Nero Partners
Retained Exec Search, £160k+ Fees, Technology Focused
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Senior Search Associate | Tech Leadership in Finance
About the Firm
A boutique retained executive search firm specialising in financial services is expanding its tech leadership practice. Here’s what sets them apart:
- 95% retained mandates – Reduced volume and higher quality over felt competitive fees
- Average fee: £150k+ per placement
- 80%+ placements land Director to Board level
Client Portfolio
- Public and private markets:
- Hedge Funds
- Proprietary Trading (Prop) Shops
- High-Frequency Trading (HFT) Firms
- Private Equity (PE) Firms
- Asset Managers
Role Overview
The successful candidate will have:
- Ownership of research, market mapping, and shortlist presentations for live retained engagements
- A focus on perfection over volume – delivering the best 5-10 candidates rather than casting a wide net
- The opportunity to build deep market knowledge across diverse financial services clients
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Key Positions Trained in:
- CTOs (Chief Technology Officers)
- CIOs (Chief Information Officers)
- CPOs (Chief Product Officers)
- Directors of Engineering
- Heads of AI
Requirements
Experience
- 3–5 years in executive search, or equivalent high-fee contingent experience
- Strong preference for research-heavy profiles: Deep, insightful first-hand analysis over broad, superficial outreach
- Contingent recruiting for Hedge Funds currently preferred (transitioning to a retained approach)
- Academic excellence welcomed – Hiring based on quality and trajectory, not existing client roster or book size
- Willingness to specialise across financial services sectors rather than limiting to one area
Get help with your application
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Compensation & Perks
Base Salary
- £60–80k (depending on experience)
Performance Potential
- Commission on a retained desk where the average fee exceeds £150k, significantly outstripping typical contingent placements
- Fewer but higher-value mandates, with genuine full-cycle process ownership
- Portfolio-growth opportunity – Hone and shape a growing practice with additional roles throughout the year
“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.”
Jessica, London
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