Research Associate (Executive Recruiting)

Introduction:

Heyman Associates is a leading executive search firm specializing in senior level roles exclusively in the communications, corporate affairs, marketing, and investor relations professions. Heyman Associates was established in 1989 and for over 35 years, has worked with the world’s best organizations to identify talent who elevate brands and cultures, protect reputations, and powerfully engage stakeholders for success. Building professional connections, engaging with industry top talent, and partnering with impressive clients is all in a day’s work as a Research Associate with Heyman Associates. Our boutique approach and close-knit team allows for collaboration, growth, and unique opportunities within executive search. Our clients include prominent companies, prestigious universities, nonprofits, trade associations, and innovative growth companies across the globe to hire senior leaders.

Role Summary:

We’re seeking a bright, energetic, and proactive Research Associate who is a personable communicator, go-getter, and all-around problem solver. The Research Associate is an essential member of the team who drives the strategic development and execution of candidate research, outreach, and assessment. If this sounds interesting, then you should consider joining us.

The Research Associate will support the search lead in all aspects of the full cycle search process, including identifying prospective candidates, industry mapping, cold/vetting calls, document creation, and general search management. This role will also support the firm’s overall business development by compiling comprehensive information about current clients and new business targets by gathering internal and external resources and actively updating the company database.

The successful candidate will have an outgoing personality with a high degree of comfort building relationships over the phone, video and face-to-face meetings, often with senior management of major organizations. They will be a motivated self-starter who can work independently and as a part of a dynamic team in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

Work directly with senior team / client partners to complete executive search assignments, serving as the lead on candidate identification and outreach.

Create position descriptions based on existing client position descriptions or from scratch, tailoring each to a client’s specific needs.

Work both independently and with a team to develop candidate research strategy, identifying qualified potential candidates from an internal database, direct sourcing from LinkedIn/social media, trade/business publications, the internet, and other forms of outside research.

Proactively make outgoing calls to identify and qualify candidates through efficient phone and/or video conversations. Provide feedback to senior consultant on qualifications and fit.

Provide a competitive pipeline of candidates for search lead to interview, with the goal of a high-quality shortlist to present to clients.

Deliver polished and timely written updates to the client on search progress; participate in client conference calls on a weekly basis.

Track candidates’ status throughout the search’s life; regularly communicate to and correspond with your candidates ensuring that they are kept up to date on all stages of a search.

Contribute to larger firm culture and development by providing insights from active searches, candidate conversations, and overall market insights gained through a search process.

Stay up to date on industry trends and business news.

Support business development on an as needed basis, completing projects such as compensation research, target company mapping, and target candidate profiles.

Maintain accurate and up to date information on each search and every candidate.

Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree, preferably with at least one year of internship or work experience in a professional office or hybrid setting. Not required, but preferred degree in English, Communications, or related field.

Superb organizational skills and attention to detail.

Experience dealing with competing deadlines; ability to multitask and handle shifting priorities.

Poised and mature demeanor with excellent interpersonal skills.

Complete discretion regarding highly confidential matters, the ability to work well with senior-most executives.

Prior experience in qualitative research. Proficiency at gathering information from online and other sources.

Strong writing and editing skills; complete administrative skill set preferred.

Energetic, personable, and hard-working with a sense of humor.

Intellectually curious; motivated to learn about new industries, companies, and business needs.

Strong communication skills, both written and oral.

Professional telephone/video conference etiquette; comfortable with active outreach.

While not required, ideal candidate will have experience creating and editing a high volume of detailed documents, charts, and other materials, and is tech-savvy with previous experience learning how to use a talent management database or other system.