Executive Search in Romania

C-suite · Directors · Senior managers · Specialists · Confidential search · Headhunting

Finding the right senior leader for a Romanian operation is one of the most consequential decisions an international company makes in the Romanian market. A Country Manager, General Director, CFO or Head of Operations sets the culture, direction and performance of the entire local team — a poor hire at this level costs the business far more than the recruitment fee. Executive search for senior roles in Romania requires a fundamentally different approach from standard recruitment: direct approach to passive candidates, confidential market mapping, deep competency assessment and a structured offer process that protects both the company and the candidate.

Romania For Business SRL provides executive search and senior leadership recruitment for international companies in Romania — from the initial executive brief and market mapping through direct candidate approach, assessment, shortlist presentation and offer management. All engagements are handled with complete confidentiality, in English, by a dedicated search consultant with sector-specific expertise.

The most impactful senior hire in Romania is typically the first one — the Country Manager or General Director who builds everything else

For companies entering Romania for the first time, the most critical recruitment decision is the Country Manager or General Director — the person who will build the local team, manage regulatory compliance, develop the customer base and represent the company in the Romanian market. Getting this hire right sets up everything that follows. Romania For Business SRL has experience placing first-in-country leaders across a range of sectors — combining the search expertise with the legal, accounting and regulatory knowledge that makes onboarding seamless.

Executive Search vs Standard Recruitment — Key Differences

Senior roles require a different approach from standard recruitment — not just posting a job and screening applicants, but proactively identifying and approaching the best people who are already employed and not actively looking.

Factor	Standard recruitment	Executive search
Sourcing	Active candidates responding to job postings on job boards and LinkedIn. Pool limited to those currently looking.	Market-wide approach: direct outreach to passive candidates at target companies. The best senior leaders are rarely actively looking.
Confidentiality	Job postings are visible to the market — including the client’s competitors and employees.	Full confidentiality maintained throughout. The client company and the role are only disclosed to pre-qualified candidates under NDA.
Assessment depth	CV screening and structured interviews — assessing technical fit and experience.	Comprehensive assessment: competency-based interviews, leadership style evaluation, reference verification at senior level, cultural and strategic fit analysis.
Market intelligence	Limited market insight — reactive to who applies.	Full market mapping: competitor talent pools, compensation benchmarking, candidate availability analysis and landscape report delivered before the search begins.
Candidate report	CV and interview notes.	Comprehensive written candidate profile: background, leadership track record, key achievements, motivation for change, compensation expectations, reference summary and our assessment recommendation.
Timeline	Typically 4–10 weeks to shortlist for mid-level roles.	Typically 8–16 weeks for senior and C-level roles — reflecting the depth of the market mapping and the time needed to build trust with passive candidates.
Fee model	Contingency — payable on successful placement only.	Retained or contingency — retained is standard for C-level and confidential replacements; contingency available for director-level roles.

Retained Search vs Contingency Search — Which Model Applies?

Romania For Business SRL operates both retained and contingency executive search models. The right model depends on the seniority of the role, the degree of confidentiality required and whether the client needs exclusive commitment from the search team.

Retained search

How it works:

Client pays a retainer upfront (typically one-third of estimated fee)
Second payment at shortlist stage; final payment on placement
Search firm works exclusively on the assignment
Full market mapping and headhunting approach

Best for:

C-suite and board-level roles; confidential replacements; highly specialist roles where passive candidates must be approached; roles where failure is not an option.

Contingency search

How it works:

No upfront fee — payment only on successful placement
Fee is a percentage of the placed candidate’s first-year salary
Search firm may work on the role alongside other firms
Sourcing from active job market and network

Best for:

Senior professional roles (department head, senior manager) where the candidate pool is accessible; roles where the client wants multiple sourcing channels running in parallel.

Executive and Senior Roles We Place in Romania

Our executive search practice covers C-suite, director and senior specialist roles across the sectors most commonly relevant to our international client base. The grid below shows the most frequently placed roles by sector — contact us if your role is not listed.

General Management

Country Manager
General Director
Managing Director
COO — Romania
Regional Director

Finance & Accounting

CFO
Financial Director
Finance Manager
Head of Controlling
Chief Accountant

Technology & IT

CTO
VP Engineering
Head of Engineering
IT Director
Head of Product

Sales & Commercial

CCO / Chief Commercial Officer
Head of Sales
Sales Director
VP Business Development
Head of Key Accounts

Human Resources

HR Director
Chief People Officer
Head of HR
HR Business Partner (Senior)
Head of Talent

Legal & Compliance

General Counsel
Head of Legal
Chief Compliance Officer
Data Protection Officer
Head of Regulatory

Operations & Supply Chain

Operations Director
Head of Supply Chain
Plant Manager
Head of Procurement
Logistics Director

Marketing & Communications

CMO
Marketing Director
Head of Marketing
Head of Brand
Communications Director

Specialist / Technical

Chief Medical Officer
Head of R&D
Chief Information Security Officer
Head of Data & Analytics
Specialist sector roles on request

Our Executive Search Process — How It Works

Every executive search engagement follows a structured, transparent process. We keep the client informed at each stage — providing written updates and candidate reports, not just verbal briefings.

Executive brief

Market mapping

Direct approach

Candidate assessment

Shortlist presented

Client interviews

Offer & negotiation

Placement & guarantee

Stage	What happens — and what the client receives
1. Executive brief	A dedicated search consultant conducts a detailed briefing call with the hiring manager and, where appropriate, the board or supervisory committee. We establish the role specification, leadership profile, must-have and nice-to-have criteria, reporting structure, team size, compensation range and timeline. We provide a written search mandate summarising the agreed brief before the search begins.
2. Market mapping	We map the Romanian and regional talent landscape for the role — identifying target companies, relevant candidates by name and seniority, compensation benchmarks and any known availability. The market map is shared with the client before outreach begins — giving full transparency on who we are approaching and why.
3. Direct approach	We approach target candidates through our direct network and via discreet personal outreach — not through job postings. All outreach is confidential. We introduce the opportunity without identifying the client company until the candidate has expressed interest and signed a non-disclosure agreement.
4. Candidate assessment	Qualified candidates are assessed through a structured competency-based interview conducted by our search consultant. For C-level roles, a leadership assessment instrument may be added. We prepare a comprehensive written candidate profile for every candidate who progresses to shortlist — background, track record, leadership style, motivation, compensation expectations and our recommendation.
5. Shortlist presentation	We present a written shortlist of typically 3–5 assessed candidates — each with a full candidate profile. We recommend a preferred order and flag any concerns. The shortlist presentation meeting is a structured discussion — not just a handover of CVs.
6. Client interviews	We coordinate all interview rounds — scheduling, candidate briefing, feedback collection after each round. For senior roles, we may suggest a structured interview framework to ensure consistency across candidates. We are available to join client-side debrief calls as needed.
7. Offer and negotiation	We advise on the final offer structure — salary, bonus, benefits, equity (if applicable), non-compete provisions and notice period from the current employer. We manage the offer communication and negotiate on behalf of the client where needed — maintaining the candidate’s confidence throughout.
8. Placement and guarantee	The candidate signs the CIM employment contract and is registered in REVISAL before their first day. We conduct check-in calls with both the client and the candidate at 30, 60 and 90 days. Our 6-month replacement guarantee applies from the start date — if the placed candidate leaves or is terminated for cause within 6 months, we run a free replacement search.

The Romanian Senior Leadership Market — What to Know

The Romanian senior talent market has specific characteristics that international employers frequently underestimate — particularly when making their first senior hire in the country.

Market characteristic	What it means for your search
Strong diaspora talent	Romania has a significant diaspora of senior professionals — Romanians who have built careers in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and elsewhere and who are increasingly open to returning, particularly for leadership roles in international companies. Our network includes both Romania-based and diaspora talent.
Competitive senior market	Senior professionals in Bucharest — particularly in IT, finance and commercial roles — receive regular approaches from local and international employers. A well-structured search with a compelling proposition is essential. A generic job posting will not reach the best senior candidates.
English language proficiency	Senior and C-level professionals in Romania’s major cities typically have strong English — particularly those who have worked for multinational companies or studied abroad. English language ability is rarely a constraint for senior hires in Bucharest, Cluj and Timișoara.
Compensation expectations	Senior Romanian professionals have well-calibrated compensation expectations — they benchmark against multinational salaries, not against Romanian averages. A CFO in Bucharest expects a package comparable to a mid-tier EU market, not a developing market. Our salary benchmarking data provides current, verified ranges by role and city.
Notice periods	Senior professionals in Romania typically have notice periods of 30–90 days in their current contracts. Some C-level roles have 3–6 month notice periods. Plan the search timeline to account for the notice period — the candidate cannot start the day they accept.
Cultural fit for international roles	International companies entering Romania often underestimate the importance of cultural fit between the local senior hire and the international parent company. We assess for this explicitly — looking for candidates who can bridge the Romanian market and the international corporate culture, not just manage the local operation.

Pricing — Executive Search in Romania

Executive search fees reflect the depth of the market mapping, the quality of the assessment and the seniority of the role. All engagements include a 6-month replacement guarantee — twice the standard for the market.

EXECUTIVE SEARCH — ROMANIA

20–25%
of first-year gross salary

EXECUTIVE SEARCH ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES:

Executive brief — role specification, leadership profile, compensation range
Market mapping — competitor organisations, talent landscape, target candidate pool
Direct approach / headhunting — confidential outreach to passive candidates
Candidate assessment — competency-based evaluation, leadership assessment
Comprehensive candidate report — background, motivation, compensation expectations
Shortlist presentation — typically 3–5 assessed candidates with full written profiles
Interview coordination — all rounds, including panel and board-level interviews
Reference checks — minimum two professional references from direct managers
Compensation structuring — benchmarking and package design for the final offer
Offer management and negotiation — through to signed acceptance
CIM employment contract drafting — Romanian-law compliant, bilingual
REVISAL registration — completed before the candidate’s first day
6-month replacement guarantee — free replacement within the first 6 months
Post-placement check-in — 30, 60 and 90 days after start date

FEE STRUCTURE — EXECUTIVE SEARCH

Contingency search — senior manager / department head (salary €30k–60k) 20% of first-year gross salary
Retained search — C-level / director / highly specialist (salary €50k+) 25% of first-year gross salary
Retained search — interim / fractional executive placement on request
Market mapping only (without full search) from €1,500
Compensation benchmarking — single role from €500
6-month replacement guarantee Included with all placements

Discuss your senior hire

Retained search fees: one-third retainer on engagement, one-third on shortlist presentation, one-third on placement. Contingency fees payable on signed acceptance. All engagements include a 6-month replacement guarantee. Fees may be subject to Romanian VAT.

Frequently Asked Questions — Executive Search in Romania

Standard recruitment focuses on active candidates — people responding to job postings. Executive search uses direct approach (headhunting) to identify and engage the best candidates who are currently employed and not actively looking. For senior and C-level roles, the best people are rarely on the job market — they must be found and approached. Executive search also includes a deeper assessment process: comprehensive candidate profiles, leadership competency evaluation, senior reference checks and structured offer management.

Romania For Business SRL’s executive search practice covers C-suite roles (Country Manager, CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, CHRO, CCO, General Counsel), director-level positions (Finance Director, Sales Director, HR Director, Operations Director, IT Director) and senior specialist roles where the candidate pool is narrow and direct approach is necessary. For mid-level roles (team lead, senior manager, senior professional), our standard recruitment service is typically more appropriate and cost-effective.

An executive search in Romania typically takes 10–16 weeks from the initial brief to a signed offer. The timeline breaks down as: executive brief and market mapping (2–3 weeks), direct approach and candidate engagement (3–5 weeks), assessment and shortlist preparation (2–3 weeks), client interviews and reference checks (2–3 weeks), offer and notice period (30–90 days). The notice period of the final candidate is the most variable element — C-level candidates in Romania often have 60–90 day notice periods.

A retained search is an exclusive engagement where the client pays a retainer upfront to secure the search firm’s dedicated attention on the assignment. The fee is typically structured in three instalments: one-third on engagement (to begin the search), one-third on shortlist presentation, and one-third on successful placement. Retained search is appropriate for C-level and director roles where confidentiality is essential, where the candidate pool is narrow, and where the client needs the assurance of exclusive commitment from the search team. For senior manager and specialist roles, a contingency model (fee only on placement) may be appropriate.

Yes — confidential replacements (where the incumbent is still in the role and does not know they are being replaced) are one of the most common executive search scenarios. In these engagements, all outreach is fully confidential: the client company is not identified to candidates until they have expressed genuine interest and signed an NDA; all communication is managed through Romania For Business SRL; and candidate interviews are arranged in a neutral location or via video, not at the client’s premises.

Every executive search placement includes a 6-month replacement guarantee: if the placed candidate voluntarily resigns or is terminated for cause within the first 6 calendar months of employment, Romania For Business SRL will conduct a free replacement search for the same role — at no additional fee. The guarantee reflects our confidence in the quality of our assessment process and our commitment to the long-term success of every placement. The guarantee does not apply if the termination results from redundancy, major role changes, or the client company’s conduct.

Yes — we actively include Romanian diaspora professionals in our executive search networks. Romania has a significant senior talent diaspora in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and other EU markets — including executives who have built impressive careers internationally and who are open to returning for the right opportunity. For some roles, a diaspora hire brings both Romanian cultural knowledge and international executive experience — making them ideal first-in-country leaders for multinational entries into Romania.

The executive search fee is calculated as a percentage of the placed candidate’s first-year total gross compensation (base salary). For contingency engagements (senior manager / director level): 20% of first-year gross salary. For retained engagements (C-level and specialist): 25% of first-year gross salary. Variable compensation (bonus, commission) is typically not included in the fee base — only the fixed gross salary. The fee calculation basis is agreed and confirmed in writing before the search begins.

Yes — interim and fractional executive placements are available on request. An interim executive is a senior professional who joins for a defined period (typically 3–12 months) to lead a specific transformation, cover a vacancy or manage a transition. A fractional executive works part-time across multiple organisations. Both arrangements require a service agreement rather than a standard employment contract, and the fee structure differs from a permanent placement. Contact us to discuss your interim or fractional executive requirement.