CLM Search
Principal Consultant
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Principal Consultant – Defence
Location
London HQ
Reporting To
CEO
About CLM Search
CLM Search is a specialist executive search firm operating across Manufacturing, Energy and Technology.
With offices in London, Austin, and Rabat, we support organisations at the forefront of innovation by identifying and securing the leaders who drive growth, transformation, and competitive advantage.
Our Defence capability sits within our Manufacturing business and focuses on supporting organisations developing the next generation of defence technologies, platforms, and systems. As part of our continued growth, we are looking for an experienced Principal Consultant to help build and scale our Defence Manufacturing & Advanced Systems practice.
The Opportunity
This is a rare opportunity to join a growing executive search business and work directly alongside the CEO and founders to build a market-leading Defence practice.
- You will be given ownership of a specialist Defence vertical and the freedom to develop your market strategy, build client relationships, and establish yourself as a recognised expert within your niche.
- We are looking for someone with a genuine hunter mentality who enjoys creating opportunities, winning new business, and building long-term partnerships.
This role offers significant autonomy and responsibility, but also accountability. We expect our consultants to operate with an ownership mindset and take responsibility for driving growth within their market.
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It searches the market for you
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Only hits
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For the right individual, there is a clear pathway towards leadership and the opportunity to build and lead a specialist team as the practice expands.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and grow a specialist Defence market vertical
- Generate and convert new business opportunities
- Build relationships with senior leaders across Defence organisations
- Deliver retained and contingent executive search assignments
- Establish yourself as a recognised market expert
- Produce valuable market intelligence and industry insights
- Build a strong personal brand within your chosen niche
- Collaborate with leadership to define and execute growth strategies
- Support the development of future team members
Markets We Cover
Land Systems
- Precision Fires
- Armoured Vehicles
- Ground-Based Sensors
- Command & Control
Aerospace & Air Systems
- Air-to-Air Missiles
- Air-to-Surface Effectors
- Surveillance & Reconnaissance
- Radar & Targeting Systems
- Aircraft Platforms
Naval Systems
- Surface Vessels
- Maritime Sensors
- Mine Neutralisation Systems
- Advanced Weapons Systems
- Naval Command & Control
Advanced Defence Technologies
- Ammunition
- Electronics
- Drones & Counter-UAS
- Interceptors
- Unmanned Systems
About You
You are a highly competitive and commercially driven recruiter who enjoys building markets and winning new business.
You have a strong understanding of Defence manufacturing environments and are motivated by becoming the leading recruiter within your chosen niche.
Get help with your application
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You are:
- A proven hunter
- Entrepreneurial and ambitious
- Highly resilient
- Commercially focused
- Accountable for your results
- Passionate about building market expertise
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Motivated by long-term career growth
Experience Required
- Minimum 2-3 years recruitment or executive search experience within Defence
- Proven billing track record within Defence markets
- Strong business development capability
- Deep understanding of Defence Manufacturing and Advanced Systems
- Experience across EMEA and/or North America
- Established Defence network preferred
- Previous mentoring experience advantageous
Why Join CLM Search?
- Direct access to the CEO and founders
- Opportunity to help build a strategic growth area of the business
- Ownership of your own specialist market vertical
- Significant autonomy and responsibility
- Clear pathway to leadership and team-building opportunities
- International platform spanning Europe, North America, and MENA
- Entrepreneurial, high-performance culture
- Uncapped earning potential
- Opportunity to become a recognised Defence market expert
If you are looking for the opportunity to build a market, shape a practice, and play a key role in the growth of an ambitious executive search business, we would love to hear from you.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
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