Executive Search Lead F/H

Safran; Malakoff; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran is seeking a highly experienced Executive Search Lead to oversee the identification, attraction, and recruitment of senior executives across the Group. Reporting to the VP Global Talent Acquisition, this role will support Safran's global Executive Search agenda and contribute to the overall strategy in close partnership with the VP Global Talent.

The role will help ensure that Safran attracts world-class leadership talent to support its growth, transformation, and succession priorities.

Qualifications

• Over 10 years of executive search experience.
• Experience with leading global search firms or in-house executive recruitment.
• Demonstrated experience leading international executive search assignments across regions and cultures.
• Proven track record recruiting senior executives and business leaders.
• Bilingual in English and French.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Search strategy at group level and align with VP Global Talent Acquisition.
• Oversee senior executive searches from mandate definition through appointment across geographies.
• Define requirements, search strategies and assessment criteria with HR Directors and hiring executives.
• Ensure rigorous, evidence-based candidate assessment and strong stakeholder/candidate experience.
• Manage external executive search partners and optimize performance across the network.
• Align external hiring with succession planning and leadership development.

Skills

Executive search

Leadership assessment

Market mapping

Global mindset

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Job description

Safran is seeking a highly experienced and internationally minded Executive Search Lead to oversee the identification, attraction, and recruitment of senior executives across the Group.

Reporting to the VP Global Talent Acquisition, this role will support Safran's global Executive Search agenda and contribute to the overall strategy in close partnership with the VP Global Talent.

The role will help ensure that Safran attracts world-class leadership talent to support its growth, transformation, and succession priorities.

He/She will serve as the primary partner to HR Directors, Business Leaders, the Group Talent function, and external executive search firms, delivering exceptional executive hiring outcomes while strengthening Safran's leadership pipeline.

This position offers a unique opportunity to influence the future leadership of a global aerospace and defense leader operating across multiple geographies and businesses.

Support Safran's Executive Search Strategy

• Support the VP Global Talent Acquisition and VP Global Talent in shaping and implementing the Group executive search strategy.
• Help establish consistent governance, standards and confidential decision‑making across executive hiring.
• Provide market intelligence and build proactive pipelines for critical and future leadership needs.

Manage Executive Search Engagements

• Oversee senior executive searches across Safran businesses and geographies, from mandate definition through appointment.
• Partner with HR Directors and hiring executives to define requirements, search strategies and assessment criteria.
• Ensure rigorous, evidence-based candidate assessment and an outstanding stakeholder and candidate experience.

Manage External Executive Search Partners

• Manage a high-performing global network of executive search firms.
• Select, brief, challenge and evaluate partners for quality, value, market coverage and diversity outcomes.
• Advise HR Directors on the most suitable firm when external support is required.

Partner with Talent and Leadership Teams

• Align external hiring with succession planning, leadership development and strategic workforce priorities.
• Contribute to leadership pipeline reviews and provide insights on talent availability, compensation, competitor movements and emerging capabilities.

Governance and Executive Hiring Excellence

• Track search quality, time to appointment, experience, diversity, partner performance and cost effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with Safran standards, ethics and confidentiality requirements.
• Champion inclusive, internationally oriented hiring and consistent executive assessment methods across the Group.

What You Bring

Required Experience

• Over 10 years of executive search experience .
• Significant executive search experience gained within a leading global search firm, an in-house executive recruitment function, or a combination of both environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading international executive search assignments across multiple regions and cultures.
• Proven track record recruiting senior executives, business leaders, and functional leadership positions.
• Experience operating in complex, multinational organizations.
• Strong exposure to industrial, aerospace, engineering, technology, or manufacturing environments is highly desirable.
• Bilingual in English & French

Core Competencies

• Executive Talent Expertise: Deep understanding of executive search methodologies, leadership assessment, market mapping, and executive candidate engagement.
• Strategic Influence: Ability to challenge and advise senior executives, HR leaders, and search partners with credibility and confidence.
• International Perspective: Strong global mindset with experience managing searches across multiple countries and cultures.
• Partnership and Collaboration: Ability to build trusted relationships with HR Directors, business leaders, and Talent teams across a matrix organization.
• Commercial and Negotiation Skills: Strong capability to manage executive search firms, negotiate mandates, and optimize external partner performance.
• Confidentiality and Judgment: Exceptional discretion in handling highly sensitive executive hiring matters.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Highly credible and influential communicator.
• Results-oriented with a strong sense of ownership.
• Agile and resilient in fast-paced, high-visibility environments.
• Collaborative leader capable of navigating complex stakeholder landscapes.
• Passionate about identifying and securing exceptional leadership talent.