Principal Consultant

Rec2Rec Search; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Commission

Job summary

Rec2Rec Search in London is seeking a Senior/Principal Recruitment Consultant to lead retained and exclusive search across the public sector, partnering with government and statutory bodies at leadership level. The role blends high-impact, advisory work with a structured, evidence-based selection approach and long-term relationships.

This hybrid role offers a £50,000 base plus commission, a clear path to progression, dedicated research support, and involvement with national-scale assignments

Qualifications

• Experience in public sector, executive search or senior-level recruitment.
• Ability to lead retained and exclusive search assignments.
• Strong network and credibility for senior-level conversations.
• Comfort with high-value, low-volume assignments.

Responsibilities

• Leading retained and exclusive search assignments across public sector markets.
• Advising clients on senior and leadership-level hiring.
• Proactively identifying and engaging senior, passive talent.
• Managing the full search lifecycle with a consultative, insight-led approach.
• Building deep sector knowledge and long-term client relationships.

Skills

Public sector recruitment

Executive search

Senior stakeholder management

Talent sourcing

Relationship building

Job description

Senior / Principal Recruitment Consultant – Public Sector

London

£50,000 + Commission

Hybrid (3 days in offi

An executive search consultancy is expanding its public sector team and is looking for an experienced recruiter ready to step into senior, high-impact search work across government and public sector markets.

This is a chance to operate at leadership level, partnering with public sector organisations on retained and exclusive assignments. Every mandate runs through a formal, compliant route to market, and the environment is built around quality, discretion and long-term relationships.

The company

• Every assignment is retained or exclusive.
• Structured, evidence-based selection methodology: standardised scoring, multiple assessors and bias-awareness training as standard.
• Appointments centre on strategic influence and national impact, not transactional volume hiring.
• Dedicated research support behind every consultant, with cross-trained cover across the team.
• A genuine track record of promoting from within. Several of today's team leaders started in junior or research-support roles.

The role

• Leading retained and exclusive search assignments across public sector markets.
• Advising clients on senior and leadership-level hiring.
• Proactively identifying and engaging senior, often passive, talent.
• Managing the full search lifecycle with a structured, consultative, insight-led approach.
• Building deep sector knowledge and long-term client relationships

Who this would suit

• Recruiters with experience in public sector, executive search, or senior/leadership-level search.
• Individuals who enjoy senior-level conversations and a research-driven, strategic approach.
• Consultants who prefer high-value, low-volume work over transactional recruitment.
• Ambitious, credible communicators who want to elevate their market and earning potential.

What's on offer

• £50,000 basic salary plus a commission structure.
• Structured coaching, mentoring and personalised development plans.
• Clear internal progression routes, with a strong history of promoting from within.
• A collaborative culture that invests in long-term development, not just short-term numbers.
• Exposure to senior stakeholders and high-impact assignments at national level.
• A London base with an established, well-regarded name in this market.

If you're ready to move deeper into public sector search and join a business where high performance is the norm, this could be the right next step.

rec2rec-search.com – specialist recruitment for the recruitment sector