Senior hiring is an intelligence exercise, not simply a targeted recruitment process.
Senior appointments are taking longer, criteria are sharper, and expectations for leaders are growing. This is the precision era of senior hiring, with leading organisations seeking fewer, better people.
What’s driving the change? Why?
Several forces are converging.
The first is economic caution. After a decade of expansionary hiring, and with one in five hires proving unsuccessful, organisations are becoming more selective. They are investing in fewer leadership roles, and the roles they do select are of greater strategic importance. Boards are challenging value. CFOs are examining ROI before headcount. CHROs are being asked not just who to hire, but why? should the role evolve? and why now?
The second is complexity. Many organisations are navigating transformation, digital, operational, cultural, and strategic challenges. The leaders who succeed in these environments can work with ambiguity, align stakeholders, and create clarity where there is none. That blend of capabilities is rarer than title or pedigree and so the search becomes more discerning. Organisations need individuals with a blend of skills, not job titles.
Thirdly, technological change, including AI, is adding another dimension. After the initial excitement about the possibilities of transformational change, we are now seeing a mix of scepticism and naivety about its potential, in many cases disrupting or even paralysing hiring strategies.
What these changes mean
Organisations are moving more slowly, but with greater intent. The historically proven model: define a role (often a replacement), run a process, appoint a leader, is giving way to a new sequence:
- Clarify the strategic intention → What must change in the next 12–36 months? What problem needs to be solved and what changes are required?
- Define the leadership outcomes → What must this leader achieve, not just manage?
- Assess internal succession thoroughly and honestly → What are the skills required? Where is the stretch manageable and realistic, and where does it introduce risk?
- Understand the external talent market → What does “good” look like today, in this context? What are the successful competitors doing, what should we learn?
- Move decisively once informed → Confidence and pace in the hiring decision is key. Competition remains high for real change makers.
By the time the search begins, the organisation already understands the type of leader it both wants and needs, not just the profile, but the impact required.
The companies doing this well look composed. They move with clarity. Their leadership decisions feel proportionate to their ambition and they will inevitably entice the best candidates.
The companies who don’t give sufficient thought to the intent can find themselves revisiting the appointment within 18–24 months.
Actions leadership teams should take now
Some organisations are treating senior hiring as an intelligence exercise, not simply a targeted recruitment process. Before a search begins, they build a clear picture of the talent landscape, who exists, where they are, and what good really looks like. They are looking at what they want this individual to achieve.
In practice, as well as understanding what future skills are required by their organisation, they are building roles around these new capabilities. To do this they:
- Plan: Start earlier than feels necessary. Senior appointments cannot be rushed without compromising decision quality.
- Use data and intelligence to decide when and how to hire, not just react to a vacancy.
- Use data and market insight to test availability, and capability before defining the role. Begin with facts, not assumptions.
- Anchor the role requirement in outcomes. Strategy first, mandate second.
- Benchmark internal talent against the external market to understand true readiness and development needs.
- Look broadly for leaders who will be able to deliver on strategic challenges. The ability to absorb pressure and still move forward is a fundamental differentiator.
The result is precision hiring grounded in evidence, clarity, and timing, not assumption or urgency.
Savannah is working with organisations to identify the fewer, better individuals who will enable them to outperform. To find out how we can help your organisation please contact us
