Business Development & Recruitment Lead

Progressive Edge; Cape Town; Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Progressive Edge Consulting is searching for a Business Development & Recruitment Lead in Cape Town. This role involves driving new business and managing recruitment processes, emphasizing autonomy and strategic partnerships. Candidates should have substantial recruiting experience, particularly in tech, and a proven track record in business development.

Benefits

Ownership & Autonomy

High-Impact Role

Career Growth Opportunities

Reputation & Network Building

No-Bureaucracy Environment

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of full-cycle recruitment experience.
• Proven ability to consistently achieve revenue targets.
• Experience selling multiple recruitment service models is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Drive new business growth and manage recruitment delivery.
• Source and recruit high-caliber talent in tech and executive search.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with clients.

Skills

Sales & Business Development

Full-Cycle Recruitment

Negotiation & Influence

Client Relationship Management

Leadership & Team Collaboration

Process Improvement

Resilience & Self-Motivation

Job description

Business Development & Recruitment Lead

Location:Cape Town (Remote/Hybrid)
Reports to:Managing Director

About Us

Progressive Edge Consulting is a boutique tech recruitment and executive search firm based in Cape Town. We specialize in headhunting top-tier talent for the South African market and supporting international companies hiring in South Africa. Our focus is on high-quality, strategic partnerships rather than transactional recruitment.

We're a high-performance, small team that values ownership, quality, impact, and integrity. As we grow, we're looking for a self-motivated and entrepreneurial recruiter who thrives in a fast-moving, agile environment.

Role Overview

The Business Development & Recruitment Lead is a high-impact, revenue-generating role designed for an autonomous and strategic professional. You will drive new business growth, manage recruitment delivery, and foster long-term client relationships.

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Loves both business development and recruitment not just one or the other.
• Wants to own their desk and build a portfolio of clients that they manage long-term.
• Thrives in an environment that offers both autonomy and support.
• Is eager to develop a team around their success as they grow.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development & Sales

• Own the full sales cycle from prospecting, pitching, negotiating, and signing to recruitment delivery.
• Secure and onboard new clients within the tech and executive search space.
• Prioritize high-quality, profitable business opportunities to ensure maximum revenue generation.
• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities, converting contingent work into engaged and retained search agreements.

2. Recruitment Delivery & Candidate Sourcing

• Manage end-to-end recruitment processes
• Source, engage, and recruit high-caliber tech and executive talent
• Where supported by delivery consultants, ensure detailed debriefs and filter ensuring client receives exceptional quality
• Head-hunt proactively rather than relying on job ads.
• Ensure quality over quantity protecting both clients and candidates by ensuring long-term success.

3. Account Management & Client Retention

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with clients to drive repeat business.
• Provide strategic hiring advice and become a trusted talent partner.
• Achieve a client satisfaction score of Y% or higher.

4. Team Leadership & Contribution

• Mentor junior staff and contribute to a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Support internal process improvements and help shape Progressive Edge's growth strategy.
• Take ownership of internal projects or initiatives to enhance efficiency.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience & Background:

• 5-10 years of full-cycle recruitment experience(preferably in tech or executive search).
• Proven ability toconsistently achieve revenue targets.
• Experience sellingmultiple recruitment service models(contingency, engaged, retained, contracting) is a plus.

Skills & Competencies:

Sales & Business Development -Ability to proactivelywin new clients and close deals.
Full-Cycle Recruitment -Hands-on experience withheadhunting, sourcing, and placingtop talent.
Negotiation & Influence -Strong ability toposition value, sell retained search, and close high-quality business.
Client Relationship Management -Able to buildlong-term strategic partnerships.
Leadership & Team Collaboration -Natural mentor who supports and uplifts the team.
Process Improvement -Excels at finding ways tostreamline and enhancerecruitment operations.
Resilience & Self-Motivation -Thrives in ahigh-accountability, high-autonomyrole.

Why Join Us?

Ownership & Autonomy -We trust you to run your desklike your own business.
High-Impact Role -See thedirect impactof your work on our business growth.
Agility & Speed -Work in anefficient, no-bureaucracyenvironment.
Earning Potential -Yourbillings directly impact your financial growth.
Career Growth -The opportunity todevelop into a leadership roleand significantly improve your commercial experience in a scaling business, as you build your portfolio.
Reputation & Network -Work withtop tech companiesin SA & internationally.
A Business That Values Quality -We buildhigh-value partnerships.