Associate, Marketing, Sales & Communications Officer Practice

Associate Role Spencer Stuart is seeking to recruit an Associate for the Marketing, Sales & Communications Officer (MSC) Practice. This Associate will focus on Chief Communications Officer and Chief Investor Relations Officer searches across industries, while working in partnership with several core Consultants. With exposure to a broad set of clients and leadership challenges, this Associate will help identify and develop diverse candidate slates as an essential member of the search team. The Associate role combines research, assessment and relationship‑building skills to deliver extraordinary service and value to Spencer Stuart clients. Successful candidates will have strong project management ability, writing skills, results orientation, rigorous attention to detail, intellectual curiosity and ideally an understanding of corporate communications and/or investor relations. The Associate will enjoy the challenge of working internally with a variety of Consultants and externally with diverse senior‑level executives and board members. Key Responsibilities Contribute actively to the start‑up phase of each search by participating in client kick‑off meetings with the Consultant and assisting in the development of the position specification, search strategy and target list of companies. Gather relevant information regarding the appropriate industries and target companies. Identify potential prospects and sources and represent the client effectively in the marketplace, discussing the opportunity with relevant executives. Validate potential candidates through reference and source calls. Partner with the Consultant to develop and present a slate of qualified candidates to each client. Anticipate what needs to drive the search to closure and be prepared to supply additional information such as related industry or segment trends, market findings, reaction to the opportunity, compensation data, etc., gained during the course of a search. Contribute to the preparation of position specifications, candidate presentations and reference reports adhering to the Firm’s assessment methodology. Communicate effectively with the Consultant and Executive Assistant, and remain fully abreast of search developments to communicate accurately and credibly regarding the assignment. Prepare organized information for the client progress reports and meetings by teaming with the Consultant and the Executive Assistant. Provide an informed perspective on prospects and candidates and how they match against the key selection criteria. Be aware of activities and management changes in the relevant industry’s sector; keep team members apprised of relevant developments in the marketplace. Add to the firm’s candidate pool expertise by continually identifying and introducing new talent to the firm. Ensure that up‑to‑date assignment, company and candidate information during the course of an assignment is always available for colleagues, by leveraging technology and information from the firm’s state‑of‑the‑art proprietary database. Contribute to responses to inquiries for new business as well as business development initiatives. Be willing and proactive about contributing to local, practice or firm‑wide initiatives. Coordinate and share practice‑related information with colleagues for potentially broader distribution. Ideal Experience 3+ years of progressive business experience in executive search, recruiting, talent acquisition, strategy consulting or a relevant professional services environment, with significant time spent in client service. Spencer Stuart experience preferred. Advancement of skills and knowledge evidenced through promotion or tenure. Superior project management skills demonstrated through experience working in a high‑performance environment where multiple projects and competing demands are the norm. Excellent communication skills shown through clear, structured and concise written and verbal presentation. Undergraduate degree required; postgraduate degree a plus. Critical Leadership Capabilities Takes an end‑to‑end view of each project and the required resources; works at pace and with attention to detail while managing competing deadlines and priorities; has a sense of urgency. Understands the search process (from internal kick‑off to referencing); asks questions to understand; and is proactive. Works on multiple projects, meets deadlines and is resilient under pressure; delivers on commitments on time or notifies as early as possible if deadlines will slip. Demonstrates enthusiasm, tenacity and intellectual curiosity; action‑oriented; deals with problems immediately. Demonstrates a strong work ethic, with a results‑focused and flexible approach to project management. Candidate Development Develops qualified and interested candidates for a portfolio of searches. Builds strong contact management lists by observing and asking questions to fully understand the issue; synthesizes information from a variety of internal and external sources, even when incomplete. Gathers relevant data from a variety of sources, including Third Party Sourcing, to help determine broad capabilities, gaps and qualifications/fit; articulates reasons for fit to spec succinctly. Determines priority of which potential candidates to approach. Adds meaningful notes on Quest, diligently using the initial assessment feature. Credibility and Influence Communicates effectively both in writing and verbally; has gravitas and builds relationships. Hooks candidates and convinces consultants to meet them, building a strong internal brand; interacts with stakeholders and candidates with differing styles and egos, understanding what is important. Becomes credible and authentic by observing colleagues and emulating role models. Adapts verbal and written communications according to expectations for the role and audience; is confident, succinct, concise, prepared and professional. Market and Candidate Knowledge Obtains and incorporates knowledge to enhance client work in a meaningful way. Utilizes firm resources to develop and share candidate pool knowledge; identifies executive movements in the market and updates Quest in real time. Asks questions and shows interest in networking; has a genuine curiosity about people and businesses and understands businesses and their interrelationships. Identifies and navigates various relevant sources (Quest, Passport, Global Information Services, Hoovers, LinkedIn, etc.). Developing Self and Others Seeks and provides feedback, modifies own performance or behavior based on feedback. Constantly grows, learns and enhances skills and capabilities. Seeks opportunities for growth and remains open to feedback. Firm Values Champions the firm’s values, culture and Code of Conduct; engages, participates and collaborates with others. Accepts others’ opinions and encourages teamwork. Brings cultural awareness and sensitivity to interactions with colleagues. Participates actively and contributes to internal activities; engages with office and practice. Represents Spencer Stuart well by speaking positively about the firm. Base Compensation & Benefits Base salary $100,000–$130,000 per year, dependent on skills, experiences and qualifications. Eligible for our annual discretionary bonus program. Retirement savings plan with discretionary profit sharing contribution and employer match. PTO (minimum 15 days per year, increasing with tenure), paid sick time (10 days per year), company holidays (12 days per year) and paid leaves of absence when applicable. Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision insurance and healthcare flexible spending account. Life Insurance and short‑term and long‑term disability insurance. Wellness benefits: employee assistance program, virtual mental health program, mindfulness program. Voluntary benefits: supplemental life insurance, identity theft protection, whole life insurance with long‑term care and critical illness coverage. Location The Associate ideally will be based in New York City and is expected to be in the office at least two days per week. In the early stages of the role it will be beneficial to spend more time in the office to build relationships and participate in the local office community. Equal Employment Opportunity Spencer Stuart is a proud equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to non‑discrimination without regard to race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, immigration status, ancestry, age, marital status, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any basis prohibited under applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Spencer Stuart