Employer services
Appoint Simon Wilkins The Headhunter
Some appointments are too senior, sensitive or specialist to be left to advertising alone.
Simon Wilkins, The Headhunter for Housebuilding, is a former housebuilding director with approaching 40 years in the property sector and 24 years’ specialist search experience. Having personally met and interviewed more than 7,000 housebuilding professionals, he combines exceptional sector reach with a practical understanding of the roles, people and company cultures that determine whether an appointment succeeds.
For senior, specialist or confidential requirements, you can appoint Simon to conduct a discreet and targeted search on your behalf. He identifies and approaches the strongest people in the market — including those who are successful in their present positions and would never respond to a job advertisement.
This retained headhunting and executive search service is separate from advertising on Housing-Jobs and is provided under its own terms of business.
Over 15,000
LinkedIn followers
Over 11,000
LinkedIn connections
7,000+
Professionals personally met
When headhunting is the right route
- Board, director and head of department appointments
- Confidential replacements where an advert is not an option
- Covert or formal executive searches for senior roles
- Scarce technical, land, planning or commercial skill sets
- New regions or divisions where you need a whole team
- Roles you have already advertised without the right result
How the engagement works
- Retained and exclusive search, agreed in writing before work begins
- Fee based on a percentage of first-year basic salary
- Staged payments across engagement, shortlist and placement
- Guaranteed Free Replacement period
Covert & executive search
A covert search protects your organisation and the incumbent, while a formal executive search delivers a rigorously managed shortlist for senior, high-stakes appointments. Both are led personally by Simon Wilkins and can be structured as retained and exclusive engagements.
The search process
- 1
Briefing
A detailed conversation covering the role, the team, the package and the type of person who will succeed in your business.
- 2
Mapping
A targeted map of the market: competitors, adjacent businesses and the specific individuals doing the job today.
- 3
Approach
Discreet, direct approaches to passive candidates who are not on any jobs board — including yours or anyone else's.
- 4
Shortlist
A written shortlist with interview notes, motivations, notice periods and salary expectations, delivered to an agreed timescale.
- 5
Offer and onboarding
Offer management, resignation support and contact through the notice period to protect the placement.
Separate terms apply
Headhunting is not covered by Housing-Jobs advertising rates, vacancy plans, multi-site campaigns or ongoing employer partnerships. Fees, payment stages, exclusivity, rebate terms and off-limits arrangements are set out in a separate terms of business document, issued and signed before any search begins. Advertising spend with Housing-Jobs can be credited against a search fee where agreed in writing at the point of appointment.
Discuss a search
Send the brief below and it goes directly to Simon Wilkins — usually answered within one working day.