Technology Executive Search

Your next technology leader, verified at the highest level.

Syfter's retained technology executive search, backed by 10,000+ placements and a nationwide network of verified senior leaders. Every candidate passes the same Syfter Certified protocol we apply to every hire. No exceptions at any level.

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Track Record

The results behind the reputation.

100+

Companies trust Syfter for technology staffing and executive search.

10x

Best Place to Work honoree. The team that finds your leaders is one of the best in the industry.

4.6+

Google and Glassdoor rating. Verified by candidates and clients, not just marketing.

How We Operate

Built around what retained search should look like.

This is a retained, exclusive engagement. We are selective about the searches we take on, and we expect the same commitment from our clients. That mutual investment is what makes it work.

C-level led. No handoffs.

Your search is led by a member of our executive team from intake to close. The person you meet in the first call is the person sourcing candidates, conducting verifications, and presenting your shortlist. No junior researchers. No bait and switch.

Syfter Certified at the executive level.

Every candidate goes through the same rigorous 5-point verification protocol. Video-recorded interviews, identity validation, geolocation confirmation, and a signed Trust Guarantee. You receive a detailed candidate brief and the recorded interview itself, not just a resume with a paragraph.

Full transparency, start to finish.

You will know where your search stands at every stage. No black box. No 8-week silence before a shortlist. We share sourcing progress, candidate pipeline data, and market feedback in real time so you can course-correct before months are wasted.

Limited concurrent searches.

We cap the number of active executive engagements to ensure dedicated attention to yours. Most retained consultants juggle six or more searches at a time. We treat your search like the only one on our desk because, effectively, it is.

No off-limits conflicts.

Large search firms cannot recruit from their own clients, and the bigger the firm, the bigger the blackout list. Our focused client roster means we can access candidate pools that the major retained firms have blocked themselves out of.

A smarter fee structure.

Traditional retained firms collect their full fee before they deliver a single candidate. Our fee structure is tied to milestones, not a calendar. You pay as we deliver. No large upfront commitment sitting idle while you wait for results. The right way to hire an executive.

Fee Structure

The right way to pay for executive search.

Most retained firms collect their entire fee before delivering a single candidate. We tie our fee to milestones. You pay as we deliver, not while you wait.

Engagement

We align on the role, define the search scope, and begin sourcing. One-third of the fee at engagement.

Accepted Offer

Your candidate accepts the offer. One-third at accepted offer. You do not pay again until a real commitment is made.

90 Days In

Final third due 90 days after your hire starts. If they do not work out, you never pay it. We stand behind every placement.

The Syfter Approach

Executive search is not recruiting at a higher salary.

The best technology leaders are not on job boards. They are not responding to InMails. They are running teams, shipping products, and solving hard problems at companies that do not want to lose them. Finding them requires a real network built over 10,000+ placements.

Traditional Retained Search

Relies on candidate self-reporting

References selected by the candidate

No live identity verification

Junior researchers doing the legwork

Full fee collected upfront before a single candidate

Large off-limits lists blocking top candidates

8+ weeks of silence before a shortlist

Sourcing from LinkedIn and job boards like everyone else

Syfter Executive Search

Syfter Certified protocol, same as every placement

Live video, identity confirmed, location verified

AI-assisted screening for inconsistencies

C-level involvement from day one to close

Milestone-based fees. You pay as we deliver.

Focused client roster, no off-limits conflicts

Real-time pipeline visibility and market feedback

10,000+ placements deep. A network built over years, not a database query.

Roles We Place

Senior technology leadership across every function.

We focus on the roles that shape technology organizations. The positions where a wrong hire does not just cost money, it costs momentum.

Critical Demand

Chief Technology Officer

Product vision, engineering strategy, technical architecture. The role that sets the ceiling for what your engineering organization can build. Our retained CTO search process verifies every candidate at the deepest level.

Engineering StrategyArchitectureProduct VisionTeam Scaling

Critical Demand

CISO / VP Security Engineering

Enterprise risk, governance, security architecture. The CISO role is splitting into business-side and engineering-side. Our CISO executive search covers both tracks with the same verification rigor.

Risk ManagementSecurity ArchitectureGovernanceZero Trust

High Demand

VP of Engineering

Team scaling, delivery execution, engineering culture. These candidates are being poached before they ever hit the open market. When you need to hire a VP of Engineering, speed and verification both matter.

Team LeadershipDeliveryCultureProcessScaling

Critical Demand

Head of AI / Chief AI Officer

AI strategy, governance, responsible deployment. The newest C-suite title and one of the hardest to fill with someone who can actually execute. As a Chief AI Officer recruiter, we verify technical depth that other firms take on faith.

AI StrategyML GovernanceResponsible AILLM Deployment

High Demand

CIO / Director of IT

Digital transformation, infrastructure modernization, IT governance. The role that keeps the entire technology backbone running while driving the organization forward.

Digital TransformationInfrastructureIT GovernanceModernization

High Demand

VP of Data / Chief Data Officer

Data strategy, analytics infrastructure, data governance. As AI accelerates, the data leader role has become foundational to every technology organization.

Data StrategyAnalyticsData GovernanceML Infrastructure

FAQ

Executive search questions.

How is Syfter's executive search different from a traditional retained search?

Every executive candidate goes through the same 5-point Syfter Certified verification protocol we apply to every placement. Live video, identity verification, location confirmation, AI-assisted screening, and a Trust Guarantee. Traditional firms rely on references and reputation. We verify.

What level of roles does your technology executive search cover?

C-suite and VP-level technology leadership: CTO, CISO, CIO, Chief AI Officer, VP of Engineering, VP of Data, VP Security Engineering, and Director-level roles in technology organizations.

Is this a retained or contingent engagement?

Executive search engagements are retained. The depth of sourcing, verification, and C-level executive involvement required at this level demands a committed partnership. We define scope, timeline, and deliverables upfront.

What does the timeline look like?

We typically present a verified shortlist within 4-6 weeks. Our AI-powered sourcing and existing network of pre-qualified leaders allow us to move faster than the industry average without sacrificing rigor.

Do you offer a guarantee on executive search placements?

Yes. Every executive placement includes a guarantee period and 90-day post-placement support. If your hire does not work out within the guarantee window, we re-engage the search at no additional fee. Details are defined in the engagement agreement.

Can you help replace a failed technology executive hire?

Yes. We work with companies that need to replace a failed technology executive hire quickly and correctly. Our verification process is specifically designed to prevent the same mistake from happening twice. We assess what went wrong, recalibrate the search criteria, and deliver verified candidates within weeks.

Schedule a confidential discussion.

Tell us about the role you need to fill. We will follow up within one business day to discuss scope, timeline, and how our verified executive search process works.

Every conversation is confidential. No obligation.

hello@syfter.com

646.504.6221

315 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017

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