Role search
Get an Interim Head of Business Development who can own revenue data pipeline audits.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: Your interim head of business development must arrive with a mechanical understanding of how your company identifies, tracks, and converts prospects. This role requires an operator who treats business development as a rigorous, iterative process rather than a networking function.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Interim Head of Business Development
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
Your interim head of business development must arrive with a mechanical understanding of how your company identifies, tracks, and converts prospects. This role requires an operator who treats business development as a rigorous, iterative process rather than a networking function. They must assess your existing CRM structure to determine if your data accurately maps the lead lifecycle from the first touch to the signed contract. If your lead sourcing logic is flawed or manual entry is inconsistent, your revenue data is unreliable. This leader audits your current outreach tactics against the actual conversion rates reported in your accounting system.
Success rests on their ability to act as a bridge between marketing lead generation and direct sales execution. An effective leader identifies where your funnel leaks during handoffs between teams. They evaluate whether your current outreach tools and automation workflows are configured to support actual deal closure or if they merely add noise to your inbox. You are looking for a pragmatic professional who can strip away ineffective outreach campaigns and pivot toward channels that demonstrate measurable return. This executive does not wait for a full audit of your internal culture. They provide immediate, actionable feedback on which prospects are wasting time and which segments offer the highest probability of conversion.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We verify their experience in diagnosing stalled sales pipelines during leadership gaps to confirm they can maintain momentum without requiring extensive training or hand-holding.
- We audit their history of implementing CRM hygiene standards, specifically looking for evidence that they have forced technical compliance on sales teams to ensure accurate data entry.
- We test their competency in managing third-party lead generation vendors by requiring them to explain how they analyze cost-per-lead data to fire underperforming contractors immediately.
- We evaluate their ability to align product positioning with actual market appetite by asking them to identify why a specific territory or product line failed to meet quarterly quotas.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We source candidates from high-growth firms where the business development function is under constant pressure to iterate on lead acquisition strategy. These individuals are usually senior revenue leaders who view themselves as fixers. They prefer interim engagements because they enjoy the rapid cycle of identifying a broken revenue process, fixing the mechanics of the outreach, and moving to the next complex challenge. They have experience in industries where customer acquisition costs are audited closely by boards or private equity partners. They are not looking for a career home but rather a series of environments that reward immediate diagnostic and operational skills.
Our outreach targets professionals who have successfully handled shifts in market conditions that required a total overhaul of their firm's outbound strategy. These candidates understand the specific tension between aggressive sales targets and limited operational bandwidth. They seek the autonomy of an interim role because it allows them to bypass corporate consensus cycles. They expect to make decisions based on pipeline data rather than office politics. We identify them through their track records in industries where the sales cycle is long and the cost of losing a prospect is high.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring a leader who focuses on building new, complex outreach strategies while ignoring the broken state of the existing CRM data and historical pipeline records.
- Selecting candidates with high-level branding experience when the business needs someone capable of getting into the technical configuration of email automation and lead scoring modules.
- Overlooking a candidate's inability to manage conflict with existing sales staff, which often leads to internal resistance when the interim leader starts cutting ineffective channels.
The search
How the Interim Head of Business Development search runs
- We perform an initial assessment of your current pipeline health and revenue data to define the exact technical and operational gaps the new hire must fill during the first ninety days. We determine if your primary obstacle is lead volume, poor lead quality, or an inefficient conversion process.
- We conduct interviews focused on technical proficiency with CRM tools and direct experience with sales funnel optimization. We require candidates to explain their specific methodology for identifying waste in a sales budget and how they justify the reallocation of those funds to higher-performing channels.
- We present candidates who have handled similar crises, focusing on their direct contributions to revenue recovery. You review their specific examples of identifying bottlenecks and the subsequent changes they mandated to reach target quotas without increasing headcount or external spending.
Questions
What is the primary difference between a head of business development and a VP of sales?
A head of business development focuses on opening new markets and refining early-stage lead acquisition. A VP of sales focuses on managing the team that closes deals and hits end-of-funnel revenue targets.
Do you offer a trial period for these interim executives?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How soon can a leader begin the audit of our current pipeline?
Selected professionals start by auditing existing outreach workflows and internal database configurations upon their initial onboarding. Availability depends on the complexity of current team operations and the depth of existing system integration required for them to function independently.
Will an interim head of business development manage my existing sales staff?
They will manage staff if necessary to fix your lead conversion issues. They evaluate performance against revenue signals and adjust daily activities to improve output.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
Interim Head of Business Development by industry and related roles
Need the team under this role?
All industries
- Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
- Distribution, Logistics & Supply Chain
- Technology, SaaS & Software
- Consumer, Retail & E-commerce
- Professional & Business Services
- Family-Owned & Owner-Led Businesses
- Venture-Backed & High-Growth Companies
More Sales, Marketing & Revenue roles
The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.