which fits the role in front of you. The short version Retained search is exclusive and paid in stages; you pay for the process. Contingent search is pay-on-placement and often non-exclusive; you pay for the result. Retained fits executive, confidential, and hard-to-fill roles. Contingent fits mid-level, well-defined, higher-volume roles where speed matters. Container search is a hybrid that sits between the two on commitment and risk. What is retained search? Retained search An exclusive hiring engagement in which an organization pays an executive search firm a fee, typically in installments, to run a dedicated search for a specific role. The firm is retained the way a company retains a law firm or an architect: it is paid for the process, not only for the outcome. Because the firm is paid up front, it commits a dedicated team to the assignment. That team maps the market, approaches passive candidates who are not actively looking, runs structured assessments, checks references, and supports the offer. The fee is usually split into thirds: one part at engagement, one when a qualified shortlist is delivered, and one on placement. Most retained engagements also carry a replacement guarantee if the hire does not work out within a set period. Retained search is the standard for executive and leadership hiring across the sectors we serve, including higher education, healthcare, and financial services. Professional standards for the field are set by bodies like the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. What is contingent search? Contingent search A hiring arrangement in which a recruitment firm is paid only if and when one of its candidates is hired. There is no upfront cost, and the engagement is often non-exclusive, so an employer can run the same role through several firms at once. The appeal is obvious. You carry no financial risk until a placement is made, and you can cast a wide net quickly. The trade-off is depth. Because a contingent recruiter is paid only on success, and only the firm that submits the winning candidate gets paid, effort is spread across many open roles at once. Contingent search tends to draw from candidates who are already active in the market and from a recruiter's existing network, rather than from a fully mapped search of everyone qualified. Retained search buys a process. Contingent search buys a result, if and when it arrives. Retained vs contingent search: a side-by-side comparison The table below summarizes the practical differences employers weigh most often. Factor Retained search Contingent search Payment timingPaid in stages, beginning at engagementPaid only when a candidate is hired Typical fee25 to 35 percent of first-year compensation15 to 25 percent of first-year compensation ExclusivityExclusive, one firm owns the searchOften non-exclusive, multiple firms Best suited forExecutive, leadership, confidential, and hard-to-fill rolesMid-level, well-defined, higher-volume roles Recruiter commitmentDedicated team running the full processEffort shared across many open roles Candidate poolPassive candidates and a mapped marketActive candidates from existing networks Process depthResearch, assessment, references, offer supportFaster, lighter screening Employer riskUpfront investment before a hire is madeNo placement means no fee Typical timelineDefined, often a qualified slate in three to five weeksVariable, depends on firm priority What do these fees look like in real numbers? Take a director-level hire with $160,000 in first-year compensation. Here is how each model prices out: Current figures for both models, along with timeline and salary data, are published in our 2026 fee and salary benchmark tables. ModelStructureTotal feeWhen you pay Retained at 30 percentThree installments of $16,000$48,000Engagement, shortlist, placement Container$10,000 engagement fee credited toward 25 percent$40,000$10,000 up front, $30,000 on placement Contingent at 20 percentSingle payment$32,000Only if you hire the firm's candidate The sticker gap between $48,000 and $32,000 looks decisive until you price the risk on each side. The contingent number assumes the search succeeds; a role that sits unfilled for six months while three non-exclusive firms give it partial attention has its own cost in lost momentum and stalled initiatives. And the cost of hiring the wrong person dwarfs every number in the table: SHRM estimates a failed executive hire costs more than 200 percent of the role's annual salary. The question is not which fee is smaller. It is which process is most likely to produce the right hire the first time for the role in front of you. How each model works in practice The retained search process A retained search follows a defined sequence. The firm and the client build a position profile that captures both the hard requirements and the cultural fit. The firm then researches and maps the market, approaches and qualifies candidates, presents a shortlist, facilitates interviews with the search committee, and supports the offer and close. Communication runs on a predictable cadence, which keeps strong candidates engaged from first contact to signed offer. That cadence matters more than people expect, because time delays deplete candidate interest at every stage. The contingent search process A contingent search is lighter and faster. The recruiter takes the role, pulls qualified people from an existing network and active job seekers, and submits candidates for review. The employer interviews and decides. The recruiter is paid only if the employer hires one of those candidates. Because several firms may be working the same role, the emphasis is on speed of submission rather than exhaustive coverage of the market. When should you use each model? The right choice depends on the seniority of the role, how specialized it is, how confidential the search needs to be, and how much you can afford to get the hire wrong. Use retained search when The role is at the executive or senior leadership level. The hire is mission critical and a mistake is costly. The search must stay confidential. The talent pool is small, specialized, or largely passive. You want one accountable partner running the full process. Use contingent search when The role is mid-level and clearly defined. You are filling several similar positions at once. Speed and reach matter more than depth of process. The candidate pool is large and active. You prefer to carry no cost until a hire is made. For a fuller picture of how these models map to specific roles and sectors, see our service markets. A 60-second decision test Answer these five questions for the role you are filling: Does this role report to the CEO, president, board, or a cabinet-level leader? Would it damage the organization if this search became public before you were ready? Is the realistic talent pool fewer than a few hundred people nationally? Would a wrong hire in this seat cost you more than a year of progress? Has this role, or one like it, already failed a search or turned over quickly? Two or more yes answers point to retained search. Zero or one, and contingent search will likely serve you well at lower committed cost. This is a starting point rather than a rule, but in our experience it sorts roles correctly far more often than defaulting to whichever model the last search used. What about container or hybrid search? Container search (engaged search) A hybrid that sits between the two models. The employer pays a smaller upfront fee to secure commitment and exclusivity, and the balance is due on placement. It gives a client some of the dedication and accountability of retained search while keeping a meaningful portion of the fee tied to a successful hire. Container search can be a sensible middle ground for an important role that does not quite call for a full retained engagement, or for an organization testing a new search partner. The key point is that all three models exist on a spectrum of commitment, exclusivity, and risk, and the best fit depends on the specific role. How the choice plays out by sector The model question looks different depending on the hiring environment: Higher education. Shared governance means search committees, faculty input, and at public institutions, open-records obligations. That process weight favors retained search for dean, provost, and cabinet roles, where a firm manages committee logistics and keeps confidential candidates protected for as long as the law allows. Contingent search still fits enrollment, advancement, and administrative roles with deeper pools. Healthcare. Physician and nursing leadership pools are structurally short, and credentialing adds weeks to any timeline. Roles like chief nursing officer or medical director reward the mapped, passive-candidate approach of retained search. Contingent works well for clinic management and revenue cycle roles. Financial services. Regulatory fitness, licensing, and the sensitivity of replacing a sitting executive make confidentiality the deciding factor more often than seniority. When discretion matters, exclusivity is not optional. Common mistakes employers make After years of running searches across regulated and leadership-heavy sectors, a few patterns come up again and again. Using contingent search for a critical leadership hire. A pay-on-placement model rewards speed, not coverage, so a confidential CFO or dean search handled this way often produces rushed, recycled candidates rather than the best person in the market. Engaging too many contingent firms at once. Spreading one role across several firms floods the market with your opening, creates duplicate submissions, and can quietly damage your employer brand. Treating a retained firm like a job board. The value of retained search is the process and the access to passive candidates. Skipping the profile work or going silent during the search undercuts the very thing you paid for. Letting the process stall. Whichever model you choose, slow responses and long gaps lose strong candidates. This is also worth weighing when working with third-party recruiters. Match the model to the stakes. Pay for process when the hire is senior, specialized, or confidential. Pay for outcome when the role is well-defined and the market is deep. The cheapest search is the one that produces the right hire the first time. What should you ask before engaging a search firm? Whichever model you choose, six questions before signing will tell you most of what you need to know: How is your fee calculated, on base salary or total first-year cash? The same percentage can differ by tens of thousands of dollars. What does your guarantee cover, and what voids it? Get the replacement period and exclusions in writing. Who works the search day to day? Ask to meet the actual researcher or consultant, not just the partner who sold it. What is your off-limits policy? Firms cannot recruit from their own clients, so a firm with heavy client coverage in your sector has removed those organizations from your pool. What is your completion rate on retained searches? A firm should know its number. How often will we receive progress reports, and in what form? Vague answers here predict a silent search. A firm that answers all six directly is showing you how it will communicate for the next five weeks. A firm that dodges any of them is doing the same. Retained vs contingent search: frequently asked questions Is retained or contingent search better? Neither is better in every case. Retained search is the stronger choice for senior, confidential, or hard-to-fill roles because the firm commits a dedicated team and works the role exclusively. Contingent search is well suited to mid-level or well-defined roles where speed and a pay-on-placement structure matter more than depth of process. How much does retained search cost? Retained search fees typically run from 25 to 35 percent of the hired candidate's first-year compensation. The fee is usually paid in stages, often a third at engagement, a third when a shortlist is delivered, and a third on placement. Do I pay anything if a contingent search does not result in a hire? No. In a contingent search you pay only if and when one of the firm's candidates is hired. If no placement is made, there is no fee. The trade-off is that the firm balances your role against many others, so it may not receive dedicated attention. What is container or engaged search? Container search, sometimes called engaged search, is a hybrid model. The employer pays a smaller upfront fee to secure commitment and exclusivity, with the balance due on placement. It sits between the full investment of retained search and the pay-on-success structure of contingent search. Can I use multiple firms for the same role? You can in a contingent search, since it is usually non-exclusive. Retained search is exclusive by design, with one firm responsible for the entire process. Spreading a single role across many contingent firms can flood the market with your opening and weaken your employer brand. If you are unsure which fits your role, our team is happy to talk it through. Is the search fee calculated on base salary or total compensation? It varies by firm, and it matters. Some firms calculate their percentage on base salary only, others on total first-year cash including signing and performance bonuses. On an executive package, the difference can exceed $20,000 at the same quoted percentage. Confirm the calculation basis in the engagement agreement before signing. What does a replacement guarantee cover? A replacement guarantee commits the firm to re-run the search at no additional retainer if the placed candidate leaves within a set period, commonly six to twelve months, for reasons within the scope of the original search. Exclusions typically include layoffs, restructuring, or material changes to the role. Ask for the period and the exclusions in writing. Not sure which search model fits your role? Excelon Associates runs retained, container, and contingent searches across higher education, healthcare, and financial services. Because we work all three models, our advice is not tied to selling one of them. Tell us about the role and we will recommend the approach that gives you the best hire for the stakes involved. Not sure which search model fits your role? Excelon Associates runs retained, container, and contingent searches across higher education, healthcare, and financial services. Tell us about the role and we will recommend the right approach. Start a Search Contact Our Team From the blog More from Excelon Associates Loading latest posts… --- ## How to Hire an Executive Search Firm Source: https://excelonassociates.com/how-to-hire-an-executive-search-firm-excelon-associates/ Executive Search · Employer Resources How to Hire an Executive Search Firm: 10 Questions Employers Ask By Excelon Associates Updated June 8, 2026 7 min read On this page Retained search basics Working with Excelon The search process Is your organization ready? If you are considering a retained executive search firm for the first time, or weighing whether your current approach is working, these are the questions employers ask us most. We have answered each one directly, so you can make an informed decision before any conversation with us or anyone else. The themes below group the ten questions by what they help you decide: how retained search works, what it is like to work with Excelon, what the process looks like, and how to tell whether your organization is ready. The short version Retained search is engaged exclusively and paid in installments, which aligns the firm with finding the right hire rather than the fastest one. Most Excelon searches reach a qualified finalist slate in 3 to 5 weeks, with senior roles running longer. Fees typically run 25% to 30% of first-year compensation, billed in three milestone payments. See our executive search fees guide for the full breakdown. Every retained search carries a replacement guarantee. If a vacancy is senior, hard to fill, or sensitive, a retained engagement is worth a conversation. Retained search basics What is the difference between a retained executive search firm and a contingency recruiter? A contingency recruiter is paid only if they place a candidate. That sounds appealing, but it creates a misaligned incentive to move fast and submit volume rather than find the right fit. Multiple contingency firms may work the same search at once, so candidates get contacted by several recruiters for one role, which signals to the market that an organization is struggling to hire. To evaluate any firm against real data, compare their answers with our 2026 executive search benchmarks for fees, slate sizes, and time to hire. A retained firm is engaged exclusively and paid in structured installments. That commitment goes both ways. The firm dedicates focused resources, conducts deep market mapping, and approaches passive candidates who are not actively looking. For senior and specialized roles where the wrong hire carries real institutional risk, retained search is the standard. Factor Retained search Contingency recruiter Payment Engaged exclusively, paid in installments Paid only if a candidate is placed Core incentive Find the right fit Move fast and submit volume Exclusivity One firm, dedicated resources Often several firms on one role Candidate reach Approaches passive candidates Works mostly active job seekers Market signal Discreet and controlled Repeated outreach can look like a struggling search Best fit Senior and specialized roles High-volume, lower-risk roles How long does a retained executive search typically take? Most Excelon Associates searches deliver a qualified finalist slate within 3 to 5 weeks of kickoff. Director and manager roles tend to close on the shorter end. Vice president, dean, and C-suite searches typically run longer due to the smaller candidate pool and more involved evaluation. Searches stretch when committee feedback is slow, when position requirements shift mid-search, or when counteroffers appear at the finish line. The single biggest accelerator is a client who is responsive, decisive, and aligned internally before the search begins. What does a retained executive search firm charge? Retained fees are typically a percentage of the placed candidate's first-year compensation. Excelon Associates charges 25% to 30% for retained search, billed in three milestone payments: at search start, when the first slate is presented and interviewed, and at hire. Fees are transparent and agreed before any engagement is signed. At Excelon Associates, we structure engagements to reflect the scope and complexity of the role, and we are transparent about fees before any agreement is signed. Do executive search firms guarantee their placements? Yes. Excelon Associates provides a replacement guarantee on all retained searches. If a placed candidate leaves or is terminated within the guarantee period for reasons within the scope of the original search, we re-engage the search at no additional retainer cost. The specifics of the guarantee period are outlined in the search agreement and vary by role level and engagement type. Our goal is a placement that holds, and our track record reflects that. Working with Excelon Associates What types of roles does Excelon Associates recruit for? We recruit across the full organizational chart within our core sectors. In higher education that includes presidents, provosts, deans, vice presidents, directors of admissions, financial aid, student affairs, marketing, and academic department chairs. In healthcare we place clinical leaders, department directors, compliance officers, and administrative executives. In financial services we recruit for private equity, venture capital, investment banking, and wealth management firms. In government we support federal, state, and local agencies under our GSA Human Capital MAS Schedule. We also handle international searches, with active placements across the UK, Egypt, India, and beyond. Do you only work with employers in Asheville and Western North Carolina? No. Excelon Associates is headquartered in Asheville, NC, with additional offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL, but the majority of our work is national and international. We have placed candidates at organizations across the United States, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and South Asia. Our Asheville base gives us strong roots in the WNC market, but our reach and candidate network operate without geographic limits. If you are based in Asheville and need a local partner with national capability, that is exactly what we offer. How is Excelon Associates different from a general staffing agency? General staffing agencies are built for volume. They fill roles quickly across a wide range of industries using largely the same process for every hire. Excelon Associates is a niche firm. We work exclusively within higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government, and we have done so since 2007. That means our candidate networks, sector knowledge, and client relationships are deep rather than broad. We are not sourcing from the same active job-seeker pool as a general agency. We are identifying and approaching people who are performing well in their current roles and may not be looking at all. The search process What should an employer expect during the search process? The process begins with a detailed position profile session, where we learn the role, the organization, the culture, and the leadership context. From there the search runs through a clear sequence: Market mapping and direct outreach to a targeted candidate pool A shortlist of screened, qualified candidates with written profiles and our assessment of each Interview coordination and ongoing candidate communication Support through offer negotiation and acceptance Continued engagement through the start date, with a dedicated point of contact and regular progress updates Throughout the search you have a single point of contact and a steady cadence of updates, so you are never left wondering where things stand. Can Excelon Associates handle confidential or replacement searches? Yes, and we do so regularly. Confidential searches require a different approach from the start. We conduct outreach without disclosing the client organization until a candidate has been screened and has expressed genuine interest, and position materials are worded to describe the opportunity without identifying the institution. We have managed replacement searches for sitting executives, sensitive leadership transitions, and situations where internal candidates are considered alongside external ones. Discretion is not an add-on for us. It is a baseline expectation on every engagement. Is your organization ready to engage a search firm? How do I know if my organization is ready? A few indicators stand out. If any of the following apply, a retained engagement is worth a conversation: You have a senior or specialized vacancy where the wrong hire would have real consequences. You have tried to fill the role internally or through a job posting and have not found the right candidate. The position requires someone who is likely not actively looking. You need to move with discretion because the vacancy is not yet public. You do not have the internal bandwidth to run a rigorous national search while managing everything else. We offer a no-obligation consultation to help you determine whether and how we can help. Ready to start a search? Excelon Associates has been placing leaders in higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government since 2007. Based in Asheville, NC, serving clients nationally and internationally. Start a Search Contact Us From the blog More from Excelon Associates Loading latest posts… --- ## Executive Search Process in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide for Hiring Leaders Source: https://excelonassociates.com/executive-search-process-2026-step-by-step-guide/ Executive Search · 2026 Guide The Executive Search Process in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide By Excelon Associates Updated June 8, 2026 9 min read On this page What it means in 2026 Search vs recruitment 1. Define the need 2. Search strategy 3. Source and engage 4. Assess and shortlist 5. Interviews 6. References 7. Offer and negotiation 8. Onboarding Costs and fees Deliverables Choosing a firm What you provide FAQ Start a search The executive search process has always required precision. In 2026 it requires something more: the ability to move with urgency while keeping the rigor that separates a placement that holds from one that does not. This guide walks through each step of the executive search process as Excelon Associates practices it, from the first engagement through a candidate's first 90 days on the job. The short version Executive search targets senior leaders who are performing well and not actively looking. Retained search aligns the firm with a single outcome, which produces a different quality of result than contingency. A clear success profile at the start is the most consequential step in the entire process. A typical Excelon search runs about three to five weeks, well under the industry's usual 60 to 90 days, and ends with a tightly vetted shortlist rather than a long list. The work continues through onboarding, because most first-year departures trace back to integration failures. What the executive search process means in 2026 Executive search has always been distinct from general recruitment. It targets people who are not actively looking, senior leaders who are performing well and have no reason to browse job boards. Reaching them takes direct outreach, a compelling opportunity, and a trusted intermediary who can make the approach with discretion. To see how these timelines compare with traditional industry norms, review our executive search timeline benchmarks from 88 searches. What has changed in 2026 is the operating environment. The talent market is more competitive, candidate expectations have risen, and the cost of a failed executive hire, in both financial and institutional terms, is better understood than ever. SHRM's guidance on hiring and ACE research on senior leadership searches point to the same conclusion: a disciplined executive search process consistently outperforms an ad hoc one. Organizations are more deliberate, timelines are tighter, and the pressure to get it right the first time is higher. Retained search answers that pressure: the firm is engaged exclusively, paid in structured installments, and committed to a single outcome. For a full comparison of the two models, including fees and when each fits, see retained vs contingent search. Contingency is a race for speed. Retained search is a race for precision. Organizations that conflate the two pay for it in turnover, disruption, and lost time. Speed is part of the discipline. A traditional retained search across the industry often runs 60 to 90 days, but a focused Excelon executive search process typically reaches an accepted offer in about three to five weeks. The phases below show how that compressed timeline unfolds: Phase Typical timeline Intake and position profileDays 1 to 3 Market mapping and outreachWeek 1 Assessment and shortlistWeeks 2 to 3 Interviews, offer, and closeWeeks 4 to 5 Why the timeline is shorter A typical search does not take 90 days. Because our networks in each sector are already built and continuously maintained, we move from intake to a vetted shortlist in days rather than weeks. Most Excelon searches reach an accepted offer in roughly three to five weeks, with client responsiveness the single biggest factor in staying on the faster end of that range. The executive search process steps at a glance The executive search process runs through eight steps, from scoping the role to integrating the hire: Define the business need and success profile Build the search strategy and target market Source, approach, and engage candidates Assess and narrow the shortlist Client presentation and interview process References and due diligence Offer management and negotiation Onboarding and 90-day integration Each step is broken down in detail below, including what the search firm owns, what the client owns, and where searches most often stall. How is executive search different from traditional recruitment? Executive search and traditional recruitment solve different problems. Recruitment fills open roles from the pool of people actively looking. Executive search identifies the strongest people in the market for a specific leadership role, whether they are looking or not, and persuades the right one to consider it. FactorExecutive searchTraditional recruitment Candidate poolPassive leaders identified through researchActive applicants and job board responses ApproachDirect, personalized outreach to named individualsJob postings and inbound applications AssessmentStructured interviews, references, written profilesResume screen and standard interviews EngagementExclusive, dedicated team on one searchOften non-exclusive, many roles at once Fee modelRetained, paid in stages for the processContingent, paid only on placement Best forExecutive, confidential, and hard-to-fill rolesMid-level and higher-volume hiring For a full breakdown of how the fee models compare, see our guide to retained vs contingent search. 1.Define the business need and success profile This is the most consequential step in the process, and the one most often rushed. A vague brief at the start produces a flawed search at every stage that follows. Before a single candidate is approached, the search team needs absolute clarity on what the role actually requires. That means going beyond a job description to understand why the position is open, what the first 90 days need to look like, what success looks like at 12 months, the team dynamic, the cultural demands, and where the organization is going. The position profile captures both the tangible responsibilities and the intangible dimensions of fit, built around questions like these: Why is this position open: growth, replacement, or restructure? What does the first 90-day win look like? What are the non-negotiable requirements versus preferred experience? What is the compensation range, and is it competitive in this market? What are the cultural and leadership-style requirements? Are there internal candidates to consider alongside external ones? The answers shape every decision downstream. If the brief changes mid-search, and it sometimes does, the search resets accordingly. We treat intake as a diagnostic, not an order-taking session. 2.Build the search strategy and target market Once the success profile is set, the strategy is built around it. That includes defining the target market, which organizations, geographies, and career tracks are most likely to produce the right candidate, and determining the outreach approach. In higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government, we are not starting from scratch. Our networks in these sectors are deep and continuously maintained, so we know which institutions are developing strong leadership pipelines, which leaders are underutilized, and where talent is most likely to be receptive to a well-positioned opportunity. The target long list typically covers 50 to 80 individuals. Too broad and the search loses focus. Too narrow and the work has not been done. From there the list is filtered against the success profile to produce an initial group of high-priority candidates for direct outreach. 3.Source, approach, and engage candidates This is where the executive search process earns its fee. We are not posting a job and waiting. We are identifying specific individuals and making a direct, personalized approach, often to people who had no intention of moving. The outreach is crafted to be compelling without being premature. We describe the opportunity in enough detail to generate interest without exposing the client's identity until the candidate is qualified and genuinely engaged. Confidentiality holds at every point. In 2026, the best candidates field multiple approaches from multiple firms, and what determines whether they take the call is the quality of the relationship, the credibility of the firm, and the strength of the opportunity. A poorly managed approach early poisons the well for everything that follows. The best candidates are not on job boards. They are in their offices, doing good work, not looking. Reaching them takes a direct approach from someone they trust, with an opportunity worth considering. 4.Assess and narrow the shortlist Every candidate who expresses interest goes through a structured assessment before being presented to the client. This involves in-depth interviews covering career history, leadership philosophy, sector knowledge, and situational judgment, and it weighs not just competency but cultural fit, communication style, and realistic appetite for the opportunity. Structured, competency-based evaluation also keeps the process fair and defensible, consistent with EEOC guidance on selection procedures. The shortlist we present is typically three to five candidates, not twenty. We are not in the business of volume. Each step of the assessment is deliberate: Structured competency-based interview against the success profile Assessment of leadership style and cultural fit Evaluation of realistic motivation and commitment to the opportunity Written candidate profile with our qualitative assessment Salary expectation verification against the client's range 5.Client presentation and interview process We present the shortlist with written profiles and a briefing call to walk through our assessment of each candidate. The client decides which candidates to advance to formal interviews, and we manage scheduling, logistics, and candidate communication throughout. Interview design matters. We work with clients to structure a process that evaluates candidates across the dimensions relevant to the specific role rather than a generic panel format. For senior roles, that often includes meetings with multiple stakeholders, a leadership presentation, and a campus or site visit. We stay close to candidates throughout, gather feedback promptly, share it appropriately, and keep momentum. A search that loses momentum loses candidates. Time kills deals, and the most qualified person in your process has other options. 6.References and due diligence Reference checks in executive search are substantive conversations, not formalities. We speak with former supervisors, peers, and direct reports, not just the names a candidate provides. The goal is to surface any meaningful gap between how a candidate presents and how they are experienced by the people who have worked alongside them. We listen for patterns. A single point of friction tells you little. Consistent themes across multiple references tell you a great deal. Our reference reports are written and provided to the client as part of the due diligence package before any offer is extended. For roles in regulated industries or institutions with heightened reputational risk, we also coordinate background verification, credential confirmation, and, where appropriate, additional third-party assessments. 7.Offer management and negotiation We facilitate the offer process as a buffer between client and candidate. This is structural, not incidental. Having a search consultant manage the negotiation protects the relationship between both parties at the moment it is most fragile, since a poorly handled offer conversation can undo months of work. We advise clients on offer structure before anything is extended, and we verify the candidate's expectations in real time so that the first offer is a serious one rather than a test. The offer stage runs on a clear set of moves: Pre-offer candidate expectation verification Market compensation benchmarking for the role and geography Structured offer presentation with the search consultant as intermediary Counter-offer counseling and candidate retention through acceptance Start date and transition planning support 8.Onboarding and 90-day integration A search is not complete when an offer is accepted. It is complete when a leader is integrated, effective, and committed to staying. We remain engaged through the start date and into the first 90 days, checking in with both client and candidate to identify and address anything that could disrupt the transition. Most executive departures in the first year trace back to onboarding failures: unclear expectations, insufficient organizational context, or a disconnect between what was described during the search and what the leader actually encountered. We work to prevent those gaps by keeping the lines of communication open after the placement. Our placement guarantee reflects that commitment. If a placed candidate leaves within the guarantee period for reasons within the scope of the original search, we re-engage at no additional retainer cost. The placement is the beginning, not the end. What happens in the first 90 days determines whether the search was a success or just a transaction. How much does the executive search process cost? Retained executive search typically costs 25 to 35 percent of the hired candidate's first-year cash compensation, paid in three installments: one at engagement, one when the shortlist is delivered, and one at placement. On a role paying $180,000, that puts the total fee between $45,000 and $63,000. The fee covers the full process described above: the position profile, market mapping, direct outreach, structured assessment, written candidate profiles, reference reports, offer support, and engagement through the first 90 days. Most retained engagements, including ours, also carry a replacement guarantee: if the placed candidate leaves within the guarantee period for reasons within the scope of the original search, the firm re-engages at no additional retainer cost. Several factors move the fee within that range: Seniority and compensation of the role. The fee is a percentage, so a provost search costs more in absolute terms than a director search. Scarcity of the talent pool. A chief nursing officer in a rural market or a specialized compliance leader requires deeper mapping than a role with a broad pool. Confidentiality requirements. Replacing a sitting executive quietly adds process constraints that extend the work. How the percentage is calculated. Some firms calculate against base salary only, others against total first-year cash including bonus. Always ask which. The same quoted percentage can differ by tens of thousands of dollars depending on the answer. Weigh the fee against the cost of getting the hire wrong. SHRM puts the cost of a failed executive hire above 200 percent of the role's annual salary once severance, lost productivity, and the repeat search are counted. On that $180,000 role, a failed hire costs more than $360,000. The search fee is the smallest number in the equation. What deliverables should you expect from a retained search? A retained engagement should produce tangible work product at every stage, not just a candidate at the end. Before you engage any firm, confirm you will receive: A written position profile documenting the role, success measures, and cultural requirements, approved by you before outreach begins A market summary showing which organizations and career tracks were mapped and how many people were approached Progress reporting on a fixed cadence, weekly in our practice, covering pipeline status and market feedback Written candidate profiles for every shortlisted person, with the firm's qualitative assessment, not just a resume Written reference reports from supervisors, peers, and direct reports before any offer is extended Compensation benchmarking for the role and geography ahead of the offer stage Offer and transition support through acceptance, resignation, and start date Post-placement check-ins through the first 90 days, backed by a replacement guarantee in writing If a firm cannot describe its deliverables this concretely, that tells you how the search will run. How do you choose an executive search firm? Sector depth matters more than brand size. A firm that placed six deans last year will outperform a generalist brand on your dean search. When evaluating firms, ask these questions: What placements have you completed in our sector in the past 18 months? Ask for specifics, not logos. Who will actually work our search day to day? At many large firms, the partner who pitched disappears after signing and junior researchers run the search. What is your off-limits policy? Search firms cannot recruit candidates out of their own current clients. A large firm with hundreds of clients in your sector has quietly removed those organizations from your candidate pool. A focused firm's off-limits list is smaller, which means your search covers more of the market. Few clients think to ask this, and it materially changes who you will see. What is your guarantee, and what voids it? Get the replacement terms in writing, including the period and the exclusions. What is your search completion rate? Industry-wide, a meaningful share of retained searches never close. A firm should know its number and be willing to share it. What does your search firm need from you? Client responsiveness is the single biggest factor in whether a search runs three weeks or three months. The searches that close fastest share the same client-side habits: One empowered point of contact who can make scheduling decisions Interview availability blocked on stakeholder calendars before the shortlist arrives Candidate feedback within 48 hours of every interview An honest, market-tested compensation range at intake, not at offer stage Transparency about internal candidates from day one Access to the real decision makers during the intake diagnostic Every one of these is within your control, and together they compress the timeline more than anything the firm does alone. Executive search process: frequently asked questions What is the executive search process? It is a structured, retained approach to hiring senior leaders, running from role intake and success profile through market mapping, direct sourcing of passive candidates, structured assessment, client interviews, references and due diligence, offer negotiation, and 90-day onboarding. The firm is engaged exclusively and committed to a single outcome. How long does an executive search take? A typical Excelon search runs about three to five weeks from intake to accepted offer, notably faster than the 60-to-90-day timeline common across the industry. Intake and the success profile take the first few days, market mapping and outreach the first week, assessment and shortlist weeks two to three, and interviews, offer, and close weeks four to five. Client responsiveness is the biggest factor in staying on the faster end. What is the first step in an executive search? Defining the business need and success profile. Before any candidate is approached, the team needs clarity on why the position is open, what the first 90 days and 12-month success look like, the non-negotiable versus preferred requirements, a competitive compensation range, and the cultural and leadership-style requirements. A vague brief produces a flawed search at every later stage. How many candidates make the shortlist? Usually three to five thoroughly vetted candidates, not twenty. Retained search prioritizes precision over volume, so every person presented has been through a structured competency assessment, cultural fit review, motivation check, and salary verification, with a written profile and qualitative assessment. What happens after the offer is accepted? The search continues into onboarding and 90-day integration. Most first-year executive departures trace back to onboarding failures, so the firm stays engaged with both client and candidate through the start date and first 90 days. A placement guarantee backs the search if a placed candidate leaves within the guarantee period for reasons within the original scope. How much does an executive search firm charge? Retained executive search firms typically charge 25 to 35 percent of the hired candidate's first-year cash compensation, paid in installments across the engagement. Contingent recruiters typically charge 15 to 25 percent, due only when a candidate is hired. Always confirm whether the percentage is calculated on base salary or total first-year cash. Who pays the executive search fee, the employer or the candidate? The employer always pays the fee. Candidates never pay an executive search firm at any stage, and any firm asking a candidate for payment is not operating as a legitimate search firm. What is the difference between an executive search firm and a recruitment agency? A recruitment agency fills roles from active job seekers and is usually paid only on placement. An executive search firm is retained to run a research-driven process targeting passive senior leaders, with structured assessment, references, and support through onboarding. Search fits executive and hard-to-fill roles; agency recruitment fits mid-level, higher-volume hiring. Run your executive search process with Excelon Excelon Associates applies this executive search process to every retained engagement, from higher education and healthcare to financial services and government. The discipline is the same whether we are placing a university provost, a chief nursing officer, or a federal program leader: a clear success profile, proactive sourcing, structured assessment, and support all the way through onboarding. Ready to start a search? Excelon Associates has been placing leaders in higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government since 2007. Headquartered in Asheville, NC, serving clients nationally and internationally. Start a Search Contact Us From the blog More from Excelon Associates Loading latest posts… --- ## Higher Education Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/educational-services/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]PREVIEW: Higher Education Recruitment | Excelon Associates EDUCATION Founding Market · Est. 2007 Higher EducationRecruitment Retained executive search for colleges, universities, community colleges, and trade schools. We place presidents, provosts, deans, and program directors across the United States and worldwide. Higher education is our founding market and our deepest. Start a Search Contact Us Specialized Searches Select a specialized search Placing academic and administrative leaders since 2007 · Asheville, NC · United States, UK, EU, GCC, and MENA 2007 Founding Market 500+ Schools Engaged and counting 45+ yrs Sector Experience 5.0 ★ Google Rating President / ChancellorProvostChief Academic OfficerDean of NursingBusiness School DeanDepartment ChairNursing Program DirectorDirector of Clinical EducationDirector of AdmissionsDirector of Financial AidRegistrarEnrollment Management DirectorCampus DirectorDirector of EducationDean of AcademicsVP of Student Affairs President / ChancellorProvostChief Academic OfficerDean of NursingBusiness School DeanDepartment ChairNursing Program DirectorDirector of Clinical EducationDirector of AdmissionsDirector of Financial AidRegistrarEnrollment Management DirectorCampus DirectorDirector of EducationDean of AcademicsVP of Student Affairs The Process How a search works Read the full process guide 1 Position Profiling Week 1 2 Targeted Sourcing Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Finalist Presentation Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer & Transition Offer stage Most searches wrap inside five weeks. For Institutions Hiring a campus leader? Start a search. Tell us about your open presidency, deanship, or program directorship and we will scope a retained search, usually with finalists in three to five weeks. Start a search For Candidates Looking for a role in higher education? Browse current academic and administrative openings, or submit your resume to be considered for confidential searches as they open. View open roles Overview Roles We Place Specialized Searches The Model Institutions Where We Recruit Disciplines Why Excelon FAQ Start a Search Overview Higher Education Recruitment, Built on Two Decades of Sector Depth Excelon Associates is a higher education executive search firm founded in 2007. We provide higher education recruitment for colleges, universities, community colleges, and trade schools. We place presidents, provosts, deans, department chairs, nursing program directors, founding faculty, and senior administrators at public and private institutions across the United States and worldwide. We also build inaugural leadership and faculty teams for newly established and emerging universities, including international branch and transnational campuses across the GCC, MENA, Asia, and Europe. Higher education is our founding and deepest market. We hold one of the largest candidate networks in the industry and have engaged more than 500 schools since 2007. Recruitment in higher education is unlike any other sector. Search committees, shared governance, accreditation timelines, and academic culture all shape who can succeed in a role. They also shape how a search must be run. We built this firm inside that world, and it is where our relationships and candidate networks run deepest. Whether you are hiring a president, a dean of nursing, or a director of admissions, every search follows the same retained discipline and a real understanding of how institutions hire. Presidents Provosts Deans Nursing Directors Registrars Founding Faculty GCC MENA Asia EU Asheville one market, placed worldwide 500+ schools since 2007 Roles We Place Which Higher Education Roles Do We Recruit For? We recruit at every level of institutional leadership: governing-board and cabinet roles, senior academic leaders, program and clinical directors, the administrators who run admissions and enrollment, and campus and career-school executives. Select an area to see representative titles. Executive & C-Suite Deans & Chairs Nursing & Allied Health Admissions & Enrollment Campus & Trade Schools Board & Cabinet Level Executive and C-Suite Search We place senior institutional leaders at public and private universities, community colleges, and career schools. Our executive searches are confidential, thorough, and built around what boards and search committees actually need from a president or provost. President / ChancellorProvost / Chief Academic OfficerAcademic Vice PresidentAdministrative Vice PresidentVice President of Student AffairsChief Operating Officer Start an Executive Search All Disciplines Deans and Department Chairs We place deans across every academic discipline, including health sciences, nursing, business, education, engineering, liberal arts, law, and fine arts. Department chair searches cover both tenure-track academic appointments and administrative leadership with faculty development responsibilities. Dean (All Disciplines)Dean of NursingBusiness School DeanHealth Sciences DeanDepartment ChairProgram Director View Sample Job Descriptions CCNE & ACEN Accredited Nursing and Allied Health Program Leadership Our healthcare education practice is staffed by former nurses who now recruit full time. They screen candidates with clinical context most firms cannot match. We place program leadership across nursing and allied health. Nursing Program DirectorDirector of Clinical EducationDirector of SimulationPhysical Therapy ChairPhysician Assistant Program DirectorClinical Placement Manager Start a Program Director Search Operational Leadership Admissions, Enrollment, and Administration We place the administrative leaders who keep institutions running, drawn from both traditional four-year universities and non-traditional education environments. Director of AdmissionsDirector of Financial AidRegistrarEnrollment Management DirectorDirector of Student AffairsHR & Compliance Director Submit a Position Career & Proprietary Campus and Trade School Leadership We recruit for skilled-trade schools, proprietary education organizations, career colleges, and vocational programs, placing campus directors and senior leadership across the United States. Campus DirectorAssociate Campus DirectorExecutive DirectorDirector of Career ServicesEdTech & OPM LeadershipDirector of Education View Open Roles Recent role profiles from our library include the Dean of Academics and the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, two examples of the academic leadership mandates we support. Specialized Searches Start a Specialized Higher Education Search Each leadership search we run has its own dedicated page covering the process, the candidate profile, and what to expect. Open the search you plan to begin. Eight specialized searches. Pick yours. Academic & Campus LeadershipEnrollment, Admissions & Records President Provost Dean Exec Dean Intl Campus Admissions Enrollment Registrar Academic & Campus Leadership University President Search Confidential presidential and chancellor searches for public and private institutions. Open this search ■ Academic & Campus Leadership University President SearchConfidential presidential and chancellor searches. Provost SearchChief academic officers who lead the academic enterprise. Dean SearchCollege and school deans across every discipline. Executive Dean SearchSenior deans leading multiple schools or health science units. International Campus SearchBranch campus leaders across the GCC, MENA, Asia, and Europe. ■ Enrollment, Admissions & Records Director of Admissions SearchAdmissions leaders who drive recruitment and yield. Enrollment Management SearchVP-level leaders who own strategy and net tuition revenue. Registrar SearchRegistrars who lead academic records, registration, and compliance. The Model What Is Higher Education Executive Search? Definition Higher education executive search is a retained recruitment model. A college, university, or trade school engages a specialist firm on an exclusive basis to identify, vet, and place senior academic and administrative leaders. The firm reaches out directly to qualified candidates, including strong performers who are not actively applying. It then manages the full process, from position profiling through offer and transition. Most Excelon Associates engagements follow the retained model because it is the standard for presidential, provostial, deanship, and program-director searches. While we prefer retained search for the depth and commitment it brings, we are flexible and will discuss contingency arrangements for the right opportunity. For a full breakdown of how engagements are priced, see our guide to executive search fees. the whole market passive candidates too profile source vet engaged exclusively 3 to 5 finalists offer & transition Institutions Which Institutions Do We Serve? Higher education recruitment at Excelon Associates spans the full range of post-secondary and education organizations. Colleges and UniversitiesCommunity CollegesVocational and Technical SchoolsSkilled-Trade SchoolsProprietary and For-Profit EducationCharter Schools and K-12Online and Distance LearningEducational Technology (EdTech)E-Learning OrganizationsNonprofit Institutions United States and Worldwide Higher Education Leaders, Placed Across the Globe We place academic and administrative leaders nationwide in the United States and across international markets. The four regions below show where, and each links to its dedicated practice page. United States All 50 states, from R1 universities to community and career colleges. See US campaigns UK, Ireland & the EU Universities, colleges, and post-92 institutions across Europe. UK & Europe practice GCC & the Wider MENA Region Gulf flagship universities and international branch campuses. Gulf & GCC practiceMENA practice Asia Pacific & South Asia Regional universities and transnational branch campuses. South Asia & India practice Disciplines Which Academic Disciplines Do We Recruit Across? Our higher education practice covers faculty and administrative recruitment across a comprehensive range of academic fields. If a campus teaches it, we recruit for it. Our former nurses live here. Health Sciences Nursing & Allied Health NursingPhysical TherapyPhysician Assistant StudiesDental HygieneRespiratory TherapyOccupational TherapyPublic HealthHealthcare Administration Business & Finance Business Schools Business AdministrationAccounting & FinanceMarketingEntrepreneurshipHuman ResourcesInternational BusinessInformation SystemsHospitality Management Education & Social Sciences Education Programs Teacher EducationEducational LeadershipCurriculum & InstructionCounselor EducationEducational PsychologySpecial EducationAdult & Distance EducationInstructional Technology Engineering & Technology STEM Programs Mechanical EngineeringCivil & EnvironmentalElectrical EngineeringComputer EngineeringComputer ScienceData ScienceInformation Technology Trade programs are booming. Technical & Career Skilled Trades & Vocational Automotive TechnologyConstruction & Building TradesCulinary ArtsCosmetologyFire ScienceMedical AssistingSurgical Technology Liberal Arts & Humanities Arts & Sciences English & LiteratureHistory & Political SciencePsychology & SociologySocial WorkCriminal JusticeForeign LanguagesPhilosophy & Religious Studies Why Excelon What Sets Our Higher Education Practice Apart? Former nurses do the screening. Sector Depth Our Original and Deepest Market Higher education is not a secondary practice for us. It is where Excelon Associates was founded and where our relationships, knowledge, and candidate networks run deepest. We understand academic culture, shared governance, accreditation pressures, and the hiring timelines institutions actually work with. Clinical Credibility Former Nurses on Our Team Our healthcare education practice is staffed by former nurses who are now full-time recruiters. That credibility matters when evaluating candidates for CCNE and ACEN-accredited nursing and allied health programs. Candidate Access Passive Candidates First The best higher education leaders are rarely applying to job boards. We identify and approach high performers in their current roles. That reaches candidates the institution's own postings will never surface, at home and abroad. Reach and Visibility Every Search Fully Indexed We proactively market every search online and ensure full Google indexing of active campaigns at no extra cost. Our positioning extends candidate reach well beyond the pools available to institutions posting on their own. Accreditation Accreditation Fluency Across the Sector We understand how accreditation cycles shape faculty and leadership searches. We know the regional accreditors that oversee America's colleges and universities, and the programmatic standards behind business, engineering, nursing, teacher education, counseling, dental, respiratory, occupational therapy, social work, and clinical programs. On the career and proprietary side, we work with programs accredited by ACCSC, ABHES, ACCET, COE, and DEAC every week. That fluency lets us judge candidates against the standards a hiring committee will actually scrutinize. NECHEMSCHEHigher Learning CommissionSACSCOCWSCUCAACSBABETCCNEACENCSWECAPTEARC-PANWCCUACCJCACBSPCAEPCACREPCODACoARCACOTEACCSCABHESACCETCOEDEAC Live Campaigns See our latest higher education searches Every search we run is fully indexed on Google and promoted across our network at no extra cost to clients. Each card below opens the live LinkedIn campaign it represents. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Clients and Candidates Report? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from higher education clients and candidates across colleges, universities, and trade schools. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews Questions Higher Education Recruitment Questions Answered What types of higher education institutions does Excelon Associates recruit for? Excelon Associates recruits for public and private universities, community colleges, vocational and technical schools, online learning platforms, proprietary schools, K-12 organizations, charter schools, and educational technology companies. Higher education is our original and deepest service market. What higher education roles does Excelon Associates place? We place presidents, chancellors, provosts, academic and administrative vice presidents, deans, department chairs, directors of admissions and financial aid, registrars, HR and compliance directors, and a wide range of senior administrative and faculty leadership roles across higher education. Does Excelon Associates recruit internationally? Yes. While headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, Excelon Associates recruits nationwide in the United States and across international markets, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman), the wider Middle East and North Africa, and Asia Pacific. We routinely run cross-border searches and place leaders at universities, colleges, and international branch campuses. Does Excelon Associates recruit for nursing and allied health programs? Yes. We have deep expertise placing nursing program directors, directors of clinical education, simulation directors, and department chairs in physical therapy, physician assistant studies, dental hygiene, and respiratory therapy at CCNE and ACEN accredited programs. Our team includes former nurses who are now full-time recruiters. How long has Excelon Associates been placing higher education leaders? Higher education was Excelon Associates' founding service market in 2007. With more than 45 years of combined sector experience, our team has built deep institutional relationships and a candidate network among the largest in the industry. Does Excelon Associates recruit for trade and career schools? Yes. We recruit for skilled-trade schools, proprietary education organizations, career colleges, and vocational programs, placing campus directors, associate campus directors, directors of admissions, and other senior leadership across the United States. Ready to Hire a Higher Education Leader? Excelon Associates places presidents, deans, nursing program directors, and senior administrators at colleges, universities, and trade schools across the United States and worldwide. Higher education is our founding market. We have run retained searches since 2007. Start a Search All Service Markets Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Healthcare Services Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/healthcare-services/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]PREVIEW: Healthcare & Nursing Recruitment | Excelon Associates HEALTHCARE Healthcare Practice · Est. 2007 HealthcareRecruitment Excelon Associates recruits across the full breadth of healthcare, from C-suite and physician leadership to nurses, CRNAs, and allied health professionals. We serve hospitals, health systems, and the colleges and schools that train the next clinical workforce, and we back hospitals with travel nurse and locum coverage. Start a Search Contact Us Travel & Locum Coverage Need coverage fast? Serving hospitals, health systems, and academic health programs nationwide · Founded 2007 · Asheville, NC 2007 Founded 50 States Served coast to coast 45+ yrs Sector Experience 5.0 ★ Google Rating Chief Nursing OfficerChief Medical OfficerCRNANurse PractitionerPhysician AssistantDirector of NursingNurse ManagerHospitalistMedical DirectorNurse EducatorPharmacy DirectorImaging DirectorRespiratory TherapistDean of NursingNursing Program DirectorSimulation Director Chief Nursing OfficerChief Medical OfficerCRNANurse PractitionerPhysician AssistantDirector of NursingNurse ManagerHospitalistMedical DirectorNurse EducatorPharmacy DirectorImaging DirectorRespiratory TherapistDean of NursingNursing Program DirectorSimulation Director The Process How a search works Read the full process guide 1 Role Profiling Week 1 2 Targeted Sourcing Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Finalist Presentation Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer & Onboarding Offer stage Most searches wrap inside five weeks. For Employers Hiring clinical or executive leadership? Tell us about your open role, whether a chief nursing officer, a hospitalist, or a nursing program dean, and we will scope a search built around your organization. Start a search For Candidates Looking for a healthcare role? Browse current clinical, executive, and allied health openings, or submit your resume to be considered for confidential searches as they open. View open roles Overview Roles We Place Who We Serve Travel & Locums Specialties Why Excelon Credentialing FAQ Start a Search Overview Healthcare Recruitment, From the C-Suite to the Bedside Excelon Associates is a healthcare executive search and recruitment firm founded in 2007. We recruit high-level healthcare talent across the board, from hospital and health-system executives to physicians, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse leaders, and allied health professionals. We partner with hospitals, health systems, private practices, and the colleges and schools that educate clinicians, and we support hospitals with travel nurse and locum tenens staffing. Our recruiters include former clinicians, and every placement runs through the same vetting discipline. Healthcare hiring carries stakes that few other sectors do. A vacant chief nursing officer seat, an unfilled anesthesia rotation, or a nursing program without a director can affect patient care, accreditation, and revenue at the same time. We built our healthcare practice to move quickly without cutting corners, whether you are a hospital filling a clinical leadership gap or a college of nursing recruiting its next dean. H CNOs & Executives Physicians Nurse Leaders CRNAs & APPs Allied Health Faculty & Deans coast to coast since 2007 H campus care we recruit both ends of the pipeline Roles We Place Which Healthcare Roles Do We Recruit For? We recruit at every level of the care continuum: executive and C-suite leadership, physicians and advanced practice clinicians, nursing leadership, allied health and diagnostics, and the academic faculty who train them. Select an area to see representative titles. Executive & C-Suite Physicians & Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership Allied Health & Diagnostics Academic Healthcare System & Hospital Level Executive and C-Suite Leadership We place senior healthcare executives at hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers. These searches are confidential and built around the clinical, financial, and regulatory realities your leadership team operates in every day. Chief Executive OfficerChief Nursing Officer (CNO)Chief Medical Officer (CMO)Chief Financial OfficerChief Operating OfficerVP of Clinical Services Start an Executive Search Clinical Providers Physicians and Advanced Practice We recruit physicians across specialties along with the advanced practice clinicians who extend their reach. That includes certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, for both permanent placements and hard-to-fill coverage. Physicians (All Specialties)HospitalistsCertified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)Nurse Practitioner (NP)Physician Assistant (PA)Medical Director Submit a Position Patient Care Leadership Nursing Leadership Nursing leadership sets the tone for patient care and staff retention. We place the directors, managers, and educators who run nursing operations and keep units staffed, compliant, and stable. Chief Nursing OfficerDirector of Nursing (DON)Nurse ManagerClinical Nurse SpecialistNurse EducatorDirector of Clinical Services Start a Nursing Search Clinical & Ancillary Allied Health and Diagnostics Allied health and diagnostic teams keep a facility running. We recruit across imaging, laboratory, pharmacy, rehabilitation, and respiratory care, at both staff and leadership levels. Imaging & RadiologyMedical LaboratoryPharmacyPhysical & Occupational TherapyRespiratory TherapyDiagnostic Leadership View Open Roles Colleges & Schools Academic Healthcare We recruit the faculty and academic leaders who train the clinical workforce, placing deans, program directors, and clinical educators at nursing and allied health programs, including CCNE, ACEN, CAPTE, and ARC-PA accredited programs. For campus-wide searches, explore our higher education practice. Dean of Nursing / Health SciencesNursing Program DirectorDirector of Clinical EducationSimulation DirectorAllied Health Department ChairFaculty (Nursing & Allied Health) Start a Program Search Recent role profiles from our library include the Nursing Program Director and the Dean of Nursing, two examples of the clinical leadership mandates we support. Who We Serve Who Do We Partner With? Excelon Associates works across the healthcare landscape, on both sides of the field: the organizations that deliver care and the institutions that train the people who provide it. Both sides of the pipeline. Pick yours. Care DeliveryAcademic Programs Hospitals Academic Medical Skilled Nursing Practices Diagnostics Assisted Living Rehabilitation Laboratories Nursing Schools Allied Programs Care Delivery Hospitals & Health Systems Clinical and executive leadership for health systems and community hospitals, from the C-suite to the unit floor. Start a search For hospitals and health systems, that means clinical and executive leadership, hard-to-fill provider roles, and flexible staffing support when census or coverage demands it. For colleges and schools, it means the deans, program directors, and clinical educators who keep nursing and allied health programs accredited and full. Because we recruit on both sides, we understand how the talent pipeline connects, from the classroom to the unit floor. We partner with hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, skilled nursing facilities, private and group practices, diagnostic centers and clinics, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, laboratories, colleges and schools of nursing, and allied health programs. Staffing Solutions Travel Nurses and Locum Tenens Staffing Travel & Locum Coverage When a hospital needs coverage fast, a permanent search is not always the answer. Excelon works with hospitals and health systems on travel nurse and locum tenens staffing, supplying credentialed clinicians for short-term, seasonal, and interim needs. The same vetting standards we apply to retained searches apply here, so the clinician who shows up is the clinician we promised. For engagement pricing across retained search and staffing, see our guide to executive search fees. Explore Staffing Solutions the schedule open shifts credentialed and vetted same standards as retained coverage without the gap Specialties Healthcare Specialties We Cover Our reach spans the clinical, diagnostic, and administrative functions that keep healthcare organizations running and patients cared for. If it happens in a hospital, we staff it. Bedside to boardroom. Nursing & Patient Care Bedside to Leadership Medical-SurgicalCritical Care / ICUEmergencyPerioperative / ORLabor & DeliveryOncologyCase Management Physicians & Surgeons All Specialties Internal MedicineFamily MedicineHospital MedicineSurgeryAnesthesiologyEmergency MedicinePsychiatry CRNAs are a specialty of ours. Advanced Practice & Anesthesia CRNA, NP, PA CRNANurse PractitionerPhysician AssistantClinical Nurse SpecialistCertified Nurse Midwife Allied Health & Diagnostics Clinical & Ancillary Radiology & ImagingMedical LaboratoryPharmacyPhysical TherapyOccupational TherapyRespiratory TherapySpeech-Language Pathology Behavioral & Rehabilitation Whole-Person Care Behavioral HealthPsychiatric NursingSubstance Use TreatmentPhysical RehabilitationSkilled NursingLong-Term Care Administration & Operations Non-Clinical Leadership Revenue CycleQuality & ComplianceHealth InformationPractice ManagementPatient AccessFacilities & Supply Chain Why Excelon What Sets Our Healthcare Practice Apart? Former clinicians do the screening. Clinical Credibility Former Clinicians on Our Team Our healthcare desk includes former nurses who now recruit full time. They evaluate clinical candidates the way a hiring manager would, which matters when the role is a chief nursing officer, a CRNA, or a nursing program director. Candidate Access Passive Candidates First The strongest clinicians and healthcare executives are rarely scanning job boards. We identify and approach high performers in their current roles, reaching talent your own postings will never surface. Speed and Reach Coverage When You Need It From retained executive search to travel and locum coverage, we match the engagement to the urgency. Every search is marketed across our network and fully indexed on Google at no extra cost. Dual Reach Hospitals and Academia, Connected Because we recruit for both care delivery and the schools that train clinicians, we understand the full talent pipeline. Few firms can speak to a CNO and a dean of nursing with equal fluency. Credentialing Credentialing and Accreditation Fluency Healthcare hiring runs on credentials, and we speak that language. We understand Joint Commission standards, ANCC Magnet recognition, and CMS requirements on the delivery side, along with board certification and state licensure and compact considerations for clinical providers. On the academic side, we know the CCNE and ACEN standards that govern nursing programs, along with CAPTE for physical therapy and ARC-PA for physician assistant programs. That fluency lets us judge candidates against the requirements your organization will actually scrutinize. Joint CommissionANCC MagnetCMSBoard CertificationState LicensureNurse Licensure CompactCCNEACENCAPTEARC-PA JCAHO MAGNET CMS CCNE ACEN ARC-PACAPTE From the Search Desk What a Live Search Looks Like Every search we run is published, promoted across our network, and fully indexed on Google at no extra cost to clients. The cards below are recent campaigns from across our desks. Each one opens the live LinkedIn post it represents. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Clients and Candidates Report? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from healthcare clients and candidates across hospitals, practices, and academic programs. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews Questions Healthcare Recruitment Questions Answered What kind of healthcare organizations does Excelon Associates recruit for? Excelon Associates recruits for hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, private and group practices, diagnostic centers and clinics, rehabilitation centers, laboratories, and the colleges and schools that train nurses and allied health professionals. What healthcare roles does Excelon Associates place? We place healthcare leadership and clinical talent across the board, including C-suite executives such as CEOs, chief nursing officers, and chief medical officers, physicians and hospitalists, advanced practice clinicians, nurse leaders and educators, allied health and diagnostic professionals, and academic faculty and program directors. Does Excelon Associates recruit CRNAs and other advanced practice clinicians? Yes. We recruit certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse practitioners, and physician assistants for both permanent placements and hard-to-fill coverage, alongside physicians across specialties. Can Excelon help with travel nurses and locum tenens staffing? Yes. We work with hospitals and health systems on travel nurse and locum tenens staffing, supplying credentialed clinicians for short-term, seasonal, and interim needs. The same vetting standards we use for retained searches apply, and details are on our Temporary Staffing practice page. Does Excelon Associates recruit for nursing schools and healthcare colleges? Yes. We place deans of nursing and health sciences, nursing program directors, directors of clinical education, simulation directors, and faculty at CCNE and ACEN accredited programs. Our team includes former nurses who now recruit full time. How long has Excelon Associates worked in healthcare recruitment? Excelon Associates was founded in 2007 and has recruited across healthcare in the years since. With more than 25 years of combined sector experience, our team has built deep relationships across hospitals, practices, and academic health programs. Ready to Hire Healthcare Leadership or Clinical Talent? Excelon Associates recruits executives, physicians, CRNAs, nurses, and allied health professionals for hospitals, health systems, and academic health programs, and supports hospitals with travel and locum staffing. Tell us what you need and we will scope it. Start a Search All Service Markets Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Financial Services Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/financial-services/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]PREVIEW: Financial Services Recruitment | Excelon Associates FINANCE Financial Services · Est. 2007 Financial ServicesRecruitment Retained executive search for CFOs, private equity and venture capital professionals, investment bankers, quantitative traders, and blockchain engineers. Our recruiters are active investors and crypto-native practitioners, fluent in both traditional capital markets and the digital asset economy. Start a Search Contact Us Crypto-Native Team We accept crypto. Placing financial leaders across traditional and decentralized finance since 2007 · Asheville, NC · We accept payment in cryptocurrency 2007 Established Crypto Native Recruiters and we accept it PE & VC Core Focus 5.0 ★ Google Rating Chief Financial OfficerManaging DirectorGeneral PartnerPE AssociateVC PrincipalPortfolio ManagerInvestment AnalystBlockchain EngineerSmart Contract DeveloperDeFi ResearcherTokenomics LeadQuantitative TraderAlgorithmic DeveloperRisk ManagerCompliance OfficerWealth Management Advisor Chief Financial OfficerManaging DirectorGeneral PartnerPE AssociateVC PrincipalPortfolio ManagerInvestment AnalystBlockchain EngineerSmart Contract DeveloperDeFi ResearcherTokenomics LeadQuantitative TraderAlgorithmic DeveloperRisk ManagerCompliance OfficerWealth Management Advisor The Process How a search works Read the full process guide 1 Role Profiling Week 1 2 Targeted Sourcing Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Finalist Presentation Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer & Close Offer stage Most searches wrap inside five weeks. For Employers Hiring a CFO, principal, or blockchain engineer? Tell us about your open role at a fund, bank, or digital asset firm and we will scope a retained search led by recruiters who operate in your market. Start a search For Candidates Looking for a finance or Web3 role? Browse current openings across private equity, investment banking, quant, and blockchain, or submit your resume for confidential searches as they open. View open roles Overview Roles We Place Who We Serve Crypto-Native Team Specialties Why Excelon Regulatory FAQ Start a Search Overview Financial Services Recruitment, From Wall Street to Web3 Excelon Associates is a financial services executive search firm founded in 2007. We place CFOs and finance leaders, private equity and venture capital professionals, investment bankers, quantitative traders, and blockchain and DeFi engineers. Our recruiters are active investors and crypto-native practitioners, so we bring first-hand market knowledge to every search rather than borrowed familiarity. We work with firms across traditional capital markets and the digital asset economy, and we accept payment in cryptocurrency. Financial services hiring rewards people who understand the work. A strong private equity principal, quantitative trader, or smart contract engineer is not interchangeable with a generalist hire, and the people who can properly evaluate them are rare. We built this practice from inside the markets we recruit for, which is why we can move credibly between traditional finance and decentralized finance. $ CFOs & Finance PE & VC Bankers Blockchain Eng Quants Compliance crypto native since 2007 TradFi Web3 we recruit across the bridge Roles We Place Which Financial Services Roles Do We Recruit For? We recruit across the full capital markets spectrum, from C-suite finance leadership to private equity and venture capital, investment banking, quantitative trading, and blockchain and digital assets. Select an area to see representative titles. Executive & C-Suite Private Equity & VC Blockchain & Digital Assets Investment Banking Quantitative & Trading Finance Leadership Executive and C-Suite Leadership We place senior finance leaders at funds, banks, and digital asset firms. These searches are confidential and built around the financial, regulatory, and operating realities your organization works in every day. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)C-Suite ExecutivesManaging DirectorPrincipal / Vice PresidentCompliance OfficerPortfolio Manager / GP Start an Executive Search Funds & Portfolio Private Equity and Venture Capital We place analysts through general partners at private equity firms and venture capital funds nationwide. We understand deal flow, portfolio management, and fund lifecycle dynamics, and we source candidates who understand them too. PE AssociateVC PrincipalGeneral PartnerFund ManagerPortfolio ManagerInvestment Analyst Submit a Position Crypto, DeFi & Web3 Blockchain and Digital Assets Our blockchain practice spans Layer 1 and Layer 2 protocols, DeFi platforms, real-world asset tokenization, and blockchain-integrated financial institutions. We have specific depth in the Chainlink ecosystem, including oracle infrastructure and the institutional adoption layer where traditional finance meets decentralized networks. Blockchain EngineerSmart Contract DeveloperDeFi ResearcherTokenomics LeadWeb3 ExecutiveCrypto Compliance Officer Start a Blockchain Search Advisory & Markets Investment Banking and Capital Markets We recruit senior finance professionals across investment banking, wealth management, and capital markets, from bulge bracket affiliates to boutique advisory firms and family offices. We also place investment banking talent moving into digital asset and institutional DeFi roles. Investment Banking VPManaging DirectorWealth Management AdvisorCapital Markets LeadershipHead of FinanceDirector of Finance Submit a Position Systematic & Crypto Quantitative and Trading Our quantitative practice places algorithmic developers, quant traders, risk managers, and systematic strategy leads at hedge funds, crypto trading firms, and digital asset market makers, across both long/short equity and crypto-native roles. Quantitative TraderAlgorithmic DeveloperHedge Fund RolesRisk ManagerMarket MakerDigital Asset Regulation View Open Roles Who We Serve Who Do We Partner With? Excelon Associates recruits across the financial services landscape, from established funds and banks to the protocols and platforms building the next generation of financial infrastructure. Both sides of the bridge. Pick yours. Traditional FinanceDigital Assets PE Firms VC Funds Investment Banks Hedge Funds Wealth Mgmt RIAs Protocols DeFi Crypto Firms Web3 Startups Traditional Finance Private Equity Firms Analysts through general partners, sourced with real fund lifecycle fluency. Start a search We serve as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset economy. We place investment bankers and private equity professionals into DeFi and Web3 roles, and blockchain-native talent into institutional finance as banks and funds build out digital asset strategy. That cross-pollination is a genuine specialty. Few firms can credibly recruit in both directions, because few firms actually operate in both markets the way we do. We partner with private equity firms, venture capital funds, investment banks, hedge funds, wealth management firms, investment advisors and RIAs, blockchain protocols, DeFi platforms, digital asset and crypto firms, and fintech and Web3 startups. Active Investors, Not Just Recruiters We Operate in the Same Markets We Recruit For Crypto-Native Team Excelon Associates is led by active equity and options traders with hands-on knowledge of blockchain infrastructure, Chainlink ecosystems, DeFi protocol mechanics, and digital asset markets. We know what a strong blockchain engineer looks like because we build and invest in these markets ourselves. We also accept payment in cryptocurrency, which reflects our position as practitioners in this space rather than observers. For engagement pricing across retained search, see our guide to executive search fees. Start a Financial Services Search the desk active traders built on-chain, too same vetting as every retained search practitioners, not observers Specialties Financial Services Specialties We Cover Our reach spans the investment, trading, engineering, and control functions across traditional and decentralized finance. If it trades, we recruit for it. Our core focus. Private Equity & Venture Capital Funds & Portfolio BuyoutGrowth EquityVenture CapitalFund ManagementPortfolio OperationsDeal Origination We build on-chain too. Blockchain & Digital Assets Layer 1 to DeFi Protocol EngineeringSmart ContractsDeFiTokenomicsOracle / ChainlinkProtocol GovernanceRWA Tokenization Investment Banking & Capital Markets Advisory & Markets M&A AdvisoryCapital MarketsWealth ManagementFamily OfficesCorporate FinanceInvestor Relations Quantitative & Trading Systematic & Crypto Quantitative TradingAlgorithmic DevelopmentMarket MakingRisk ManagementLong/Short EquityCrypto Trading Finance Leadership & Operations C-Suite & Control CFOControllerFP&ATreasuryInvestor RelationsFinance Operations Compliance & Regulatory Digital Asset Oversight SEC / CFTCAML / KYCDigital Asset ComplianceRegulatory AffairsRisk & Controls Why Excelon What Sets Our Financial Services Practice Apart? We trade these markets ourselves. Practitioner Knowledge Active Investors, Not Just Recruiters Our practice is led by active equity and options traders with genuine hands-on knowledge of Chainlink infrastructure, DeFi protocols, tokenomics, and digital asset market structure. We know the difference between a candidate who talks about blockchain and one who has built on it. Cross-Market Access Traditional Finance Meets Web3 We recruit across both traditional capital markets and emerging digital asset infrastructure, placing investment bankers into DeFi roles and blockchain engineers into institutional finance. Very few firms are positioned to operate credibly in both worlds at once. Crypto Acceptance We Accept Payment in Crypto Excelon Associates accepts payment in cryptocurrency, reflecting our genuine commitment to the digital asset space and our position as practitioners in this industry rather than observers. That matters to the clients and candidates we work with in this sector. Candidate Depth Passive Network in Finance and Web3 The strongest financial professionals and blockchain engineers are not applying to job boards. Our outreach-first approach identifies and engages people who are performing well and not actively looking, the professionals every firm wants but few can reach. Regulatory Regulatory Fluency Across Both Markets Financial services hiring happens inside a regulatory perimeter, and we recruit with that in mind. We understand SEC and CFTC oversight, FINRA registration, and AML and KYC obligations on the traditional side, along with the fast-moving compliance landscape around digital assets. Our compliance and regulatory searches cover the officers, risk leaders, and regulatory affairs professionals who keep funds, banks, and protocols on the right side of the line. SECCFTCFINRAAML / KYCSOXRIA / IARDigital Asset ComplianceRegulatory AffairsRisk & Controls SEC CFTC FINRA AMLKYC SOX DIGITAL ASSETS From the Search Desk What a Live Search Looks Like Every search we run is published, promoted across our network, and fully indexed on Google at no extra cost to clients. The cards below are recent campaigns from across our desks. Each one opens the live LinkedIn post it represents. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Clients and Candidates Report? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from financial services clients and candidates across funds, banks, and digital asset firms. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews Questions Financial Services Recruitment Questions Answered Does Excelon Associates recruit for blockchain and crypto companies? Yes. Our practice is led by active crypto investors with hands-on knowledge of blockchain infrastructure, DeFi protocols, and digital asset markets. We recruit blockchain engineers, DeFi researchers, tokenomics leads, compliance officers, and C-suite executives for public blockchain companies, private protocols, DeFi platforms, and Web3 startups. What financial services roles does Excelon Associates place? We place C-suite executives, managing directors, principals, investment analysts, quantitative traders, algorithmic developers, blockchain engineers, compliance officers, portfolio managers, wealth management advisors, and general partners across private equity, venture capital, investment banking, hedge funds, and blockchain organizations. Does Excelon Associates recruit for private equity and venture capital firms? Yes. Excelon Associates has extensive experience recruiting for PE and VC firms across the United States. We place associates, principals, vice presidents, managing directors, and general partners, with deep familiarity in deal flow, portfolio company, and fund management contexts. Does Excelon Associates accept crypto as payment? Yes. Excelon Associates accepts payment in cryptocurrency, reflecting our commitment to the digital asset space and our position as genuine practitioners in this industry rather than observers. What makes Excelon Associates different from other financial services recruiters? Our financial services practice is led by active equity and options traders with deep hands-on knowledge of blockchain ecosystems, Chainlink infrastructure, DeFi protocol mechanics, and digital asset markets. We understand what a strong blockchain engineer looks like because we operate in these markets ourselves. That practitioner perspective, combined with nearly two decades of retained search experience, sets us apart from generalist financial services recruiting firms. Ready to Hire a Financial Services Leader? Excelon Associates places financial executives, blockchain engineers, and investment professionals at private equity firms, venture capital funds, banks, and digital asset organizations nationwide. Crypto-native team. Retained search since 2007. Start a Search All Service Markets Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Government Services Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/government-services/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]PREVIEW: State & Local Government Recruitment | Excelon Associates GOVERNMENT Government Services · Est. 2007 State & Local GovernmentRecruitment Retained executive search for cities, counties, states, and the agencies, authorities, and special districts that serve the public. We place city and county managers, department directors, and senior public-sector leaders nationwide, partnering directly with your township, city, district, or county. Start a Search Contact Us City, County & State We partner at your level. Recruiting public sector leaders for state and local government since 2007 · Asheville, NC · 375+ leadership placements 2007 Established 375+ Leadership Placements and counting Public City, County & State 5.0 ★ Google Rating City ManagerCounty AdministratorTown ManagerPublic Works DirectorCity EngineerFinance DirectorBudget DirectorPolice ChiefFire ChiefEmergency Management DirectorPlanning DirectorCommunity Development DirectorIT DirectorGIS DirectorParks & Recreation DirectorCity Clerk City ManagerCounty AdministratorTown ManagerPublic Works DirectorCity EngineerFinance DirectorBudget DirectorPolice ChiefFire ChiefEmergency Management DirectorPlanning DirectorCommunity Development DirectorIT DirectorGIS DirectorParks & Recreation DirectorCity Clerk The Process How a search works Read the full process guide 1 Role Profiling Week 1 2 Targeted Sourcing Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Finalist Presentation Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer & Onboarding Offer stage Finalists in three to five weeks. For Agencies Hiring a city manager or department director? Tell us about your open role at a city, county, or state agency and we will scope a retained search built for public-sector hiring requirements. Start a search For Candidates Looking for a public sector role? Browse current government and public-sector openings, or submit your resume to be considered for confidential searches as they open. View open roles Overview Roles We Place Levels We Serve Cross-Sector Edge Specialties Why Excelon Compliance FAQ Start a Search Overview State and Local Government Recruitment, Built for the Public Sector Excelon Associates is a public sector executive search firm founded in 2007. We recruit leadership for state and local government, including cities, counties, states, and the agencies, authorities, and special districts that serve communities. We place city and county managers, department directors, public works and finance leaders, and senior administrators. With more than 375 leadership placements to date, we bring private-sector search discipline to public-sector hiring, and we partner directly with your township, city, district, or county. Public sector hiring runs on transparency, civil service rules, and community accountability, and the timelines and scrutiny are unlike the private market. We run retained searches that respect those constraints while still reaching the experienced administrators and directors who are rarely scanning job boards. Whether a county is replacing an administrator or a city is standing up a new department, the process is structured, documented, and built for public-sector realities. 375+ placements N City Managers Public Works Police & Fire Parks & Rec Planning & Zoning your township every seat in town, covered Roles We Place Which Government Roles Do We Recruit For? We recruit across the functions that run a city, county, or state agency, from the manager's office to public works, finance, public safety, and technology. Select an area below to see representative titles. Executive & Administration Public Works & Infrastructure Finance & Administration Public Safety & Community Technology & Operations City & County Leadership Executive and Administration We place the executives who run local government day to day, from the manager's office through the senior administrative team. These searches are confidential and built around council dynamics, civil service rules, and community expectations. City ManagerCounty AdministratorChief Administrative OfficerAssistant / Deputy ManagerTown ManagerCity / County Clerk Start an Executive Search Infrastructure Public Works and Infrastructure We recruit the engineers and directors who keep infrastructure running, from roads and water to transit and capital projects. We understand the regulatory and capital-planning context these leaders operate in. Public Works DirectorCity EngineerUtilities DirectorWater / Wastewater DirectorTransportation / Transit DirectorCapital Projects Manager Submit a Position Fiscal Management Finance and Administration We place the finance and administrative leaders who manage public budgets, procurement, and the workforce, the roles where accountability and stewardship matter most to residents and oversight bodies. Finance DirectorBudget DirectorTreasurerControllerProcurement / Purchasing DirectorHuman Resources Director Submit a Position Protective & Community Public Safety and Community Services We recruit the leaders who keep communities safe and livable, across public safety, emergency management, parks, and community development. These are high-visibility roles where fit with the community is as important as experience. Police ChiefFire ChiefEmergency Management DirectorParks & Recreation DirectorCommunity Development DirectorPlanning Director Submit a Position Systems & Service Delivery Technology and Operations We place the technology and operations leaders modernizing how government serves residents, from IT and GIS to permitting and facilities. Public-sector technology leadership is in high demand and short supply. IT Director / CIOGIS DirectorDirector of OperationsPermitting DirectorFacilities DirectorProgram Manager View Open Roles Levels We Serve City, County, and State Government Our public sector practice is built around state and local government, the level of government closest to the communities it serves. We partner directly with your township, city, school district, county, or authority, wherever the work of governing happens. Your township counts. Pick your level. Local GovernmentState & Regional Cities Counties Districts Authorities Utilities Transit State Agencies COGs Planning Bodies Boards Local Government City & Municipal Government Managers, department heads, and senior staff for cities and towns of every size. Start a search State and local government is where public service meets daily life: the city hall that approves a permit, the county that runs elections and human services, the district that delivers clean water. The leaders who run these organizations are accountable to residents in a way few private-sector roles are. We recruit for that reality. Our searches account for council and board dynamics, open-records expectations, and civil service processes, so the finalists we present can lead in public view from day one. We recruit for city and municipal governments, county governments, state agencies and departments, special districts, public authorities, councils of government, public utilities, transit authorities, regional planning bodies, and boards and commissions. Why Our Approach Travels Well Private-Sector Discipline, Public-Sector Fit Cross-Sector Edge Excelon Associates built its reputation running retained searches in higher education and financial services, two sectors with their own governance, scrutiny, and stakeholder complexity. We bring that same rigor to state and local government, pairing an outreach-first approach that reaches passive candidates with a process that respects the transparency and accountability the public sector requires. For engagement pricing across retained search, see our guide to executive search fees. Start a Government Search the council chamber sunshine law ready civil service fluent finalists who can lead in public view Specialties Public Sector Functions We Cover Our reach spans the administrative, operational, and service-delivery functions that keep cities, counties, and state agencies running. If your city runs on it, we recruit for it. The manager's office is home turf. Executive & Administration City & County Leadership City ManagerCounty AdministratorChief Administrative OfficerDeputy ManagerClerkTown Manager Public Works & Utilities Infrastructure Public WorksCity EngineeringWater & WastewaterTransportationCapital ProjectsFleet & Facilities Finance & Procurement Fiscal Management Finance DirectorBudgetTreasuryControllerProcurementInternal Audit High visibility, handled. Public Safety Protective Services Police ChiefFire ChiefEmergency Management911 & DispatchCode EnforcementCorrections Community & Economic Development Planning & Growth Planning DirectorCommunity DevelopmentEconomic DevelopmentHousingPermittingZoning Human Resources & Technology Workforce & Systems HR DirectorLabor RelationsIT / CIOGISRecords ManagementOperations Why Excelon What Sets Our Public Sector Practice Apart? Searches that survive sunshine laws. Public Sector Fit Built for Civil Service Realities We run searches that respect transparency rules, civil service processes, and the public scrutiny that government hiring carries. The finalists we present are ready to lead in public view, not just on paper. Cross-Sector Depth Discipline from Higher Ed and Finance We bring the retained search rigor built in higher education and financial services to government, reaching the administrators and directors who are performing well in their current roles and not on job boards. Track Record 375+ Leadership Placements With more than 375 leadership placements to date, we have the process, reach, and references to fill the senior public-sector roles that generalist firms struggle with. Candidate Access Passive Public-Sector Network The strongest city managers, directors, and administrators are usually employed and not looking. Our outreach-first approach identifies and engages them directly, well beyond the reach of a job posting. Compliance Built for Public-Sector Requirements Public sector hiring carries requirements the private market never sees. We run searches that hold up under open records requests and sunshine laws, respect civil service rules and veterans preference, and meet EEO and ADA obligations from first outreach to final offer. Excelon Associates is also registered for public-sector engagement, with active DUNS and CAGE identifiers, so agencies can bring us in through standard procurement channels. Open Records / FOIASunshine LawsCivil Service RulesEEO ComplianceADAVeterans PreferencePublic ProcurementDUNS 02371-8790CAGE 8K2K9 EEO FOIA ADA CIVILSERVICE DUNS CAGE From the Search Desk What a Live Search Looks Like Every search we run is published, promoted across our network, and fully indexed on Google at no extra cost to the agencies we serve. The cards below are recent campaigns from across our desks. Each one opens the live LinkedIn post it represents. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Agencies and Candidates Report? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from clients and candidates across the public, education, healthcare, and financial sectors. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews Questions Government Recruitment Questions Answered What levels of government does Excelon Associates recruit for? Excelon Associates focuses on state and local government. We recruit for cities and municipalities, counties, state agencies and departments, and the special districts, public authorities, and councils of government that deliver services such as water, transit, and planning across the United States. What government roles does Excelon Associates place? We place city and county managers, chief administrative officers, department directors across public works, finance, human resources, information technology, and planning, public safety leaders such as police and fire chiefs, and a wide range of senior public-sector administrators. Does Excelon Associates recruit for city and county governments specifically? Yes. Municipal and county government is a core focus. We place city and town managers, county administrators, chief administrative officers, clerks, and the department heads who run public works, finance, community development, and public safety. How is public sector recruitment different from the private sector? Public sector hiring runs on transparency, civil service rules, and community accountability, and the timelines and public scrutiny are unlike the private market. We run retained searches that respect those constraints while still reaching experienced administrators who are not actively applying. How long has Excelon Associates recruited for the public sector? Excelon Associates was founded in 2007 and has completed more than 375 leadership placements to date. We bring the retained search discipline built in our higher education and financial services practices to state and local government hiring. Ready to Hire a Public Sector Leader? Excelon Associates places city and county managers, department directors, and senior administrators for state and local government nationwide. Retained search since 2007, with more than 375 leadership placements to date. Start a Search All Service Markets Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Temporary Staffing Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/temporary-staffing/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]PREVIEW: Temporary Staffing | Excelon Associates STAFFING Temporary Staffing · Est. 2007 TemporaryStaffing Flexible temporary, contract, and temp-to-hire staffing for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government. Qualified professionals with the skills you need, for as long as you need them, vetted to the same standard as our permanent searches. Request Staffing Contact Us All Four Sectors Your market, covered. Temporary and contract staffing across four sectors since 2007 · Asheville, NC · Administrative and professional roles 2007 Established 4 Sectors Served Days Typical Time to Talent not weeks 5.0 ★ Google Rating Admissions CoordinatorFinancial Aid SpecialistRegistrar SupportMedical Office AdministratorCredentialing CoordinatorSchedulerBilling & CodingAccounting ClerkAP / AR SpecialistCompliance SupportOperations AnalystAdministrative SpecialistPermitting ClerkRecords CoordinatorExecutive AssistantOffice Manager Admissions CoordinatorFinancial Aid SpecialistRegistrar SupportMedical Office AdministratorCredentialing CoordinatorSchedulerBilling & CodingAccounting ClerkAP / AR SpecialistCompliance SupportOperations AnalystAdministrative SpecialistPermitting ClerkRecords CoordinatorExecutive AssistantOffice Manager The Process How staffing works See engagement pricing 1 Define the Need Day 1 2 Source & Match Days 1 to 3 3 Screen & Verify Days 2 to 4 4 Present Candidates Days 3 to 5 5 Onboard Start Qualified talent in days. For Employers Need talent for a season, project, or gap? Tell us about your temporary, contract, or temp-to-hire need and we will connect you with vetted professionals quickly, for as long as the assignment runs. Request staffing For Candidates Looking for contract or temporary work? Browse current temporary and contract openings, or submit your resume to be matched with assignments across our four core sectors. View open roles Overview Engagement Models Sectors We Staff How It Works Roles We Fill Why Excelon Search Desks FAQ Start Staffing Overview Temporary Staffing, Vetted to Permanent-Hire Standards Excelon Associates provides temporary, contract, and temp-to-hire staffing founded on the same firm established in 2007. We supply qualified administrative and professional talent for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government organizations, the same four markets our retained search desks serve. Whether you have a seasonal spike, want to evaluate fit before a permanent commitment, or need reinforcement during an absence, our temporary and contract staffing team connects you with vetted talent quickly. We focus on administrative and professional roles, not light industrial labor. Staffing needs rarely arrive on a convenient schedule. A leave of absence, a funded project, a peak season, or an unexpected vacancy can all leave a team short-handed at the worst possible moment. Our temporary staffing practice exists to close those gaps fast, with people who have been screened to the same standard as the candidates in our retained searches, so a short-term hire never means a drop in quality. vetted like our retained searches days, not weeks education H healthcare $ finance government one bench one bench, four sectors, vetted once Engagement Models How Can We Staff Your Team? We match the engagement model to your situation, and we can adjust it as your needs change. Coverage on Demand Short-Term Temp Seasonal spikes, peak periods, and short assignments. We place qualified professionals quickly for days, weeks, or a defined project, then scale back when the need ends. Extended Assignments Contract Professionals Specialized professionals for longer engagements, from multi-month projects to ongoing contract roles, with the exact skills you need for as long as you need them. Try before you buy. Evaluate Before You Commit Temp-to-Hire Bring someone on as a temporary placement and convert to permanent once the fit is proven. A low-risk way to evaluate culture and performance before a long-term offer. Keep things moving. Bridge an Absence Interim Coverage Reinforcement during a leave, vacancy, or transition, so operations keep moving while you run a permanent search or a team member is out. Sectors We Staff Which Sectors Do We Staff? Our temporary staffing practice spans the same four markets as our retained search work, with recruiters who know each sector from the inside. Temp coverage for every desk we run. Our Four Core Sectors Higher Education Healthcare Financial Services Government Core Sector Higher Education Admissions, enrollment, financial aid, and administrative support for K-12, college, and university partners. Request staffing Higher Education Recruitment The same four markets as our retained search desks. Our staffing recruiters work alongside the search teams, so they know each sector's roles, compliance requirements, and culture. Administrative and professional roles, by design. We focus on the office, clinical-support, finance, and administrative roles that keep organizations running. We do not place light industrial labor. We provide temporary, contract, and temp-to-hire staffing for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and state and local government organizations nationwide. Vetted, Fast, Flexible How Our Staffing Process Works The Standard Every temporary and contract candidate goes through the same rigorous screening we apply to permanent searches: in-depth interviews, reference checks, and skills assessments. You review and evaluate candidates through our cloud-based portal, and we scale the engagement up or down as your needs change. The result is qualified talent, matched quickly, without trading quality for speed. For engagement pricing across staffing and retained search, see our guide to executive search fees. Request Staffing Support the first week day 1 day 3 day 5 define the need vetted shortlist on the job same screening as our retained searches qualified talent in days Roles We Fill Which Temporary Roles Do We Fill? We staff administrative and professional roles across our four core sectors. We do not place light industrial labor; our focus is the office, clinical-support, finance, and administrative roles that keep organizations running. Select a sector to see representative temporary and contract roles. temp pro, vetted ready day 1 Higher Education Healthcare Financial Services Government Cross-Functional Campus & Administrative Higher Education Support Temporary and contract support for the offices that keep a campus running, especially through admissions cycles, enrollment peaks, and system transitions. Admissions CoordinatorRegistrar SupportFinancial Aid SpecialistEnrollment SupportProgram CoordinatorAdministrative Assistant Request Staffing Clinical & Office Healthcare Support Administrative and clinical-support roles that keep practices and facilities compliant and running, without disrupting patient care. Medical Office AdministratorCredentialing CoordinatorSchedulerBilling & CodingPatient AccessHR Coordinator Request Staffing Finance & Operations Financial Services Support Finance, operations, and compliance support for funds, banks, and fintech firms during close cycles, audits, and growth periods. Accounting ClerkAP / AR SpecialistCompliance SupportOperations AnalystBookkeeperExecutive Assistant Request Staffing Public Sector Government Support Administrative and project support for city, county, and state agencies during grant cycles, special projects, and seasonal demand. Administrative SpecialistPermitting ClerkRecords CoordinatorHR GeneralistProject CoordinatorCustomer Service Request Staffing Any Sector Cross-Functional Office Roles Core administrative and operations roles that every organization needs, placed quickly across all four of our sectors. Executive AssistantOffice ManagerProject CoordinatorData EntryHR SupportCustomer Service View Open Roles Why Excelon What Sets Our Staffing Practice Apart? Same bar as our retained searches. Four-Sector Depth Specialists, Not Generalists We staff across higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government, with recruiters who know each sector's roles, compliance requirements, and culture rather than treating every assignment the same. Rigorous Screening Vetted to Permanent-Hire Standards Temporary does not mean unvetted. Every candidate clears in-depth interviews, reference checks, and skills assessments before we present them, so a short-term hire is still a quality hire. Flexible Models Scale Up or Down Short-term, long-term, temp-to-hire, or interim coverage. We match the engagement to your need and adjust it as that need changes, with no pressure to commit beyond the assignment. Speed and Reach Talent When You Need It Our cloud-based portal and active candidate network let us move fast, connecting you with qualified professionals in days when timing matters most. Search Desks Temporary Staffing, Backed by Retained Search Desks Our staffing practice is not a standalone temp agency. It sits on top of the four retained search desks we have run since 2007, which means the recruiter filling your admissions office, billing team, or permitting counter already knows the sector's roles, compliance requirements, and culture. When a temporary need turns into a permanent one, the search desk is already at the table. Explore the desk behind your sector below. Higher Education RecruitmentHealthcare RecruitmentFinancial Services RecruitmentGovernment Recruitment EDUCATION HEALTHCARE FINANCE GOVERNMENT IN DAYS VETTED From the Search Desk What a Live Search Looks Like Every opportunity we run is published, promoted across our network, and fully indexed on Google at no extra cost to clients. The cards below are recent staffing and search campaigns from across our desks. Each one opens the live LinkedIn post it represents. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Clients and Candidates Report? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from clients and candidates across education, healthcare, financial services, and government. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews Questions Temporary Staffing Questions Answered What types of temporary staffing does Excelon Associates provide? Excelon Associates provides short-term temporary staffing, longer-term contract professionals, temp-to-hire placements, and interim coverage during a leave or vacancy. We match the engagement model to your need and can scale it up or down as that need changes. Which sectors does Excelon Associates staff? We staff administrative and professional roles across our four core sectors: higher education, healthcare, financial services, and state and local government. Our recruiters know the roles, compliance requirements, and culture of each sector. Does Excelon Associates offer temp-to-hire placements? Yes. Temp-to-hire lets you bring someone on as a temporary placement and convert them to a permanent employee once the fit is proven. It is a low-risk way to evaluate culture and performance before making a long-term offer. How are temporary candidates screened? Every temporary and contract candidate goes through the same rigorous screening we apply to permanent searches, including in-depth interviews, reference checks, and skills assessments. Temporary does not mean unvetted. Does Excelon Associates place light industrial workers? No. Excelon Associates focuses on administrative and professional roles across higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government. We do not place light industrial labor. Need Temporary or Contract Talent? Excelon Associates supplies vetted temporary, contract, and temp-to-hire professionals for higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government organizations nationwide. Tell us what you need and for how long. Request Staffing All Service Markets Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## International Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/international-recruitment/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] GLOBAL Cross-Border Practice · Est. 2007 International Executive Search Retained cross-border executive search across higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government. From our United States headquarters we place leaders in the Gulf, MENA, South Asia, the UK, and the EU.Start a SearchContact Us Explore Our Regions UK & EuropeGulf & GCCIndia & South AsiaMENA Trusted abroad by the University of East London and the American University of Bahrain · Delivered from Asheville, NC International Campaigns, Live Published from the search desk · View all campaigns 494Live and Recent Campaigns 4 RegionsGlobal Coverage 3 ContinentsOne 2026 Engagement 10 DaysTo Candidates Presented Campus PresidentProvostChief Financial OfficerChief Nursing OfficerFounding FacultyCountry ManagerAcademic DeanProgram DirectorCompliance OfficerRegistrarCampus PresidentProvostChief Financial OfficerChief Nursing OfficerFounding FacultyCountry ManagerAcademic DeanProgram DirectorCompliance OfficerRegistrar OverviewThe ModelProcessPractice AreasWhere We RecruitFeesIn PracticeWhat Is DifferentWhy ExcelonFAQ Overview International Recruitment From a United States Search Firm Run from Asheville. Delivered worldwide. Excelon Associates provides international executive search and recruitment for universities, healthcare organizations, financial services firms, and government contractors operating across borders. From our United States headquarters we run retained searches into the Gulf Cooperation Council, the wider Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. We place campus leaders, clinical and academic program directors, finance executives, and cross-border operations leadership, and we manage the work authorization, credential recognition, and relocation questions that decide whether an international hire succeeds.Cross-border hiring is not a bigger version of domestic hiring. Every market adds its own regulators, accreditation bodies, visa pathways, and compensation norms, and a search that ignores them produces finalists who cannot legally start or will not stay. Our client list includes the University of East London and the American University of Bahrain, and our international work runs on the same retained discipline as every domestic engagement: one dedicated team, direct outreach to qualified candidates, and a qualified slate in weeks, not months. The Model What Is International Executive Search? Definition International executive search is a retained recruitment model in which an organization engages a specialist firm to identify, vet, and place senior leaders across national borders. The firm sources candidates in multiple countries, evaluates credentials against the destination market's regulatory and accreditation standards, and manages work authorization, mobility, and compensation questions through offer and relocation. Most of our international engagements follow the retained model because cross-border searches carry more moving parts than domestic ones: visa timelines, credential evaluation, notice periods that can run a full academic term, and relocation for a candidate's whole family. A committed, exclusive engagement is what keeps those parts moving together. Source candidatesin every marketVet to destinationstandardsAuthorize, offer,and relocateHow a cross-border search flows How a Search Works How Does an International Search Run? Finalists in Three to Five Weeks A qualified slate in 3 to 5 weeks. The industry norm is 90 days or more. 1 Position Profiling Week 1 2 Targeted Sourcing Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Finalist Presentation Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer & Transition Offer stage Practice Areas Which Sectors Do We Recruit For Internationally? Our international practice covers the same five areas as our domestic work. Each card links to the full service market page. Branch & TNE Campuses International Higher Education We build leadership and founding faculty teams for international branch campuses, transnational education partnerships, and pathway programs. This is the deepest side of our international work, with placements for clients including the University of East London and the American University of Bahrain. Campus President / CEOProvost / Academic DeanFounding FacultyRegistrarDirector of AdmissionsStudent Affairs Explore Higher Education Clinical & Academic International Healthcare We place hospital and health-science leadership abroad, with particular depth in nursing and allied health education. Our healthcare team includes former nurses who screen international candidates with real clinical context. Hospital ExecutivesChief Nursing OfficerClinical Program DirectorNursing FacultyAllied Health LeadsQuality & Accreditation Explore Healthcare Cross-Border Finance International Financial Services We recruit senior finance professionals for firms expanding into or operating across international markets, from regional management to compliance leadership that must satisfy more than one regulator. Country & Regional ManagersInvestment LeadershipCompliance & RiskFintech ExecutivesPE & VC RolesOperations Explore Financial Services Contractors & Agencies International Government & Defense We support government contractors and public-sector organizations staffing programs outside the United States, including roles that require security clearances and overseas contract experience. Program DirectorsContract OperationsEngineering LeadsSecurity-Cleared RolesLogistics & Supply ChainTraining Leads Explore Government Services Expansion & Mobility Cross-Border Operations Leadership When an organization launches or scales in a new country, the first leadership hires set the tone for everything that follows. We place the executives who open markets, build local teams, and run operations across borders. Country Launch ExecutivesRegional OperationsHR & Global MobilityShared ServicesExpansion & LicensingInterim Leadership Start a Cross-Border Search Where We Recruit Where Do We Run International Searches? Every international engagement is delivered from our United States headquarters by the same team that runs our domestic searches. Our placement history spans these regions and includes searches into China and the wider Asia Pacific. Each region below has a dedicated page covering the market, the regulatory landscape, and the roles we place there. USA United States Headquarters and delivery team. Every search is run from Asheville, NC.All Service Markets UK·EU UK, Ireland & the EU Universities, health organizations, finance, and the public sector across Europe.UK and Europe Recruitment GCC Gulf, GCC & Wider MENA Flagship universities, branch campuses, and expanding organizations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt.Gulf and GCC Recruitment ASIA South Asia & Asia Pacific Regional universities, transnational campuses, and cross-border operations across India, China, and neighboring markets.South Asia and India Recruitment Recruiting across MENA specifically? See Middle East and North Africa Recruitment. Building a branch or transnational campus? See International Campus Search. Fees What Does an International Executive Search Cost? International searches at Excelon Associates are priced the same way as domestic ones: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, and the fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost with no markup. The exact figure reflects the assessed difficulty of the specific search, not the region it sits in.Every placement on an international engagement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. For the full breakdown, including the contingency model and a fee calculator, see our guide to executive search fees. One fee basis, every region.Difficulty sets the number, not geography 25 to 30%of first year compensation, retained 3 Paymentstied to visible milestones 3 to 12 Monthsplacement guarantee, by seniority of the role In Practice What Does This Look Like on a Real International Search? In 2026, the University of East London, a public university founded in 1898, engaged Excelon to fill multiple roles across three continents: the United States, Egypt, and India. Different markets, different credentialing requirements, one process. 3Continents recruited across: USA, Egypt, India 10 DaysCandidates presented, for each search in each country 60 DaysTo accepted offers University of East LondonPublic university, London, UK · Est. 1898 What Is Different What Makes International Hiring Different? Six factors separate a cross-border search from a domestic one. We plan for each of them at the start of every engagement, because discovering them at the offer stage is how international hires fall through. All six scoped before we go to market, not at the offer. Talent Strategy Expatriate vs Local-National Hiring Some roles need an experienced expatriate who can transplant a proven model. Others need a local national who knows the market, the language, and the regulators. We scope this choice with the client first, because it changes the entire candidate pool, the compensation structure, and the visa work. Mobility Work Authorization and Visas Every destination market has its own authorization pathway, from GCC employer sponsorship to the UK Skilled Worker route. We scope the pathway with the client at the start of the search and coordinate with their immigration counsel, so no finalist is presented who cannot legally start. Compensation Compensation and Currency International offers involve more than base salary: housing and education allowances, tax equalization, currency choice, and repatriation terms all shape whether a candidate accepts. We benchmark against the destination market so offers land the first time. Credentials Regional Credential Recognition A degree, license, or professional qualification earned in one country may need formal recognition in another. We evaluate candidate credentials against the destination market's accreditation and licensing standards before presenting anyone. Governance Governance and Compliance Cross-border organizations answer to more than one set of rules: home-country oversight, host-country regulators, and often an accreditor or ministry in between. We look for leaders who have already operated inside that kind of layered accountability. Retention Relocation and Retention An international placement only succeeds if the leader stays. We weigh family circumstances, schooling, and settlement support during vetting, and we stay involved through relocation, because the transition period is where international hires are won or lost. Why Excelon Why Run an International Search With Excelon Associates? Same team. Same standard. Any border. One Team US-Based, Globally Fluent One dedicated team from our US headquarters. One point of accountability, no handoffs between country offices. Proven Abroad Real International Placements Leadership and faculty teams built for the University of East London, the American University of Bahrain, and campuses across four regions. Candidate Access Passive Candidates, Worldwide Direct approaches to leaders who are not on job boards, including expatriates in market and diaspora candidates open to returning. Reach Every Search Fully Indexed Every campaign marketed online and fully indexed on Google at no additional cost to the client. Questions International Recruitment Questions Answered What is international executive search? International executive search is a retained recruitment model in which an organization engages a specialist firm to identify, vet, and place senior leaders across national borders. The firm sources candidates in multiple countries, evaluates credentials against the destination market's standards, and manages work authorization, mobility, and compensation questions through offer and relocation. Is Excelon Associates an international recruitment agency? Yes. Excelon Associates is an international recruitment agency and retained executive search firm. Rather than forwarding applicants, we run committed retained searches: sourcing and vetting senior candidates across the United States, the UK and EU, the Gulf, MENA, South Asia, and China, and managing work authorization and relocation through to a completed placement. Which regions does Excelon Associates recruit in? Excelon Associates recruits across the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman), the wider Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Asia Pacific, including China. Every search is delivered from our United States headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina. Does Excelon Associates place leaders at international branch campuses? Yes. Building leadership and founding faculty teams for international branch campuses, transnational education partnerships, and pathway programs is the deepest side of our international practice. Our client list includes the University of East London and the American University of Bahrain. Can Excelon Associates recruit both expatriate and local-national candidates? Yes. We scope the expatriate versus local-national question with each client at the start of a search, because it shapes the candidate pool, the compensation structure, and the visa pathway. We recruit experienced expatriates, local nationals, and diaspora candidates open to returning to their home market. How does Excelon Associates handle work authorization and visas? We scope the work authorization pathway with the client at the start of every international search and coordinate with their immigration counsel throughout. Candidates are evaluated for visa eligibility before they are presented, so no finalist reaches the client who cannot legally start in the destination market. How much does an international executive search cost? International searches at Excelon Associates are priced the same as domestic ones: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, all inclusive except candidate travel at cost. Every international placement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. How long does an international executive search take? Most Excelon Associates searches deliver a qualified slate of finalists in three to five weeks, and international searches follow the same sourcing timeline. Offer and start dates can extend beyond that for visa processing, credential recognition, and notice periods, which we plan for at the start of the engagement. Ready to Hire Across Borders? Excelon Associates places campus leaders, clinical and academic directors, finance executives, and cross-border operations leadership across the Gulf, MENA, South Asia, the UK, and the EU. Tell us about the role and the market, and we will take it from there.Start a SearchAll Service MarketsPrefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## MENA Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/international-recruitment/mena-recruitment/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] MENA International Recruitment · Middle East and North Africa MENA Executive Search Retained executive search across the Middle East and North Africa, with a deep focus on Egypt. We place university, branch campus, hospital, and enterprise leaders in Cairo and across the region, working in Arabic, English, and French speaking markets.Start a SearchAll International Markets International HubUK & EuropeGulf & GCCIndia & South Asia Filled roles for a UK university's Egyptian operations · Delivered from Asheville, NC AR · EN · FRTrilingual Search Markets 3 to 5 WksTo a Qualified Slate 2 RegimesNAQAAE + Home Country Screened Est. 2007US Headquartered PresidentProvostVice President Academic AffairsDeanCampus DeanProgram DirectorRegistrarDirector GeneralMedical DirectorNursing DirectorCountry ManagerDirector of EnrollmentPresidentProvostVice President Academic AffairsDeanCampus DeanProgram DirectorRegistrarDirector GeneralMedical DirectorNursing DirectorCountry ManagerDirector of Enrollment OverviewAccreditationProcessSectorsWhere We RecruitFeesIn PracticeWhat Is DifferentWhy ExcelonFAQ Overview What Is MENA Executive Search? A dean in Cairo may answer to London and Cairo at once. MENA executive search is the retained recruitment of senior leaders for organizations across the Middle East and North Africa, from Egypt and Jordan to Morocco and Tunisia. Excelon Associates focuses most deeply on Egypt, the region's largest population and university market, where a wave of international branch campuses has created sustained demand for leaders who can bridge Western academic standards and Egyptian regulatory frameworks. Definition An international branch campus is a campus established in one country by a university headquartered in another, delivering the home institution's degrees locally. Egypt hosts one of the fastest growing branch campus clusters in the world, concentrated in New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital. North African markets reward leaders who work across languages and systems. A dean in Cairo may report to a UK vice chancellor, satisfy the Supreme Council of Universities, and teach students in English while operating in an Arabic speaking institution. We recruit for exactly that intersection. The Framework How Do Dual Accreditation and Language Shape MENA Hiring? Definition NAQAAE is the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education, the Egyptian body that accredits educational institutions and programs. Together with the Supreme Council of Universities it defines the regulatory landscape that academic leaders in Egypt must navigate. Branch campuses answer to that landscape and to their home country's quality regime at the same time, in markets where Arabic, English, and French each dominate different institutions. We screen for that dual-regulator experience explicitly and set the language profile of every role at intake. Both accreditationregimes mappedLanguage profileset at intakePermits and recognitionsequencedTwo regulators, three languages, one search How We Work How Does a MENA Executive Search Work? Finalists in Three to Five Weeks Language profile set at intake, not discovered at interview. 1 Intake & Market Scoping Week 1 2 Research & Direct Outreach Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Qualified Slate Presented Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer Through Onboarding Offer to start Sectors We Serve Who Do We Place Across MENA? Universities & Branch Campuses Higher Education Presidents, provosts, deans, and program directors for national universities and international branch campuses, including institutions answerable to both home-country quality bodies and Egyptian regulators. PresidentProvostDeanProgram DirectorsBranch CampusesEnrollment Leadership Explore Higher Education Hospitals & Academic Medicine Healthcare Medical and nursing leadership for hospital groups and academic medical centers pursuing international accreditation alongside national licensure. Medical DirectorsNursing LeadershipAcademic MedicineHospital GroupsIntl AccreditationClinical Education Explore Healthcare Central Bank Regulated Financial Services Senior finance, risk, and compliance executives for banks and enterprises operating under central bank regulation across the region. Banking LeadershipRisk & ComplianceEnterprise FinanceInvestment LeadershipOperationsFintech Explore Financial Services National Projects Enterprise & Development Country and operations leadership for multinationals, development organizations, and the contractors delivering Egypt's new capital projects. Country LeadershipDevelopment OrganizationsNew Capital ProjectsMultinationalsOperationsTransformation Explore All Markets Where We Recruit Which MENA Markets Does Excelon Cover? EGY Egypt Cairo, New Cairo, and the New Administrative Capital, where new universities and international branch campuses are recruiting presidents, deans, program directors, and enrollment leadership at scale.Start an Egypt Search JOR Jordan Amman's established private university and healthcare sectors, long a source of regionally mobile academic talent.Start a Search MAG Morocco & Tunisia Francophone higher education and enterprise markets in Casablanca, Rabat, and Tunis, where searches often run bilingually in French and Arabic alongside English.Start a Search CairoNew CairoNew Administrative CapitalAmmanCasablancaRabatTunis Hiring elsewhere in the practice? See Gulf and GCC, India and South Asia, UK and Europe, or return to the international recruitment hub. Fees What Does a MENA Executive Search Cost? MENA searches are priced the same way as every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, and the fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost with no markup. The exact figure reflects the assessed difficulty of the specific search, not the market it sits in.Every placement on an international engagement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. For the full breakdown, including the contingency model and a fee calculator, see our guide to executive search fees. One fee basis, every market.Difficulty sets the number, not geography 25 to 30%of first year compensation, retained 3 Paymentstied to visible milestones 3 to 12 Monthsguarantee on international engagements, by seniority In Practice What Does a MENA Engagement Look Like in Practice? In 2026, the University of East London, a public UK university founded in 1898, engaged Excelon to fill roles across three continents, including its operations in Egypt. A branch campus corridor search: UK institution, Egyptian market, global candidate pool, one process. 3Continents recruited across: USA, Egypt, India 10 DaysCandidates presented, for each search in each country 60 DaysTo accepted offers University of East LondonRoles filled for its Egyptian operations What Is Different What Makes MENA Hiring Different? We screen for the intersection, explicitly. Dual Accreditation Two Quality Regimes at Once Egyptian institutions answer to NAQAAE and the Supreme Council of Universities, while branch campuses also carry their home country's quality regime. Leaders must satisfy both, and we screen for that experience explicitly. Trilingual Markets Arabic, English, and French Arabic, English, and French each dominate different institutions and countries. We define the language profile of a role at intake rather than discovering it at interview. Regional Mobility Slates That Cross Borders MENA leadership careers cross borders constantly. A strong slate for Cairo often includes candidates currently in Amman, the Gulf, or the diaspora in Europe and North America. Why Excelon Why Hire a US Firm for a MENA Search? The strongest Cairo slates draw on three continents. Egypt First Deepest in Cairo Our MENA practice centers on Egypt, the region's largest university market, with the branch campus cluster in New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital as its core. Since 2007 Retained From the US Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, running retained searches since 2007. Proven in Egypt UEL Client Work Our client work includes the University of East London, with roles filled for its Egyptian operations as part of a three continent engagement. One Team Brief to Onboarding One accountable team carries a MENA search from brief to onboarding, with accreditation, language, and work permits planned in rather than discovered late. Questions MENA Recruitment Questions Answered What countries does MENA executive search cover? MENA executive search covers the Middle East and North Africa. Excelon Associates recruits most actively in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, and coordinates with our Gulf practice for GCC searches. Does Excelon Associates recruit university presidents and deans in Egypt? Yes. Egyptian higher education leadership is the deepest part of our MENA practice: presidents, provosts, deans, and program directors for national universities and the international branch campuses concentrated in New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital, screened for both NAQAAE and home-country accreditation experience. Why is Egypt a focus market for international recruitment? Egypt combines the region's largest student population with a fast growing cluster of international branch campuses in New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital. Those institutions recruit Western-experienced presidents, deans, and program leaders on a continuing basis. What is NAQAAE? NAQAAE is the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education, the Egyptian body that accredits educational institutions and programs. Together with the Supreme Council of Universities it defines the regulatory landscape that academic leaders in Egypt must navigate. Do MENA searches require Arabic speaking candidates? It depends on the institution. International branch campuses commonly operate in English at the leadership level, while national universities, hospitals, and government-linked organizations often require professional Arabic, and North African markets may add French. We set the language requirement with the client at intake. What does a MENA executive search cost? MENA searches are priced like every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, all inclusive except candidate travel at cost. Every international placement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. How long does a MENA executive search take? Excelon Associates delivers a qualified slate of finalists in three to five weeks. Work permits and credential recognition add time before start dates, and we build those steps into the plan at kickoff. Ready to Hire Across MENA? Excelon Associates places presidents, deans, medical directors, finance executives, and country leadership across Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. Tell us about the role and the market, and we will take it from there.Start a SearchAll International MarketsPrefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Gulf and GCC Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/international-recruitment/gulf-gcc-recruitment/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]GCCInternational Recruitment · Gulf and GCCGulf and GCC Executive SearchRetained executive search across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. We place university, hospital, financial services, and government leaders, with nationalization and visa planning built into every search.Start a SearchAll International MarketsInternational HubUK & EuropeIndia & South AsiaMENAGCC client work includes the American University of Bahrain · Delivered from Asheville, NC6 StatesOne GCC Practice3 to 5 WksTo a Qualified SlateTax-FreePackage StructuringEst. 2007US HeadquarteredChancellorPresidentRectorProvostChief Academic OfficerVice President Academic AffairsSecretary GeneralDeanCampus DirectorDirector GeneralMedical DirectorDirector of EnrollmentChancellorPresidentRectorProvostChief Academic OfficerVice President Academic AffairsSecretary GeneralDeanCampus DirectorDirector GeneralMedical DirectorDirector of EnrollmentOverviewNationalizationProcessSectorsWhere We RecruitFeesIn PracticeKeeping It MovingWhy ExcelonFAQOverviewWhat Is Gulf and GCC Executive Search?Institutions compete globally. The prepared employer wins.Gulf executive search is the retained recruitment of senior leaders for organizations operating in the six Gulf Cooperation Council states: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Excelon Associates runs these searches from the United States, combining international candidate pools with the regional knowledge the GCC demands: nationalization quotas, visa sponsorship, credential attestation, and compensation structures built around tax-free salary packages.DefinitionThe GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) is a political and economic union of six Arab states on the Arabian Peninsula. Its members host some of the fastest growing higher education, healthcare, and financial center economies in the world, driven by national development programs such as Saudi Vision 2030.Hiring in the Gulf rewards preparation. Institutions compete globally for the same deans, medical directors, and finance executives, and the winning employers are the ones that can move quickly on visas, family relocation, schooling, and housing. We structure every GCC search around those realities from day one.The FrameworkHow Do Nationalization Rules Affect Gulf Hiring?DefinitionWorkforce nationalization is the set of citizen employment programs run by every GCC state: Emiratization in the UAE, Saudization under the Nitaqat system in Saudi Arabia, and Qatarization in Qatar. These programs set quotas for citizen employment and shape which roles can be filled by international candidates.Most senior academic, clinical, and technical posts remain open to international candidates, but a search that ignores the quota rules stalls at the offer letter. We confirm every role's status at intake so the slate targets the right pool from day one.Role scoped againstquotas at intakeVisa, iqama, andfamily sponsorshipAttestation clockstarted earlyNationalization, handled inside the searchHow We WorkHow Does a Gulf Executive Search Work? Finalists in Three to Five WeeksAttestation and visas planned from day one, not discovered late.1Intake & Market ScopingWeek 12Research & Direct OutreachWeeks 1 to 23Screening & VettingWeeks 2 to 34Qualified Slate PresentedWeeks 3 to 55Offer Through OnboardingOffer to startSectors We ServeWho Do We Place in the Gulf?Universities & Branch CampusesHigher EducationPresidents, provosts, deans, program directors, and enrollment leaders for national universities and international branch campuses, including institutions accredited by both home-country and GCC regulators.PresidentProvostChief Academic OfficerDeanCampus DirectorEnrollment LeadershipExplore Higher EducationJCI-Accredited SystemsHealthcareMedical directors, nursing leadership, and hospital executives for JCI-accredited systems, with licensure pathways through bodies such as the DHA and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties mapped before offer stage.Medical DirectorsNursing LeadershipHospital ExecutivesDHA LicensureSCFHS PathwaysClinical EducationExplore HealthcareDIFC · ADGM · QFCFinancial ServicesSenior finance, risk, and compliance executives for institutions in the DIFC, ADGM, and QFC, and for banks regulated by central banks such as the CBB in Bahrain.Country ManagersRisk & ComplianceInvestment LeadershipFree Zone InstitutionsCentral Bank RegulatedFintechExplore Financial ServicesNational ProgramsGovernment & EnterpriseLeadership for ministries, sovereign development entities, and the private groups delivering national transformation programs such as Vision 2030.Director GeneralProgramme DirectorsSovereign EntitiesGiga-ProjectsTransformationOperationsExplore Government ServicesWhere We RecruitWhich Gulf Markets Does Excelon Cover?UAEUnited Arab EmiratesDubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, home to dense clusters of licensed international branch campuses regulated by the KHDA in Dubai and the CAA federally, plus the DIFC and ADGM financial free zones.Start a UAE SearchKSASaudi ArabiaRiyadh and Jeddah, where Vision 2030 is expanding universities, specialist hospitals, and giga-project organizations at a pace that outstrips the local executive supply.Start a Saudi SearchQATQatarDoha and Education City, which hosts branch campuses of major American universities alongside the Qatar Financial Centre.Start a Qatar SearchGCCKuwait, Bahrain & OmanEstablished private university and banking sectors, including our work with the American University of Bahrain, and a steady demand for Western-credentialed academic and clinical leadership.Start a SearchDubaiAbu DhabiSharjahRiyadhJeddahDohaManamaMuscatKuwait CityHiring elsewhere in the practice? See India and South Asia, MENA, UK and Europe, or return to the international recruitment hub.FeesWhat Does a Gulf Executive Search Cost?Gulf searches are priced the same way as every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, and the fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost with no markup. We benchmark offers against regional market data and present them in the total-package format Gulf candidates expect: tax-free base, housing, schooling, annual flights, and end-of-service benefits.Every placement on an international engagement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. For the full breakdown, including the contingency model and a fee calculator, see our guide to executive search fees.One fee basis, every market.Difficulty sets the number, not geography25 to 30%of first year compensation, retained3 Paymentstied to visible milestones3 to 12 Monthsguarantee on international engagements, by seniorityIn PracticeWhat Does Gulf Search Work Look Like in Practice?Our GCC client work includes the American University of Bahrain, and Gulf searches run on the same engine as the rest of the practice: direct outreach into North American, British, and global expatriate pools, credential verification calibrated to GCC regulators, and one accountable team from brief to onboarding.88Searches in the last 12 months, firmwide5Candidates on an average slate3 to 5 WksTo a qualified slateAmerican University of BahrainPrivate university, Riffa, Bahrain · GCC client workKeeping It MovingHow Do We Keep a Gulf Search From Stalling?A search that ignores the rules stalls at the offer letter.Role ScopingQuota Status Confirmed at IntakeWe confirm at intake whether a role is open to expatriate hires or reserved under a nationalization quota, and design the slate accordingly.Visas & SponsorshipTimelines Managed Into the PlanEmployment visas, iqama processing in Saudi Arabia, and family sponsorship are timeline items we manage into the search plan, not afterthoughts.AttestationThe Clock Starts EarlyDegrees and professional licenses typically require attestation before a work permit is issued. We start that clock early so start dates hold.Why ExcelonWhy Hire a US Firm for a Gulf Search?Most Gulf hires are international. We start where they live.ReachThe Pools That MatterMost senior hires in the Gulf are international candidates, and the strongest pools sit in North America and the UK. We recruit where those leaders already are.Since 2007Retained From the USHeadquartered in Asheville, North Carolina with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, running retained searches since 2007.Proven in the GulfAUBH Client WorkOur GCC client work includes the American University of Bahrain, alongside searches across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.One TeamBrief to OnboardingOne accountable team carries a GCC search from brief to onboarding, with nationalization, visas, and attestation planned in rather than discovered late.QuestionsGulf Recruitment Questions AnsweredWhat countries does Gulf executive search cover?Gulf executive search covers the six Gulf Cooperation Council states: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Excelon Associates recruits in all six, with the heaviest search activity in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.Does Excelon Associates recruit university presidents and provosts for the Gulf?Yes. Gulf higher education leadership is a core practice: presidents, chancellors, rectors, provosts and chief academic officers, deans, campus directors, and enrollment leaders for national universities and international branch campuses, including institutions accredited by both home-country and GCC regulators.Can a US search firm recruit effectively in the GCC?Yes. Most senior hires in the Gulf are international candidates, so the decisive advantage is reach into American, British, and global talent pools combined with knowledge of GCC visas, nationalization quotas, and compensation norms. That combination is exactly what a US-based international practice provides.How does Saudization or Emiratization affect an executive search?Nationalization programs set citizen employment quotas by sector and company size. Some roles must be filled by citizens, while most senior academic, clinical, and technical posts remain open to international candidates. We confirm a role's status at intake so the search targets the right pool from day one.What does compensation look like for Gulf executive roles?Gulf packages are typically built around a tax-free base salary plus housing, schooling, annual flights, and end-of-service benefits. We benchmark against regional market data and present offers in a total-package format candidates can compare with home-country earnings.What does a Gulf executive search cost?Gulf searches are priced like every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, all inclusive except candidate travel at cost. Every international placement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role.How long does a Gulf executive search take?Excelon Associates delivers a qualified slate of finalists in three to five weeks. Visa processing, credential attestation, and notice periods extend the time to start date, and we build those steps into the search plan at kickoff.Ready to Hire in the Gulf?Excelon Associates places presidents, provosts, medical directors, finance executives, and program leadership across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Tell us about the role and the market, and we will take it from there.Start a SearchAll International MarketsPrefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094[/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## UK and Europe Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/international-recruitment/uk-europe-recruitment/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] UK·EU International Recruitment · UK, Ireland & the EU UK and Europe Executive Search Retained executive search across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the European Union. We place university, health, financial services, and public sector leaders, with post-Brexit right-to-work and sponsorship planning handled inside the search.Start a SearchAll International Markets International HubGulf & GCCIndia & South AsiaMENA UK client work includes the University of East London · Delivered from Asheville, NC UK · IE · EUMarkets Covered 10 DaysUEL Candidates Presented 3 to 5 WksTo a Qualified Slate 3 MonthsTypical UK Senior Notice Vice-ChancellorDeputy Vice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostPrincipalRectorVice-RectorAcademic RegistrarDean of FacultyHead of SchoolUniversity SecretaryDirector of International RecruitmentVice-ChancellorDeputy Vice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostPrincipalRectorVice-RectorAcademic RegistrarDean of FacultyHead of SchoolUniversity SecretaryDirector of International Recruitment OverviewThe RouteProcessSectorsWhere We RecruitFeesIn PracticeRegulationWhy ExcelonFAQ Overview What Is UK and Europe Executive Search? Post-Brexit, the best UK slate is a global one. UK executive search is the retained recruitment of senior leaders for universities, health organizations, financial institutions, and public bodies in the United Kingdom, with the same model extending across Ireland and the European Union. Excelon Associates brings transatlantic reach to these searches: American and international candidates for UK and EU institutions, and European leaders for organizations expanding westward.Brexit reshaped the hiring map. EU nationals no longer move to the UK without sponsorship, which widened the field for global candidates and made sponsorship strategy a core part of every senior search. Institutions that plan for it hire from the whole world. Institutions that do not, hire from whoever is already in the country. The Route How Do International Leaders Get the Right to Work in the UK? Definition The Skilled Worker visa is the primary post-Brexit UK immigration route for sponsored employment. Employers holding a UKVI sponsor licence can hire international candidates into eligible roles, which now include most senior academic, clinical, and professional positions. Distinguished researchers and leaders may instead qualify for the Global Talent visa, which does not tie the candidate to a single employer. We map the route with the client at intake, so every finalist presented can legally start. Sponsor licenceconfirmed at intakeSkilled Worker orGlobal Talent routeGMC, NMC, and FCAchecks sequencedRight to work, handled inside the search How We Work How Does a UK Executive Search Work? Finalists in Three to Five Weeks Slate in 3 to 5 weeks. UK notice runs about 3 months; we plan for both. 1 Intake & Market Scoping Week 1 2 Research & Direct Outreach Weeks 1 to 2 3 Screening & Vetting Weeks 2 to 3 4 Qualified Slate Presented Weeks 3 to 5 5 Offer Through Onboarding Offer to start Sectors We Serve Who Do We Place in the UK and Europe? Universities & TNE Higher Education Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, deans, and directors of international recruitment for UK and European universities, including transnational education leadership for institutions operating campuses abroad. Vice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostDean of FacultyAcademic RegistrarTNE Leadership Explore Higher Education Clinical & Academic Health Clinical and academic health leadership, with GMC and NMC registration pathways for internationally trained physicians and nurses mapped before offer stage. Clinical DirectorsNursing LeadershipMedical EducationGMC PathwaysNMC PathwaysAllied Health Explore Healthcare FCA & PRA Regulated Financial Services Senior finance, risk, and compliance executives for institutions regulated by the FCA and PRA in the UK and their counterparts across the EU. Country ManagersRisk & ComplianceInvestment LeadershipFintech ExecutivesOperationsRegulatory Affairs Explore Financial Services Public Bodies Public Sector Executive leadership for public bodies and government-linked organizations on both sides of the Channel. Chief ExecutivesProgramme DirectorsPolicy LeadershipOperations DirectorsFinance LeadershipTransformation Explore Government Services Where We Recruit Which UK and European Markets Does Excelon Cover? UK United Kingdom London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh, across the university sector regulated by the Office for Students and QAA, NHS-linked health organizations, and firms answering to the FCA and PRA. Our client work includes the University of East London.Start a UK Search IRE Ireland Dublin's university, technology, and financial services sectors, a natural bridge market between the US and the EU. Ireland's common law system, English language, and EU membership make it a natural first landing for American organizations building a European base, and Irish institutions recruit globally for the same reason.Start an Ireland Search EU European Union Leadership searches in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and beyond, where the Bologna Process and ECTS keep academic structures interoperable across borders.Start an EU Search LondonManchesterBirminghamEdinburghDublinAmsterdamFrankfurtParis Hiring elsewhere in the practice? See Gulf and GCC, India and South Asia, MENA, or return to the international recruitment hub. Fees What Does a UK Executive Search Cost? UK and European searches are priced the same way as every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, and the fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost with no markup. The exact figure reflects the assessed difficulty of the specific search, not the market it sits in.Every placement on an international engagement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. For the full breakdown, including the contingency model and a fee calculator, see our guide to executive search fees. One fee basis, every market.Difficulty sets the number, not geography 25 to 30%of first year compensation, retained 3 Paymentstied to visible milestones 3 to 12 Monthsguarantee on international engagements, by seniority In Practice What Does a UK Engagement Look Like in Practice? In 2026, the University of East London, a public university founded in 1898, engaged Excelon to fill multiple roles across three continents: the United States, Egypt, and India. A UK institution recruiting globally, with different credentialing requirements in every market and one process across all of them. 3Continents recruited across: USA, Egypt, India 10 DaysCandidates presented, for each search in each country 60 DaysTo accepted offers University of East LondonPublic university, London, UK · Est. 1898 Visas and Regulation How Does Post-Brexit Immigration Affect Executive Hiring? No finalist is presented who cannot legally start. Sponsorship First Licence Confirmed at Intake We confirm the employer's UKVI sponsor licence status and the role's visa eligibility at intake, so the slate is built from candidates who can actually be hired. Visa Routes Skilled Worker and Global Talent Most senior academic and professional roles qualify under the Skilled Worker route, while distinguished researchers and leaders may use the Global Talent visa, which does not tie the candidate to a single employer. Registration GMC, NMC, and FCA Checks Health appointments require GMC or NMC registration, and regulated finance roles carry FCA fitness requirements. We sequence those checks inside the search timeline. Why Excelon Why Hire a US Firm for a UK Search? The deepest mobile talent pool sits across the Atlantic. Transatlantic Global Slates by Design Post-Brexit, the best slate for a UK role is a global one, and the deepest pool of internationally mobile academic and clinical leadership sits in North America. Since 2007 Retained From the US Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, running retained searches since 2007. Proven in the UK UEL Client Work Our UK client work includes the University of East London, including regional leadership placed in India for the university. Reach Every Search Fully Indexed Every campaign marketed online and fully indexed on Google at no additional cost to the client. Questions UK Recruitment Questions Answered What is UK executive search? UK executive search is retained recruitment of senior leadership for organizations in the United Kingdom. Excelon Associates runs these searches with transatlantic reach, presenting British, American, European, and global candidates on a single slate. Does Excelon Associates recruit Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Vice-Chancellors? Yes. UK and European higher education leadership is the core of our practice: Vice-Chancellors, Deputy and Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Provosts, Principals, Rectors, Deans of Faculty, and Academic Registrars, alongside directors of international recruitment and transnational education leadership. Can UK universities sponsor international executives after Brexit? Yes. Universities holding a UKVI sponsor licence can sponsor international hires under the Skilled Worker route, and senior academics may qualify for the Global Talent visa. Sponsorship strategy is part of our intake on every UK search. Does Excelon recruit for UK universities expanding overseas? Yes. UK transnational education is a core practice area, including leadership for overseas campuses and international recruitment functions. Our client work includes the University of East London, and we have placed regional leadership in India for a UK university. How does EU hiring differ from UK hiring? EU searches run under national labor law and the Bologna Process academic framework rather than UK immigration rules. EU citizens move freely between member states, which keeps European slates mobile, while UK roles now require sponsorship planning for non-UK candidates. What does a UK executive search cost? UK and European searches are priced like every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, all inclusive except candidate travel at cost. Every international placement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. How long does a UK executive search take? Excelon Associates delivers a qualified slate of finalists in three to five weeks. UK notice periods for senior roles commonly run three months, and visa processing adds several weeks for sponsored hires, so we set start date expectations at kickoff. Ready to Hire in the UK or Europe? Excelon Associates places Vice-Chancellors, deans, clinical leaders, finance executives, and public sector leadership across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the European Union. Tell us about the role and the market, and we will take it from there.Start a SearchAll International MarketsPrefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094 [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## South Asia and India Recruitment Source: https://excelonassociates.com/service-markets/international-recruitment/south-asia-india-recruitment/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.8" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]INDIAInternational Recruitment · India and South AsiaIndia and South Asia Executive SearchRetained executive search across India and its neighboring markets. We place university, hospital, financial services, and enterprise leaders in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, and beyond, with reach into the global Indian diaspora.Start a SearchAll International MarketsInternational HubUK & EuropeGulf & GCCMENAPlaced regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for a UK university operating in India · Delivered from Asheville, NC2 PoolsDomestic + Diaspora3 to 5 WksTo a Qualified Slate60 to 90 DaysTypical Senior Notice in IndiaEst. 2007US HeadquarteredVice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostRegistrarDeanDirectorPrincipalProgram DirectorNursing DeanMedical DirectorCountry HeadManaging DirectorVice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostRegistrarDeanDirectorPrincipalProgram DirectorNursing DeanMedical DirectorCountry HeadManaging DirectorOverviewNEP 2020ProcessSectorsWhere We RecruitFeesIn PracticeRegulationWhy ExcelonFAQOverviewWhat Is India and South Asia Executive Search?Two pools, one slate: domestic leaders and the returning diaspora.India executive search is the retained recruitment of senior leaders for universities, hospitals, financial institutions, and enterprises operating in India and the wider South Asia region. Excelon Associates runs these searches with two distinct pools: senior leaders inside India, and the global Indian diaspora, including executives in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Gulf who are ready to return for the right mandate.India is simultaneously a talent exporter and one of the world's fastest growing employment markets for senior leadership. The institutions winning that market pair global standards with genuine local fluency: NAAC and NIRF positioning in higher education, NABH accreditation in healthcare, and compensation that reflects both local benchmarks and diaspora expectations.The FrameworkHow Does NEP 2020 Change Leadership Hiring in India?DefinitionNEP 2020 (National Education Policy) is India's national framework for reforming education, which together with University Grants Commission regulations now permits qualifying foreign universities to establish campuses in India. It has opened a new market for transnational education leadership hiring.That corridor runs in both directions: foreign universities entering India and Indian institutions partnering abroad. Our placements include regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for a United Kingdom university operating in India.Domestic and diasporapools mappedUGC frame and visaroute scopedFRRO and relocationsequencedBoth markets, one searchHow We WorkHow Does an India Executive Search Work? Finalists in Three to Five WeeksNotice in India runs 60 to 90 days; we plan for it from day one.1Intake & Market ScopingWeek 12Research & Direct OutreachWeeks 1 to 23Screening & VettingWeeks 2 to 34Qualified Slate PresentedWeeks 3 to 55Offer Through OnboardingOffer to startSectors We ServeWho Do We Place in India and South Asia?Universities & Foreign CampusesHigher EducationVice chancellors, provosts, deans, and program directors for private universities and for foreign campuses entering India under UGC regulations, with NAAC and NIRF strategy experience.Vice-ChancellorPro-Vice-ChancellorProvostDeanRegistrarProgram DirectorsExplore Higher EducationNABH-Accredited SystemsHealthcareMedical directors, nursing deans, and hospital executives for NABH-accredited systems and academic medical centers governed by National Medical Commission norms.Medical DirectorsNursing DeansHospital ExecutivesAcademic MedicineNABH SystemsClinical EducationExplore HealthcareGIFT City · IFSCAFinancial ServicesSenior finance, risk, and compliance leaders for banks, fintech enterprises, and GIFT City institutions under IFSCA regulation.Risk & ComplianceBanking LeadershipFintech ExecutivesGIFT CityInvestment LeadershipOperationsExplore Financial ServicesCapability CentersEnterprise & TechnologyCountry heads, operations executives, and delivery leadership for multinational capability centers and Indian technology groups.Country HeadsManaging DirectorsDelivery LeadershipCapability CentersOperationsTransformationExplore All MarketsWhere We RecruitWhich South Asia and Asia Pacific Markets Does Excelon Cover?INDIndiaBengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune, spanning private universities, hospital groups, technology enterprises, and the GIFT City financial center regulated by the IFSCA.Start an India SearchTNETransnational CorridorsLeadership for foreign universities entering India and for Indian institutions partnering abroad. Our placements include regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for a United Kingdom university operating in India.Explore Campus SearchASIASri Lanka, Bangladesh & NepalEstablished private higher education and healthcare sectors with steady demand for internationally credentialed leadership.Start a SearchSEASingapore & ThailandSingapore and Bangkok anchor the wider Asia Pacific corridor: regional headquarters, international branch campuses, and health systems recruiting internationally credentialed leadership.Start a SearchBengaluruMumbaiDelhi NCRHyderabadChennaiPuneGIFT CityColomboDhakaSingaporeBangkokHiring elsewhere in the practice? See Gulf and GCC, MENA, UK and Europe, or return to the international recruitment hub.FeesWhat Does an India Executive Search Cost?India and South Asia searches are priced the same way as every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, and the fee is all inclusive except candidate travel, which is reimbursed at cost with no markup. Compensation guidance is calibrated to both local benchmarks and diaspora expectations, so offers land the first time.Every placement on an international engagement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role. For the full breakdown, including the contingency model and a fee calculator, see our guide to executive search fees.One fee basis, every market.Difficulty sets the number, not geography25 to 30%of first year compensation, retained3 Paymentstied to visible milestones3 to 12 Monthsguarantee on international engagements, by seniorityIn PracticeWhat Does an India Engagement Look Like in Practice?In 2026, the University of East London, a public UK university founded in 1898, engaged Excelon to fill roles across three continents, including regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for its operations in India. A transnational corridor search: UK institution, Indian market, global candidate pool, one process.3Continents recruited across: USA, Egypt, India10 DaysCandidates presented, for each search in each country60 DaysTo accepted offersUniversity of East LondonRegional leadership placed in Hyderabad and Chennai, IndiaRegulation and MobilityWhat Regulatory Factors Shape Hiring in India?Planned mobility is why offers land the first time.Foreign Campus EntryUGC Requirements Scoped InUGC regulations under NEP 2020 define which foreign universities can operate in India and how their leadership must be structured. We scope those requirements into the search brief.Visas & FRROTimelines Planned at KickoffInternational hires require employment visas and registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. We plan those timelines with the employer at kickoff.Diaspora ReturnThe Return Conversation, ManagedReturning Indian executives weigh compensation restructuring, schooling, and title equivalence. We manage those conversations so offers land the first time.Why ExcelonWhy Hire a US Firm for an India Search?The diaspora lives where we already recruit.Two PoolsBoth Sides of the MarketIndia rewards firms that can work both sides of the market: the domestic leadership pool and the global Indian diaspora across the US, UK, and Gulf.Since 2007Retained From the USHeadquartered in Asheville, North Carolina with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, running retained searches since 2007.Proven in IndiaHyderabad & ChennaiOur placements include regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for a UK university operating in India, a working transnational education corridor search.One TeamBrief to OnboardingOne accountable team carries an India search from brief to onboarding, with visas, FRRO registration, and relocation planned in rather than discovered late.QuestionsIndia Recruitment Questions AnsweredWhat is India executive search?India executive search is retained recruitment of senior leadership for organizations operating in India, drawing on two pools at once: leaders inside India and the global Indian diaspora open to returning for the right role.Does Excelon Associates recruit Vice-Chancellors in India?Yes. Indian higher education leadership is a core practice: Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, provosts, registrars, deans, and program directors for private universities and for foreign campuses entering India under UGC regulations, with NAAC and NIRF strategy experience.Can foreign universities hire leadership for campuses in India?Yes. Under NEP 2020 and current University Grants Commission regulations, qualifying foreign universities can establish Indian campuses and hire leadership for them. Excelon Associates has placed regional leadership in Hyderabad and Chennai for a UK university operating in India.Which Indian cities have the deepest executive talent pools?Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR hold the largest concentrations of senior executives, followed by Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune. The right city depends on sector: technology leadership clusters in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, financial services in Mumbai and GIFT City, and education leadership is distributed nationally.How does Excelon reach the Indian diaspora?Through the same retained research model we use domestically: mapped target lists across the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Gulf, direct outreach, and structured assessment. Diaspora candidates respond to specific mandates with clear scope, which is exactly what a retained search presents.What does an India executive search cost?India and South Asia searches are priced like every Excelon engagement: retained search runs 25 to 30 percent of first year compensation, billed in three milestone payments, all inclusive except candidate travel at cost. Every international placement carries a guarantee of 3 to 12 months depending on the seniority of the role.How long does an executive search in India take?Excelon Associates delivers a qualified slate of finalists in three to five weeks. Notice periods in India commonly run 60 to 90 days for senior roles, so we plan start dates around that reality from the outset.Ready to Hire in India or South Asia?Excelon Associates places vice chancellors, medical directors, finance executives, and country leadership across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the wider Asia Pacific including Singapore and Thailand, drawing on domestic and diaspora pools alike. Tell us about the role and the market, and we will take it from there.Start a SearchAll International MarketsPrefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417-7094[/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Meet the Excelon Team Source: https://excelonassociates.com/meet-the-excelon-team/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.7" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.7" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] IV Our People · Est. 2007 Meet the Excelon Associates Team Excelon Associates is led by a four-person team with 45 combined years of recruiting experience and practical backgrounds in the sectors we serve. These are the people behind the placements. Start a Search Contact Us Asheville, NC · Boca Raton, FL · Delray Beach, FL · Serving clients nationally and internationally Susan FormanPresident / CEO Randie LevineEducation & Healthcare Monica VeredBusiness Development Joshua FormanOperations 2007 Established 4 Leadership Team 45+ Combined Yrs Experience 3 Office Locations Who We Are Who Leads Excelon Associates? Excelon Associates is led by founder Susan Forman, President and CEO, alongside a four-person leadership team with 45 combined years of recruiting experience. The team pairs full-cycle search expertise with practical backgrounds in the sectors the firm serves, including a master's prepared nurse heading education and healthcare and an active equity and options trader heading the financial services practice. Founded in 2007, Excelon Associates is built on deep sector knowledge rather than generalist recruiting. Every member of the team carries active industry relationships and a track record of placing senior leaders who meet or exceed what their organizations expect. Below are the people behind the placements. Definition Practitioner-led recruiting means searches are run by people from the field itself rather than generalists: a former nurse recruits healthcare and nursing program leadership, and an active trader leads financial services searches, so candidates and clients work with people who genuinely understand the role being filled. Leadership The People Behind Excelon Associates Founder Susan Forman President / CEO Founded Excelon Associates in 2007 with a focus on higher education recruitment. Her instinct for matching the right leader with the right institution has been the foundation of the firm's reputation since day one, and she continues to lead searches at the highest levels of the institutions the firm serves. Founded the Firm, 2007Higher Education Search View Full BioLinkedInEmail Education & Healthcare Randie Levine VP, Education and Healthcare Recruitment A master's prepared nurse who practiced neonatal and pediatric critical care nursing in NYC before moving to full-cycle talent acquisition across education and healthcare. Candidates for clinical and academic leadership roles speak with a recruiter who has stood where they stand. Master's-Prepared NurseNeonatal & Pediatric Critical Care View Full BioLinkedInEmail Business Development Monica Vered VP, Business Development and Recruitment With over 17 years at Excelon Associates, Monica works across higher education, K-12, healthcare, technology, and operations, with a particular instinct for relationship building and cultural fit. Much of the firm's repeat business begins with a relationship she started. 17+ Years at ExcelonCross-Sector Recruitment View Full BioLinkedInEmail Operations Joshua Forman VP, Operations Oversees the firm's financial services division, operational infrastructure, and talent pipeline strategy. An active licensed equity and options trader with deep blockchain and digital asset industry knowledge, he leads the practice serving traditional finance and web3 organizations. Licensed Equity & Options TraderDigital Asset Markets View Full BioLinkedInEmail Who We Are What Are Excelon Associates' Core Values? Four values govern how the team works, and they shape every search the firm takes on. Core Value Honesty We tell clients and candidates the truth, even when it is not what they want to hear. That directness is what makes long-term relationships possible. Core Value Integrity Every search is conducted with the same standard of care regardless of size. Our reputation is built one placement at a time. Core Value Loyalty We commit to clients for the long term, not just the length of a single search. Most of our work comes from clients who come back. Core Value Excellence We hold a track record of placing senior leaders who meet or exceed what their organizations expect, search after search. Our core values of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and excellence are not talking points. They are the operating principles behind every search we run. The Difference Why Work With the Excelon Team? What separates the Excelon team is who does the recruiting. Searches are led by practitioners, not generalists: a former nurse recruits healthcare and nursing program leadership, and an active trader leads financial services searches, so candidates and clients work with people who genuinely understand the field. That sector fluency, combined with a retained and exclusive search model, is why the majority of the firm's work comes from clients who return search after search. The team recruits from entry level through the C-suite, domestically and internationally, and approaches high performers in their current roles rather than waiting for applicants. Read more about how the firm works on the About page, or explore the markets we serve across our service markets. See who the team has placed Browse a selection of completed searches across all four markets in our recent campaigns. View Recent Campaigns Proof What Do Clients and Candidates Say? 5.0 ★★★★★ Excelon Associates holds a 5.0 rating on Google from clients and candidates across all four service markets: higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government. Read the full set of verified reviews on our Google Business Profile. Read our Google Reviews → Questions Frequently Asked Questions Work With Our Team Whether you are hiring a senior leader or exploring your next opportunity, the Excelon Associates team is ready to help. Headquartered in Asheville, NC. Serving clients nationally and internationally since 2007. Start a Search Contact Us [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section] --- ## Hire Top Talent Source: https://excelonassociates.com/open-role/ [et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" theme_builder_area="post_content" _builder_version="4.27.7" _module_preset="default"][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version="4.27.7" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"] 07 For Employers · Start a Search Hire Top Talent Submit your open role in about two minutes and hear back from a recruiter within one business day. Most searches reach a vetted finalist shortlist in three to five weeks. 1A recruiter responds within one business day 2Vetted finalist shortlist in three to five weeks 3Every placement backed by a 90 day guarantee 4No cost and no obligation to start the conversation Follow Us Prefer to talk now? +1 (828) 417 7094 Start your search Tell us about the role. It takes about two minutes. Your name * Work email * Organization Phone Practice area Select oneHigher EducationHealthcareFinancial ServicesGovernmentTemporary StaffingNot sure / Other Role you are hiring * Tell us about the role Job description (optional)Attach a current job description if you have one. PDF or Word, up to 5 MB. Submit Your Role We respond within one business day. No cost or obligation to start the conversation, and every placement is backed by a 90 day guarantee. Two minutes, tops. Thank you. Your role is on its way. A member of our team will be in touch within one business day. Prefer to talk now? Call +1 (828) 417 7094. 2007 Established 1 Business Day to Respond 3 to 5 wks To Finalist Shortlist 4.8 ★ 45 Google Reviews Reviews What is it like to work with Excelon? Excelon Associates holds a 4.8 rating across 45 Google reviews. The reviews below come from people who moved through our searches, the same process every finalist on your shortlist will experience. Hover over any card to read the full review, or tap to pin it open. Go ahead, hover or tap any card. ★★★★★"Sue Forman and the team at Excelon..."William LowerySue Forman and the team at Excelon Associates are the premier search firm serving the U.S. education community. Their expertise goes beyond successful placements. They bring a genuine passion for expanding access to high-quality education. As both a candidate and a hiring organization, I've seen firsthand their commitment, professionalism, and results. I highly recommend Excelon Associates for anyone seeking a trusted partner in education-focused executive search. ★★★★★"Each and every time I work with..."JeffreyEach and every time I work with this group, the level of service is incredible. This group truly cares about their clients on both sides (employer and job seeker). They have a high level of transparency and intregrity each and every time I am looking to fill an open position. I truly appreciate their partnership in the process. ★★★★★"Joshua and Susan did an absolutely phenomenal..."Stephen ShuttJoshua and Susan did an absolutely phenomenal job! Joshua was incredibly communicative and made sure that I had all the information up front, and was always immediate in his responses and follow-ups - never once making light of concerns or questions. Both Joshua and Susan were incredibly professional and made sure that I had what I needed to make my decisions, and that the questions I had were answered to the best of their ability. I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone wanting a quality experience and end result - both on the hiring side, as well as on the "being hired" side. ★★★★★"I had the distinct pleasure of working..."Martha LopezI had the distinct pleasure of working with Josh throughout my recent job search, and I must say that he has truly set the bar high for what a recruiter should be! His professionalism, dedication, and brilliance stood out remarkably. What truly distinguished Josh was his assertiveness, approaching his work with a determination that made me feel valued as a candidate! His exceptional communication skills, providing timely updates and guidance, made the process much smoother and less stressful. I have immense respect and appreciation for the tremendous effort Josh invested in my search. Without hesitation, I wholeheartedly recommend him to any job seeker. ★★★★★"I can't express enough gratitude for Susan..."Jorge MoralesI can't express enough gratitude for Susan Forman at Excelon Associates. She played an instrumental role in helping me secure my dream job. Her professionalism, dedication, and extensive industry knowledge were evident throughout the entire recruitment process. Susan took the time to understand my career aspirations and matched me perfectly with an opportunity that aligned with my skills and goals. Her guidance and support were invaluable, from refining my resume to preparing for interviews, Susan ensured I was well-prepared every step of the way. I highly recommend Susan Forman to anyone seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable recruiter who genuinely cares about their clients' success. ★★★★★"Very good experience with the overall recruitment..."Kelly MurphyVery good experience with the overall recruitment process from start to finish. Both Sue and Josh were very helpful. They do great work in the healthcare space. ★★★★★"The level of professionalism demonstrated by the..."Felix M RamosThe level of professionalism demonstrated by the Excelon Associates team is unmatched, especially Joshua. The guidance and support he provided was exceptional. He walked me through the entire process, patiently answering all of my questions and ensuring I felt confident every step of the way. ★★★★★"I wanted to take a moment to..."Stacy GrantI wanted to take a moment to thank Josh and Susan for recruiting me and guiding me through the process. I truly appreciate the time, professionalism, and confidence you showed in connecting me with this opportunity. Your communication and support throughout the process made a real difference, and I'm grateful for the role you played in helping bring everything together. Opportunities like this don't happen without someone willing to recognize the right fit and make the introduction. ★★★★★"From the start, Monica and the team..."Diane JasperFrom the start, Monica and the team were supportive, listened to my career goals and went right to work to help me get me connected to the right job that suited the company goals and my needs. This team really cares. Monica followed up with me throughout the process to ensure everything was going well. Thanks to her, I was able to land my dream job in a fabulous location! Thanks to Monica and the Excelon team! I highly recommend Excelon! ★★★★★"I had the pleasure of working with..."KatieI had the pleasure of working with Randie for the past few months. From our initial contact, she was different from anyone else who reached out. Randie was responsive to my concerns, answered my plethora of questions, and was refreshingly honest. Most of all, she provides a constant positive presence throughout the entirety of the process. She is a fantastic cheerleader. ★★★★★"I worked mostly with Max and he..."Heather DrakeI worked mostly with Max and he was just excellent! Everyone at Excelon was excellent! They were all super knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to talk to. Max made the entire process super easy. All I had to do was show up. I now work as an instructor, and I honestly didn't think I'd ever fulfill my dream job. But these guys helped made it possible. I highly recommend this company!! ★★★★★"Josh did a great job giving me..."Kelvin MuJosh did a great job giving me relevant background and context, prepping me for my interviews, and answering my questions. He was super responsive and respectful of my time as well. Couldn't have worked with a better executive recruiter. Will be looking to use them on the recruitment side in the near future. ★★★★★"It was a pleasure to work with..."Josh HamiltonIt was a pleasure to work with Randie Levine and Susan Forman. Two incredible professionals who act with integrity and compassion to match professionals with sought-after opportunities in leading organizations. The process was enjoyable for me, and I would highly recommend Excelon Associates to any colleague who's searching for the next great opportunity! ★★★★★"I wanted to thank Randie Levin for..."David WoodI wanted to thank Randie Levin for her professionalism during my job search as she was always communicating with me on how the process was going. She would always take my calls and she always displayed a positive attitude during this process and for that I just wanted to thank her for that!!! I would recommend Randie and the Excelon group to anyone who is looking for a position as they are excellent at what they do. ★★★★★"Very professional team! Joshua was awesome..."Julie JordanVery professional team! Joshua was awesome as he assisted me in joining the team at Arizona College of nursing in Ontario. ★★★★★"Max was great to work with and..."Bree WoodMax was great to work with and supported me through the interview process. He found me on LinkedIn and was very professional. He made his objectives clear and didn't want to waste either of our time. He kept me updated through text, calls, and email. I appreciated the guidance and am happy to say I have a new position I am very excited about! ★★★★★"Randie was amazing. She kept me informed..."Fred AlvaradoRandie was amazing. She kept me informed throughout the process, was able to get me a position that I wanted seamlessly and almost effortlessly. And then her follow up afterwards was great. I will say she truly cares. ★★★★★"The support and encouragement I received from..."Dinorah Martinez-AndersonThe support and encouragement I received from Monica positioned my opportunity for an unexpected promotion. Her gentle consistent guidance paved the way for my dream job!! It can happen with Excelon... I'm so grateful! ★★★★★"Sue was an absolute delight to work..."Brian ZottiSue was an absolute delight to work with, a real professional! She asked relevant questions, helped to advocate my inquiries, and coached me throughout the process. It was a real pleasure to have her as an advocate. ★★★★★"My experience with Susan and her entire..."Engineer RodriguezMy experience with Susan and her entire team was great, she is definitely a very high level recruiter with an enthusiastic attitude. I am glad to say that I am more than satisfied with her services and expertise. ★★★★★"Monica is a true professional! She is..."Rafael ZamoraMonica is a true professional! She is very courteous, patient and kind. Monica made the whole recruiting and interview process run smoothly. She is great at her profession! Thank you Monica! ★★★★★"I found Randie to be highly professional..."Patricia DaviesI found Randie to be highly professional. She enabled me to think clearly about the position I was applying for. Randie also encouraged me to reflect on my training and background and to set realistic career goals. ★★★★★"The team at Excelon is amazing! They..."Yanina TorresThe team at Excelon is amazing! They are very professional and pay close attention to detail. They go above and beyond for you and make sure they match you with a role where your experience lines up perfectly. They stop at nothing to help you achieve your career goals. ★★★★★"Excelon Associates were phenomenal during my job..."Olamide CokerExcelon Associates were phenomenal during my job search process. Everyone on the team were passionate about providing support and encouragement. It's quite refreshing to see a recruitment firm that strives to advocate for the candidates. ★★★★★"Josh Forman is terrific! He always went..."Fatima TJosh Forman is terrific! He always went out of his way to ensure I had all the information I needed and more. I highly recommend this firm and Josh's service in particular. Show all 25 reviews Read all 45 reviews on Google ×★★★★★ What Happens Next From submit to shortlist, step by step 1 Submit your role Use the short form above. Share as much or as little as you have; we fill in the rest on the call.Takes about 2 minutes 2 We respond in one business day A recruiter reaches out to confirm the details and scope a retained search built around your role.Within 1 business day 3 Shortlist in three to five weeks We source, approach, and vet candidates directly, then present a finalist shortlist for your review.Finalists in 3 to 5 weeks Results What results do employers see? Every figure below comes from Excelon's completed searches and is published in full in our 2026 benchmarks. 88 Searches completed in the last 12 months 5 Interviewed candidates per slate, on average 490+ Search campaigns published to LinkedIn and indexed on Google Case in point: University of East London, 2026 UEL's leadership in London engaged Excelon, a US firm, to run hiring across three markets: Miami, Egypt, and India. The mandates came from London and every search ran from our Asheville headquarters. Candidates were presented within 10 days of each search launching, and offers were accepted within 60 days. LondonUEL, the clientsearch mandateExcelonsearch team, AshevilleMiamiEgyptIndiacandidates in 10 daysoffers in 60 days One mandate from London, hires on three continents. 2026 Search BenchmarksRecent Campaigns What a typical search looks like Day 0mandate signedDay 1we respondWeek 3 to 5shortlist of 5 finalistsHire made90 day guarantee starts Our Practices Recruiting Across Five Specialist Practices Not sure where your role fits? Submit it above and we will route it to the right team. Or jump straight to a practice. Higher Education Presidents, provosts, deans, and senior administrators for colleges, universities, and trade schools.Explore Higher Education → Healthcare Executives, physicians, CRNAs, nurse leaders, and allied health for hospitals and health programs.Explore Healthcare → Financial Services CFOs, private equity and VC, investment banking, and blockchain talent.Explore Financial Services → Government City and county managers, directors, and senior leaders for state and local government.Explore Government → Temporary Staffing Vetted contract, temp-to-hire, and interim professionals across all four sectors.Explore Temporary Staffing → The Model What Is a Retained Search? Retained Search The Excelon Model One firm, full commitment In a retained search the firm works exclusively on your role and manages the entire process, including direct outreach to passive candidates. Fee25 to 30% of first-year compensation, billed in thirds as the search progresses EngagementExclusive; one firm accountable for the outcome OutreachDirect approach to passive, currently employed high performers Best ForSenior, hard-to-fill, and confidential searches Contingency Search Pay only on the hire Contingency recruiters compete to submit resumes and are paid only if their candidate is hired, which tends to favor speed over depth. Fee20 to 25% of first-year compensation, due only when a candidate is hired EngagementNon-exclusive; multiple recruiters may compete on the role OutreachLeans on active applicants and fast resume submission Best ForStraightforward roles where speed matters most Compare Retained vs. Contingent Search → Pricing Executive Search Fees Guide → Data 2026 Search Benchmarks → Process Step-by-Step Search Process → Proof Recent Campaigns → Questions Quick Answers Before You Reach Out How do I start a search with Excelon Associates? Submit the short form on this page, or call us at +1 (828) 417-7094. A recruiter responds within one business day to learn about the role and scope the search. How fast will I hear back? Within one business day. As soon as you submit your role, a member of our team reaches out to confirm the details and outline next steps. How long does a search take? Most retained searches present a vetted finalist shortlist in three to five weeks, depending on the role, seniority, and market. Which sectors does Excelon Associates recruit for? Higher education, healthcare, financial services, and government, plus temporary and contract staffing across all four of those sectors. Is there any cost or obligation to reach out? No. Submitting your role and having the first conversation are free with no obligation. Retained search is a paid engagement, and we walk you through the fee structure when we scope the role, before you commit to anything. What information do you need to start a search? To begin we only need your name, contact details, and the role you are hiring for. We build the full role profile, requirements, compensation range, and timeline together on the first call. What is the difference between retained search and contingency recruiting? In a retained search the firm works exclusively on your role and manages the entire process, including direct outreach to passive candidates. Contingency recruiters compete to submit resumes and are paid only if their candidate is hired, which tends to favor speed over depth. Can you run a confidential or replacement search? Yes. We regularly handle confidential searches, including quietly replacing someone currently in a role, and manage every step discreetly to protect both the client and the candidates. Do you offer a guarantee on placements? Yes. Every Excelon placement carries a 90 day guarantee. If the hire leaves or does not work out inside that window, we rerun the search at no additional fee. For executive level placements, the guarantee scales up to 6 months. Ready to Start? Submit Your Role. Tell us about your open role and a recruiter will be in touch within one business day. No cost, no obligation, and every placement backed by a 90 day guarantee. Prefer to talk? Call +1 (828) 417 7094 Submit Your Role Explore Service Markets [/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section]