Senior Associate

About Maneva Group Maneva Group is a women- and minority-owned national executive search firm that partners with mission-driven organizations to place bold, values-aligned leaders. We are committed to advancing meaningful change and positive impact through every engagement, championing leadership that inspires progress and empowers organizations to thrive. Our clients include renowned national nonprofits, cultural institutions, community development organizations, education leaders, civic movements, and foundations. From fighting human trafficking to rebuilding Black Wall Street to elevating mental health services, we are proud to support transformative leadership in the sectors that shape society. Maneva is a rapidly growing, entrepreneurial, and innovative firm built around relationships, exceptional client service, and a genuine commitment to our mission. We are building a collaborative and high-performing team that cares deeply about both the quality of our work and the people behind it. For more information, please visit manevagroup.com. About the Role: The Director is a key member of Maneva's search team, helping support the execution of executive searches from the first conversations with a client through the successful placement of a new leader. This is not a business development role, and is ideal for a senior talent professional who loves the execution side of search. This is a highly collaborative, client-facing role for someone who loves the intersection of people, strategy, research, storytelling, and project leadership. On any given day, you might be learning the intricacies of a rare disease organization, helping a board articulate what it needs in its next CEO, interviewing an accomplished executive, developing a creative sourcing strategy, or helping a client navigate an important hiring decision. Working closely with Maneva's Partners and Search Leads, the Director will manage multiple executive search engagements and take meaningful ownership of the search process. You will translate what you hear from clients into a compelling leadership profile and search strategy, build and assess strong candidate pipelines, develop thoughtful client deliverables, and create an exceptional experience for candidates and clients alike. We want someone who is curious, thoughtful, proactive, and willing to bring ideas to the table - someone who can see around corners, recognize when a search needs to shift, and help the team determine the best path forward. As Maneva continues to grow, so will this role. The Director will have increasing opportunities to lead search strategy, deepen client relationships, mentor other members of the team, contribute to the firm's growth, and ultimately develop toward independently leading executive search engagements. Key Responsibilities Lead exceptional executive searches: Manage the day-to-day leadership of multiple retained searches, keeping the team aligned, anticipating what comes next, and ensuring every engagement moves forward with thoughtfulness, urgency, and care. Understand what great leadership looks like: Listen deeply to executives, board members, staff, and other stakeholders to understand an organization's strategy, culture, opportunities, and challenges - and translate those insights into a clear leadership profile and search strategy. Candidate development: Develop creative sourcing strategies and build strong, diverse candidate pools through research, networking, outreach, referrals, and market intelligence. Proactively engage passive candidates through direct calls, personalized emails, LinkedIn outreach, and targeted relationship-building. Look beyond the obvious candidate and make connections across organizations, sectors, and experiences. Assess executive talent: Interview and evaluate senior leaders, digging beyond the resume to understand leadership competencies, accomplishments, motivations, career decisions, and fit with a client's needs. Exercise judgment about which candidates should move forward and communicate those insights through compelling candidate assessments. Advise and engage clients: Serve as a trusted day-to-day partner to clients throughout the search. Lead portions of client meetings, present candidates and market insights, synthesize feedback, and help clients navigate decisions throughout the process. Create a standout candidate and client experience: Build trusted relationships and ensure that candidates and clients experience Maneva as responsive, thoughtful, transparent, and deeply invested in their success. Bring strategy to the process: Help design interview processes, assessment tools, candidate presentations, position profiles, and other materials that enable clients to make thoughtful and informed hiring decisions. Leadership Style & Personal Characteristics The ideal candidate embodies both heart and hustle, bringing a blend of administrative strength, strong interpersonal skills, and alignment with Maneva’s values. While no single candidate will bring every competency, strong candidates will see themselves reflected in the following characteristics: Entrepreneurial and Service-Oriented: You take initiative, spot opportunities, and think creatively; all while leading with a genuine desire to help clients, candidates, and teammates succeed. Detail-Oriented and Organized: You have a sharp eye for details and are energized by juggling multiple tasks, timelines, and deliverables across several projects. Clear Communicator: You write and speak with clarity, professionalism, and warmth, and can adapt your tone for different audiences. Technology Forward: You’re comfortable exploring and adopting emerging tools, including AI, to work smarter and more efficiently, and you adapt quickly as technology evolves. Collaborative and Kind: You enjoy working on a team, are open to feedback, and bring a generous spirit to your work and relationships. Curious and Resourceful: You’re a natural researcher and a problem-solver. You enjoy figuring things out, making connections, and learning about different sectors and organizations. Mission-Aligned: You care deeply about social impact, positive change, and are excited to support organizations and communities working to uplift people and empower progress. Design-Savvy (a plus): You don’t need to be a graphic designer, but if you have an eye for layout, aesthetics, or familiarity with tools like Canva or Adobe, that’s a bonus. Why Join Maneva? At Maneva, we believe in the power of leadership to spark innovation, drive change, and make the world a better place. Our name, Maneva, comes from the combination of two Sanskrit words: “Mānav” meaning mankind, & “Sevā” meaning service. We are driven by the ideal of our name - service to humanity. You’ll join a firm that is entrepreneurial in spirit, deeply values-driven, and rooted in strong relationships. We offer a unique opportunity to: Make a Difference: Every search we lead is about impact. You’ll help organizations that are creating positive change find the right leader at pivotal moments in their evolution - leaders who reflect and serve their communities. Grow with Intention: As a growing firm, we invest in the development of our team. You’ll gain hand-on experience across all aspects of executive search, with opportunities to grow your skills in research, strategy, storytelling, and client service. Work Flexibly: We’re a remote-first team that values flexibility and trust. We care about outcomes and collaboration, not where you work from. Be Part of a Team That Cares: We are kind, high-performing, and mission-aligned. We challenge each other to do great work while supporting one another along the way. And we bring joy to the work - we laugh often, celebrate wins big and small, and genuinely enjoy working together. Compensation and Benefits Salary is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, skill set level and years of previous/applicable experience. Maneva offers a competitive salary along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our team. Benefits include employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees; 401K with matching; and generous paid time off policies, including office closure between Christmas and New Years. #J-18808-Ljbffr Maneva Group