Principal – Executive Search
Independent Schools Focus
Who are we?
DRG is a talent advisory group that serves nonprofit organizations, including a wide range of independent schools, that care for, inspire, and enrich the lives of people all over the world. Our team of talent advisors shares a commitment to the values that matter to our clients, bringing more than 35 years of experience to serving the nonprofit community.
As a talent advisory group, we offer a suite of services to help nonprofits search for, attract, and nurture innovative, diverse leadership for their organizations. We also help organizations maximize their impact through talent assessments, transition planning, and by providing insights into compensation and organizational design. Our mission is to support nonprofits in bringing together the right leadership, talent, culture, and structure – so people and organizations can thrive together.
The Job
DRG Talent is continuing to build on a period of exciting growth and expansion. We are looking for people to join the team who are nimble, embody a can-do attitude, and are willing to operate in a fast-paced growth environment. We are seeking to hire a Principal of Executive Search with an Independent Schools focus to help drive business development, and to manage and deliver high-impact client engagements across the full cycle of Executive Search services including some Organizational Consulting projects based on the Principal’s background and interest. The Principal will have a focus on engagements within the Independent Schools practice but may also lead and work on engagements across the full range of DRG clients.
What will I do every day?
Business Development
The Principal will develop business relationships by spending structured and directed time meeting and engaging with leaders in the independent schools community and maintaining those relationships with effective communication and follow up. The Principal will build a public profile for their work and contribute to the thought leadership of the company on issues that are relevant to our core business. For this role, we are looking for candidates who have independent motivation as well as demonstrated experience and success in cultivating, securing, and stewarding new business from new clients in the independent school community.
Client Engagements
The Principal will play an integral role in advancing simultaneous client engagements from kickoff to successful completion. Core areas of work include client management, candidate management, project management, and facilitation. This role will primarily lead teams within our Executive Search practice, while also offering opportunities to collaborate with our Organizational Consulting team based on Principal’s interest and background. Principals typically serve as the primary point of contact for clients and may operate independently or lead a team of consultants depending on the complexity and scope of each engagement. Principals typically have a supervisory role at DRG and work to help elevate and grow our team of Talent Consultants.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for collaborative leaders with a positive can-do attitude, exceptional communication skills, and a strong drive to build and steward client relationships. Principals are expert facilitators of complex conversations, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, and deeply committed to advancing the work of schools, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropies. They combine strategic acuity with impeccable follow-through, a superior work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and accountability.
The ideal candidate brings:
· Deep knowledge of the independent school sector
· At least 15 years of professional experience
· Proven success in business development
· At least 7 years of executive search experience or a combination of independent school leadership and search experience or related consulting or client services experience
We recognize that experience comes in many forms and encourage candidates from different backgrounds to apply.
Core Competencies and Skills:
· Deep knowledge of independent schools and the education sector
· Expertise in executive search
· Strong facilitation and presentation skills
· Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft high-quality deliverables
· Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging values
· Excellent business development and client relationship management skills
· Demonstrated capacity to manage projects and lead project teams effectively
· Creativity and a solutions-oriented mindset
· Strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and a sense of humor
· Comfort with technology and learning new platforms and systems (ie: Loxo (DRG’s applicant tracking system) and Metaview (DRG’s AI Notetaker)
· Highly proficient in MS Office (especially Word and Excel); proficiency in Canva a plus
Compensation and Benefits:
· DRG offers a comprehensive compensation package, which is made up of multiple components in addition to your base salary. The starting base salary for this position is $140,000, plus commission and discretionary and business development bonus opportunities.
· Health, dental, and vision insurance (DRG covers 100% of the base rate for all employees), plus complimentary access to supplemental health programs like Kindbody and One Medical
· Employee Assistance and Health and Wellness programs
· Flexible Spending Account options
· Generous PTO policy (20 days) and expanded holiday/office closure calendar (27 days) for a total of 47 paid days away from the office annually
· Early Friday office closures
· 401k with matching (after one year of employment)
· Wellness stipend
· Expanded Parental Leave
· Home office set-up stipend
· Professional development opportunities
· Sabbatical opportunities
· A great team!
We look forward to sharing more details about the total value of candidate compensation packages.
Work Environment: This is a full-time, exempt position. Location is flexible with a strong preference for the Northeast U.S.; our staff works from home offices or shared workspaces near where they live. Travel 2-3 times per year expected for staff gatherings and additional travel may be required depending on client needs. While most of our work happens within standard business hours, many of our clients are volunteers, and some search committee meetings may occur during the evening or weekend hours.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
DRG considers the diversity of our workforce to be vital to our company’s overall success. We believe the more inclusive we are the better our work will be. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills with the goal of being a team that is representative, at all job levels, of our view that all people have equal value, unique skills and individual lived experiences. As such we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
As an equal opportunity employer, all aspects of employment—including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge—are based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. All employment decisions at DRG are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race; color; religion or belief; national, social or ethnic origin; sex; age; physical, mental or sensory disability; HIV Status; sexual orientation; gender identity and/or expression; marital, civil union or domestic partnership status; past or present military service; family or parental status; or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
DRG is committed to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination. DRG prohibits discrimination in employment against any employee or job applicant because of that person’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, ancestry or national origin, citizenship, marital status, military status, genetic information, pregnancy, disability, or any other legally protected status under applicable law. DRG also prohibits harassment, including sexual harassment, of any employee or job applicant.