Executive search, also known as headhunting, is a specialized recruitment process typically used to find candidates to fill executive roles within organizations. The industry consists of firms who offer skilled support in the complex process of finding the right talent for management and C-suite roles, utilizing a wide range of resources and networks to access top-tier candidates. Many of these firms specialize in specific sectors, providing expertise in industries like finance, technology, and insurance. The industry in Virginia is thriving, housing numerous notable firms celebrated for their professional, effective services. Given the digital economic transformation, it is expected that these firms will continue to play an increasingly crucial role in the future, assisting organizations in acquiring talent that can navigate change and drive growth.


Top 25 executive search firms in Virginia

1. iPlace

  • Website: iplaceusa.com
  • Headquarters: Mclean, Virginia, United States
  • Founded: 2006
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

iPlace is a global recruiting company that offers professionally managed talent solutions. With a team of experienced sourcers, recruiters, account managers, and program managers, iPlace provides comprehensive recruitment services. They specialize in sourcing and recruiting candidates across various industries and geographies, offering cost-effective solutions to clients worldwide.


2. Management Recruiters of Fairfax, Inc

  • Website: mrfairfax.com
  • Headquarters: Winchester, Virginia, United States
  • Founded: 2003
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • LinkedIn

Management Recruiters of Fairfax is a leading executive search firm in the WDC and Mid-Atlantic region, specializing in the insurance brokerage sector. They provide top talent for Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Life Insurance, Financial Services, and accounting, with a personal relationship with over 4,250 insurance producers and account management professionals in the region. They provide executive coaching and subject matter expertise in the insurance industry.


3. Techaxis, Inc

Techaxis Inc. is a thriving global organization that offers talent search and staffing solutions. With a team of seasoned talent search consultants and a worldwide network, they provide access to high caliber candidates for a range of industries. They have expertise in various technology roles, including data and analytics, cybersecurity, E-commerce, and more.


4. Kincannon & Reed Global Executive Search

  • Website: krsearch.com
  • Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, United States
  • Founded: 1981
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

Krsearch.com is a search firm specializing in executive search and board search for the food and agriculture industries. They leverage their industry knowledge, data, and connections to identify and place leaders with the right experiences, values, and cultural fit. Their focus is on feeding the world and keeping it healthy.


5. Fahrenheit Advisors

Fahrenheit Advisors is a mid-market advisory firm offering a range of services including business advisory, finance and accounting, human capital, sales advisory, and executive search. They provide expertise and practical solutions to help businesses overcome challenges and achieve growth.


6. Cordia Resources

Cordia Resources is a staffing and recruitment company based in the DC Metro area. They offer permanent and temporary staffing solutions, as well as retained executive search services.


7. The Alliance Group

The Alliance Group is a company that offers executive search, client advisory, and interim staffing services. With a team of over 100 professionals, they provide top talent to organizations in various industries. They focus on delivering critical project solutions to CFOs and CIOs, and have been recognized for their consultative approach and fast delivery of candidates.


8. Merito Group

Meritogroup.com is a company that offers executive search, staffing, and recruitment services to businesses. They provide solutions to help companies hire quickly and efficiently, with a focus on finding the right talent for each organization's needs. Their team of experts offers industry-specific consulting and career coaching services as well.


9. Foxhound Partners

Foxhound Partners is a talent acquisition company specializing in RPO/Contract Recruiting, Technology and Executive Search, and Federal Talent Acquisition Services. They offer innovative, affordable recruitment and talent-sourcing solutions tailored to client's staffing challenges.


10. Lee Group Search

Lee Group Search is an executive search firm specializing in recruitment for the plastics and polymer industry. They offer professional placement services for companies in search of top talent. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, they pride themselves in finding the perfect fit for each client. Their team of experienced recruiters provide personalized attention throughout the candidate search process.


11. Dinte Executive Search

  • Website: dinte.com
  • Headquarters: Mclean, Virginia, United States
  • Founded: 1993
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Dinte is an executive search firm specializing in the aerospace and defense industry. They provide human capital consulting and recruitment services to help organizations secure the right talent for their leadership needs. With deep industry knowledge and expertise, they assist clients in navigating the complex landscape of the defense sector. Their mission is to drive sustained success through innovation, agility, and speed to market.


12. The McCormick Group, Inc.

The McCormick Group is a professional services firm that specializes in executive search, professional recruiting, and consulting. They provide tailored solutions to help organizations find top talent and improve performance.


13. DRiWaterstone Human Capital

DriWaterstone is an executive search and development services company that focuses on leadership, team, and organizational success. They offer executive search services to help their clients align hiring with their strategic plans and provide programs and tools for leadership development. Their Candidate Stewardship Model ensures the matching of high-quality candidates to innovative clients, enabling both parties to make a significant impact on the world.


14. Centerstone Executive Search & Consulting

Centerstone Executive Search is a national specialty boutique firm that consistently delivers excellence in executive search services at the Board Director and C-Suite level, contemporary leadership and organizational consulting solutions, and a range of Board services to new ventures to Fortune 500 companies.


15. Security Management Resources (SMR Group)

  • Website: smrgroup.com
  • Headquarters: Warrenton, Virginia, United States
  • Founded: 1997
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

SMR Group is an international security management search firm that specializes in finding executive and professional-level positions in security and risk management.


16. ETS Tech-Ops (a division of ETS Recruit)

ETS Tech-Ops is an executive talent search company that helps clients find the best material science professionals nationwide.


17. Benchmark Executive Search. LLC

Benchmark Executive Search is a specialized executive search firm that focuses on finding elite talent for startup, emerging-growth and mid-cap companies offering game-changing technologies or innovative services to the federal and commercial markets.


18. Capital TechSearch

Capital TechSearch is an award-winning national executive search and IT staffing firm.


19. Lochlin Partners

Lochlin Partners is a boutique executive search firm providing trusted advisory services to select clients. We were founded by a team of experienced, respected professionals who have led offices and global practice areas for the world’s largest search firms. These founding partners, familiar with the high-volume, transaction-based models of the big firms, came together to create something quite different: a firm based on fewer searches, a higher degree of attention—and exceptional results.


20. The Colonial Group

The Colonial Group is a world-class executive search and recruiting firm specializing in connecting American manufacturers with top talent. They have expertise in general manufacturing, including food & beverage, chemical, plastics, packaging, machinery, and automation.


21. Madison-Harris Corporation Executive Search

Madison-Harris - Delivering Results...Achieving Your Mission Executive Search and Recruiting expertise that will help you achieve the success you desire. Utilizing highly-prized professional direct-search and recruitment processes, Madison-Harris recruiters / headhunters gets the right person matched to the right job, saving organizations and candidates time, money, and aggravation, while maintaining complete confidentiality. The company was founded by Palmer Suk, whose 25+ years’ experience in professional recruiting, executive search, and staffing, has produced over 5,000 successful placements within 100s of client organizations. Often quoted by national news media, Palmer has received numerous national awards from his peers in recognition as one of the very best in the industry by setting the highest standards of excellence. Our global clients span a broad spectrum of organizational types and industries from the Fortune 500 to small businesses and start-ups, including Federal Government Contractors, Defense and Aerospace, Contracts, Subcontracts, Proposal, Business Development, BD, Capture, SME, IT / Information Technology and Software Development, GIS, INFOSEC, Big 4, Social Media, Digital Marketing, Web, API, Advertising, Broadcast & Digital Media, Record Labels, Entertainment, Engineering, Banking and Financial Services, Public Accounting, Law Firms, Health Care, Physicians, Real Estate, Associations, and more. Madison Harris Corporation - Delivering Results...Achieving Your Mission! (703) 447-9977 info@madison-harris.com www.madison-harris.com #executivesearch #headhunter #recruiter #recruiting_firm #executivesearchfirm #searchfirm #recruitingfirm #staffingcompany #executive #search #recruiters #madison-harris #madisonharris #virginia #washington #dc #md #nova #technical_recruiter #cleared #personnel #clearances #ts #topsecret #polygraph #dcrecruiters #dcheadhunters #clearedcandidates #clearedpersonnel #bdcapture #businessdevelopment #dcsearchfirm


22. Innovative Executive Search

Innovative Executive Search can help develop, deploy and execute enterprise-wide solutions. They recruit from senior-level executives down through middle managers and key individual contributors.


23. The Sessions Group, Inc.

The Sessions Group, Inc. is a contingency based executive search firm solely dedicated to recruitment for the investment management industry. Our clients represent some of the nation's premier investment management firms. he firms are diverse in asset size and asset class. ome of our clients are small growing organizations that have the need to build their staff from the ground up. thers are medium to large firms and require additional staff due to expansion of company size or new product offerings. ome of our clients offer a single investment strategy while others offer multiple investment strategies to include both traditional and alternative investments. Regardless of the recruitment task, our clients have contracted to utilize our services because we become a recruitment partner. At The Sessions Group, Inc., we provide a unique approach to recruiting. We utilize our extensive referral network and proactive recruiting techniques to provide our clients the opportunity to uncover hidden industry talent. In addition we market the achievements of exceptional candidates to prospective clients, uncovering opportunities which otherwise may not have existed. The combination of these services enables The Sessions Group, Inc. to provide a comprehensive solution to support the needs of the investment management community.


24. Human Capital Consultants, LLC

Human Capital Consultants is a recruiting and staffing firm specializing in placing advanced HR Leaders and Executives with progressive employers. With years of experience and extensive relationships in the HR community, we offer specialized placement and expertise in HR processes, policy and compliance oversight, and operational excellence.


25. Focus Staffing Group

Focus Staffing Group is a full-service recruiting firm providing temporary consulting, permanent hire, and retained search solutions for growth-oriented companies.


Want to find more executive search firms?


If you want to find more companies that offer specialized recruitment and talent sourcing services you can do so with Inven. This list was built with Inven and there are hundreds of companies like these globally.


With Inven you'll also get to know the company's:


  • Ownership: Which of these are private equity backed? Which are family-owned?
  • Contact data: Who are the owners and CEO's? What are their emails and phone numbers?
  • Financials: How do these companies perform financially? What are their revenues and profit margins?

...and a lot more!