Business Development Director – Executive Search

About the role

We are seeking a Business Development Director to lead growth for Zavala Civitas, a global executive‑search firm. The successful candidate will own the full sales cycle, from prospecting senior‑level clients to closing retained search assignments worldwide.

Key responsibilities

• Identify, pitch and win retained executive‑search mandates across multiple regions.
• Build and nurture relationships with C‑level executives through events, meetings, travel and digital channels.
• Generate a robust pipeline of client meetings and convert them into proposal opportunities.
• Draft engagement letters and proposals, and manage the end‑to‑end sales process.
• Collaborate with internal research teams to conduct candidate sourcing, interviews and presentation of shortlists.
• Ensure accurate administration, invoicing and achievement of revenue targets.

Required profile

• Minimum 8 years of full‑cycle sales experience, with at least 4 years selling complex, high‑value professional services.
• Proven track record of winning retained search or consulting engagements.
• Fluent in English; additional language (French or Spanish) is a plus.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, economics or a related field.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, high initiative and ability to thrive under pressure.

Required skills

• Full‑cycle sales methodology.
• Client relationship management.
• Proposal and contract writing.
• Business development and pipeline management.

What we offer

• Competitive base salary plus commission.
• Hybrid work model with high flexibility.
• Opportunity to sell globally with no geographic restrictions.
• Access to a mid‑size platform with extensive resources and high‑touch service.