Executive search
Marketing & Proposals
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: Marketing and proposal work is judged by output. An interim marketing manager runs the function: priorities, channels, budget, agencies and the team.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
You have a business to run.
Hiring a senior person yourself takes time you do not have. Here is what we hear from owners and hiring managers every week.
Not sure if you need interim or fractional? Use the decision helper
- The seat is open and the work is piling up on you.
- A job posting brings in hundreds of resumes and none of them have done the job.
- You do not have weeks to screen, chase and schedule.
- You need to know the person can do it before they start, not after.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
Marketing & Proposals titles we fill
Titles with a page link through to it. The rest are titles we also fill; choose one and we pass it to the form with your request.
- Interim Marketing ManagerSpecialist search for Interim Marketing Manager. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Marketing ManagerSpecialist search for Interim Marketing Manager. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Contract Marketing Operations SpecialistHire a Contract Marketing Operations Specialist to audit your tech stack, fix lead routing and improve data accuracy across your sales and marketing systems.
- Marketing Operations SpecialistHire a Contract Marketing Operations Specialist to audit your tech stack, fix lead routing and improve data accuracy across your sales and marketing systems.
- Contract Proposal ManagerSpecialist search for Contract Proposal Manager. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Contract Grant WriterHire a contract grant writer to audit your funding pipeline, manage application timelines and ensure your narrative matches institutional requirements.
- Grant WriterHire a contract grant writer to audit your funding pipeline, manage application timelines and ensure your narrative matches institutional requirements.
- Communications ManagerHire a Communications Manager to refine your external messaging, manage media calendars and align content output with your sales pipeline goals.
- communications managerHire a Communications Manager to refine your external messaging, manage media calendars and align content output with your sales pipeline goals.
- Digital Marketing ManagerHire a Digital Marketing Manager to own campaign execution, manage automation tools and report measurable impact on your business pipeline.
- digital marketing managerHire a Digital Marketing Manager to own campaign execution, manage automation tools and report measurable impact on your business pipeline.
- Proposal WriterHire a proposal writer to manage the drafting and assembly of compliant, persuasive responses to formal requests for proposals.
- proposal writerHire a proposal writer to manage the drafting and assembly of compliant, persuasive responses to formal requests for proposals.
- Bid ManagerHire a Bid Manager to govern your proposal lifecycle. They enforce compliance, manage technical contributors and ensure on-time, winning submissions.
- bid managerHire a Bid Manager to govern your proposal lifecycle. They enforce compliance, manage technical contributors and ensure on-time, winning submissions.
- RFP ManagerThe RFP Manager organizes complex bid teams to deliver accurate, compliant responses to solicitation requirements on time.
- RFP managerThe RFP Manager organizes complex bid teams to deliver accurate, compliant responses to solicitation requirements on time.
- content managerFind a content manager who translates technical specifications into measurable lead generation through disciplined campaign and calendar execution.
Hiring guides
Not sure which title fits? Describe the seat in the form and we will match it.
Related roles
Executive roles above this family
Four roles, four kinds of output
Marketing and proposal work is judged by output. An interim marketing manager runs the function: priorities, channels, budget, agencies and the team. A marketing operations specialist keeps the machinery working: automation, lists, reporting and the systems behind campaigns. A proposal manager organizes and produces bids and responses. A grant writer prepares applications for funding.
Each is a different craft. A strong campaign thinker may be poor at managing a response with many contributors. A skilled proposal manager may know little about demand generation. Name the output you need and the audience that receives it.
If you are not sure, describe a recent piece of work you wish had gone better.
Manager or specialist
An interim marketing manager sets direction and decides what to stop. They manage vendors and people and answer to leadership about results. A specialist does a defined job within a direction someone else has set. If nobody owns marketing, a specialist will carry out tasks without a plan.
A proposal manager is often both: they manage people and deadlines and also write and edit. The role requires calm under deadline pressure and a firm way with contributors who submit late.
Grant writers work alone in many cases. They need to understand a funder's priorities and tell your story within strict rules.
Technical and domain differences
Marketing operations requires platform knowledge: automation tools, customer databases, analytics and the connections among them. Someone who runs campaigns in one platform may need time in another. Data discipline matters because poor lists undermine every campaign.
Proposal work differs by sector. Public sector responses follow strict formats and compliance matrices. Commercial bids favor persuasion and price structure. Construction and engineering proposals include qualifications, project experience and team resumes.
Grant writing differs by funder type: government, foundation, corporate. Reporting requirements after award are also part of the work for some roles.
Where we source and how we screen
We draw on independent marketers, former agency staff, in house managers between roles, proposal professionals from consulting, engineering and technology firms, and grant writers with sector experience. Operations specialists often come from technology companies.
Screening uses portfolios and stories. We ask to hear how a proposal was organized, who contributed, what was cut, what was won or lost and what was learned. For marketers we ask what they stopped doing and why. For operations we ask how they cleaned a database.
We look for clear writing, since it is the product. You see several profiles with details of relevant work.
What this work depends on
Marketing depends on sales for feedback, on product for accurate information and on leaders for decisions. Proposals depend on subject experts who are busy with other work and on pricing and legal approvals. Grants depend on program staff who provide data and outcomes.
A proposal manager with no access to experts will produce thin content. A marketing manager without a say in budget cannot plan. State who contributes and who approves.
Be honest about how often subject experts actually respond. Candidates can then plan their approach.
Briefing mistakes specific to marketing
Common mistakes include asking for a marketer with no channel or audience specified, expecting a specialist to set strategy and omitting examples of past work. Another is asking a proposal manager to write everything without access to experts.
Briefs also overlook approvals. If every piece needs sign off from several people, say so and say how long such sign off usually takes in general terms.
Finally, say what success looks like in your own terms, such as a submitted bid, a functioning system or a funded application. Without it, the engagement is judged by taste.
Questions to settle before you brief
Describe the audience and the decision they make. A marketing effort aimed at buyers who take a long time to decide differs from one aimed at quick purchases. A proposal read by a committee differs from one read by a single owner. The more precisely you describe the reader, the better the candidates will understand the task.
Share examples of work you admire and work you dislike. People learn taste from examples faster than from adjectives, and a short collection saves a great deal of back and forth.
Finally, state who owns the brand voice and who can say no. Some companies have firm style rules and others rely on an owner's instinct. A person who knows where the final word sits will draft in a way that needs fewer rounds, and will not be surprised by sudden reversals from a senior person.
Questions
How do I initiate a search for a marketing specialist?
We review your requirements and reporting structure together. You receive vetted options to interview before making any engagement decisions.
Is there an upfront cost to begin?
No fees are charged to start the search process. You only pay once you engage a candidate we present.
When are my payment obligations active?
Payment terms commence only upon your formal engagement of a candidate. No costs accrue during the initial review or interview stages.
What happens if no candidates match?
You owe nothing if you do not engage a presented candidate. We will discuss specific missing requirements before moving forward.
Can we manage this process privately?
We allow for confidential searches to protect your business identity. Please note your constraints during the initial briefing.
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.
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.