Head of Sales search
Hiring a Head of Sales? Hire one who is already winning.
Whether it is the first senior sales leader in a scale-up or a replacement in an established team, your Head of Sales sets the pace for revenue. As a specialist head of sales headhunter, we approach proven leaders for SaaS, AI and enterprise technology businesses across the UK and US, EMEA, the UAE and APAC. Every candidate is approached discreetly and assessed on evidence.
- ✓Retained search for TCS, Capgemini, Atos, BAE Systems and Zendesk
- ✓More than 500 senior leaders placed since 2005
- ✓Every mandate delivered within its agreed timeline
Others send CVs and flashy bios. We deliver the hire.
500+ senior leaders placed since 2005Every mandate delivered within its agreed timelineOnly one replacement needed since 2005No fee ever refunded
Why Selective Search
Built on judgement, not algorithms.
Already winning, not looking
The strongest Heads of Sales are busy delivering their number. They rarely apply for roles, so an advertisement reaches only a fraction of the market.
Discreet approaches
Senior people cannot risk being seen to apply. An Executive Partner approaches them quietly and protects both sides throughout.
Assessed on evidence
Quota attainment, average deal size and the teams they have built, verified rather than assumed.
Head of Sales executive search
Hiring a Head of Sales: what good looks like.
The first Head of Sales, or a replacement
Head of Sales recruitment is one of the most consequential decisions a growing technology business makes. In a scale-up, the first Head of Sales must turn founder-led selling into a repeatable process, hire the first team and forecast with discipline. In an established business, a replacement must earn the trust of an existing team quickly while lifting its performance. The brief, the shortlist and the assessment differ accordingly, and we treat them as different searches from the outset.
Why the best are not on the market
The Heads of Sales worth hiring are already winning. They are carrying a number, leading a team and protecting their reputation, so they rarely respond to advertisements and cannot risk being seen to apply. A head of sales headhunter earns their place by reaching these people discreetly, through a confidential, brokered first conversation on the candidate’s terms. That is how we have worked since 2005, across the UK and US, EMEA, the UAE and APAC.
Assessed on evidence, not presentation
Every leader on our shortlist is assessed against evidence: quota attainment over several years, average deal size and sales cycle, the teams they have built and the people they have developed. We verify rather than assume, and we test for the sales motion your business actually needs. Where the role is closer to a VP or board-level appointment, our VP Sales recruitment and CRO recruitment practices work in the same way; for a hands-on leader of a single team, see Sales Director recruitment.
Offer, counter-offer and the first 90 days
Proven sales leaders are rarely allowed to leave quietly. We prepare both sides from the first conversation, so the offer reflects the market and a counter-offer comes as no surprise. Our 2026 salary benchmark shows what the leaders worth hiring are actually paid. Once the appointment is made, an Executive Partner coaches your new Head of Sales through the first 90 days and stays close long after the start date, because a strong start matters as much as the hire itself. Leaders we have placed describe the experience in their own words on our recommendations page.
How a retained search works
Four steps. Complete confidence.
The brief
A confidential call with an Executive Partner: whether this is your first Head of Sales or a replacement, the market, and what success looks like in year one.
The map
Every credible leader in your market identified, not just the ones who are looking.
The approach
A discreet, brokered first conversation, on the candidate’s terms.
The shortlist
A small number of assessed, interested leaders, presented with evidence.
Track record
Leaders we have placed.
Zendesk
UK Head of Sales✓ Appointed within the agreed timelineInsight
EVP Sales, EMEA✓ Tens of millions in new business wonCapgemini
Global Sales Leader✓ Appointed within the agreed timelineQuestions
Frequently asked.
What does a Head of Sales search include?
Market mapping, confidential approaches, evidence-led assessment, a shortlist, referencing, and support through offer, counter-offer and the first 90 days.
How long does it take to hire a Head of Sales?
It depends on the market and the brief, so we agree a timeline with you at the outset. Every mandate we have taken on since 2005 has been delivered within its agreed timeline. Because we approach leaders who are not on the market, your shortlist is drawn from the whole market, not only from those who happen to be looking.
What should a Head of Sales be paid?
Pay depends on company stage, market and how much of the role carries a personal number. Our 2026 salary benchmark sets out published ranges and what Selective Search appointments have actually been paid for senior sales leadership roles in the UK, US and UAE. An Executive Partner can give you a confidential view for your specific role.
Head of Sales or VP Sales — which do we need?
A Head of Sales is usually closer to the deals: building the first team, running the forecast and often carrying a number. A VP Sales typically leads several teams or regions and shapes commercial strategy with the leadership team; see our VP Sales recruitment page. If you are unsure, the first confidential call with an Executive Partner is the place to decide.
Does it matter whether this is our first Head of Sales or a replacement?
Yes. A first Head of Sales in a scale-up must build the process and the team from a standing start; a replacement must earn the trust of an established team quickly. We assess for the situation you are hiring into.
How do you handle offers and counter-offers?
Proven Heads of Sales are rarely allowed to leave quietly. We prepare both sides from the first conversation, so the offer is right and a counter-offer comes as no surprise.
What happens after the appointment?
An Executive Partner coaches your new Head of Sales through their first 90 days, because a strong start matters as much as the appointment itself.
Can you hire a Head of Sales in the US for a UK business?
Yes. We place sales leaders across the US, EMEA, the UAE and APAC for companies expanding internationally.
Is the search confidential?
Completely. Many of our searches are for roles that have not been announced, and we treat client and candidate confidentiality as non-negotiable.
How do your fees work?
Most of our appointments are retained, with a dedicated Executive Partner from brief to appointment. In the right circumstances — often at the start of a new relationship — we will consider a success-only arrangement. We’ll recommend the right approach on our first call.
Confidential briefing
Have a critical appointment to make?
A 15-minute confidential call with an Executive Partner. No obligation.