How Long Does a Leadership Search Take in the UK?
Clients usually ask this question when they already needed the person last quarter. Here is what the timeline looks like when it is run well, and where it slips.
The short answer
Head of and Director roles: longlist in two weeks, shortlist in four to six weeks, offer accepted in six to ten weeks
C-suite: 90 to 120 days from mandate to signed offer is the industry baseline. CEO searches run 120 to 150
Then add the notice period. UK leaders are typically on three to six months, and some C-suite contracts carry twelve with garden leave
So a CFO briefed in January is realistically in the seat in July or August. That is the number to plan around, not the shortlist date.
Where the weeks go
Week 1: discovery and a written culture map. Skipping this is the single biggest cause of a search restarting at week six
Weeks 1 to 2: market map and longlist
Weeks 2 to 4: structured interviews, attitude first, then skill
Week 4 to 6: shortlist of three to five with a page of insight per candidate
Weeks 5 to 10: client interviews, references, offer, acceptance
Where searches lose time
Stakeholder feedback that takes a week per round instead of 48 hours
An offer committee that was not aligned on package before the shortlist
References compressed into the last three days before an offer
No counter-offer plan. Senior candidates will get one, and a surprised client loses them
The brief changing after the shortlist, usually because the discovery work was thin
What you can do to shorten it
Agree the package range and the decision makers before the search starts
Block interview slots in diaries for weeks four to six now, not when the shortlist lands
Decide in advance what you will do if the chosen candidate is on six months notice. An interim bridge is cheaper than a six-month gap
Our method is written down on how we hire, including the week-by-week plan and the 90-day check-in after start. Fees and engagement options are on how we work with you.
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