Executive Research Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Location: Remote (U.S.) Preferred Location: Eastern Time Zone preferred; Portsmouth, NH proximity is a plus for occasional onsite visits Contract Duration: 6+ Months Overview We are seeking a highly experienced Executive Talent Scout to support strategic leadership hiring across our global organization. This role will focus on identifying, mapping, engaging, and attracting senior-level talent, including Executive Director and Vice President populations. This is not a high-volume recruiting role. We are looking for someone who operates with the rigor and sophistication of a retained executive search consultant. The successful candidate will excel at market intelligence, executive research, candidate mapping, and long-term relationship building while serving as a trusted advisor to hiring leaders and HR stakeholders. The primary focus will be sourcing and attracting executives with strong pharmaceutical and biotech backgrounds, complemented by manufacturing experience. Key Responsibilities Lead end-to-end executive talent scouting efforts for Executive Director and Vice President level positions. Develop comprehensive market maps and talent landscapes for critical leadership roles. Identify and engage passive executive talent through direct sourcing, networking, industry associations, conferences, and research-driven outreach. Create candidate pipelines and succession-focused talent pools aligned to business priorities. Conduct in-depth executive research, competitor intelligence, and organizational mapping. Partner closely with Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partners, and business leaders to define target talent profiles and sourcing strategies. Maintain active engagement with prospective candidates, ensuring a positive experience and keeping individuals warm throughout extended search processes. Provide market insights regarding talent availability, compensation trends, competitor movement, and executive hiring strategies. Utilize assessment methodologies and structured evaluation approaches to help identify high-potential executive talent. Maintain accurate candidate and search activity documentation within Workday or similar ATS platforms. Deliver regular reporting on pipeline activity, market findings, and search progress. Required Qualifications Extensive experience in executive search, executive recruiting, talent scouting, or leadership hiring. Proven success recruiting senior leadership talent, including Executive Director and Vice President level positions. Strong expertise in talent mapping, organizational research, competitive intelligence, and passive candidate identification. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain long-term relationships with senior executive candidates. Experience conducting market analyses, candidate assessments, and executive-level interviews. Exceptional stakeholder management and business partnering skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills with executive-level presence. Experience utilizing LinkedIn Recruiter, executive talent databases, and other advanced sourcing tools. Familiarity with Workday or equivalent Applicant Tracking Systems. Preferred Qualifications Experience within pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences, or related regulated manufacturing industries. Strong network of executive talent across the life sciences sector. Retained search firm or executive search consulting experience highly preferred. Understanding of executive assessment methodologies and succession planning practices. Manufacturing leadership recruiting experience in addition to pharmaceutical or biotech expertise. What Success Looks Like Delivery of high-quality executive candidate pipelines for strategic leadership roles. Comprehensive market maps and talent intelligence that inform hiring decisions. Strong candidate engagement resulting in positive executive-level candidate experiences. Trusted advisor status with hiring leaders and HR stakeholders. Effective identification and attraction of hard-to-find executive talent within pharma, biotech, and manufacturing sectors. Additional Notes Focus will primarily be on Executive Director and Vice President level searches. Advertising activity is generally limited to positions below Grade 15; therefore, proactive sourcing and direct talent engagement will be critical. The ideal candidate brings a consultative, research-driven approach and operates more like an executive search partner than a traditional recruiter. Fully remote opportunity with flexibility, though some overlap with Eastern Time business hours is preferred. Occasional travel to Portsmouth, NH may be beneficial but is not required. Salary: . Date posted: 09/04/2026