When and Why to Use Retained Recruitment for Senior Roles.

Hiring at senior level is one of the most important decisions a growing business can make. The right leader can shape culture, drive performance and support long-term growth. Yet finding that person is rarely straightforward, particularly for SMEs navigating rapid growth or unfamiliar territory.

For many small to medium-sized businesses across Leeds and West Yorkshire, recruiting for a senior appointment may not be something you do regularly. You might be hiring a leadership role for the first time. Or you may be looking for someone who brings a particular set of skills, values, cultural fit and vision that will take your business forward.

This is where a retained recruitment approach can make all the difference.

At Jo Holdsworth Recruitment, we support organisations with both retained and contingent models. Contingent recruitment works well for volume or straightforward hires, but for senior, strategic or business-critical appointments, retained recruitment provides the depth and focus needed to secure the right leader. The benefits go beyond just filling a role and can have a lasting impact on your team and business strategy.

Here is what you need to know.

What is retained recruitment?

Retained recruitment is a partnership-based model where you work exclusively with one recruitment agency to manage the full hiring process from start to finish. Rather than paying only on placement, which is the case with contingent recruitment, a portion of the fee is agreed upfront. This reflects the agency’s time, expertise and market insight and allows them to dedicate more resources to your role.

Think of it as commissioning a trusted partner to find the best possible match for your business, rather than briefing multiple agencies and relying on speed over strategy.

Retained recruitment is especially valuable for senior, specialist or business-critical hires where the stakes are high and the talent pool is more limited.

When does it make sense to go retained?

Not every role requires a retained approach. But if any of the following apply, it may be the right choice:

• You are hiring for a senior leadership position with strategic influence
• The role is confidential or sensitive and needs a discreet process
• You want to attract passive candidates who are not actively applying for roles
• You have struggled to fill the position through other routes
• You need guidance on shaping the role, expectations or market alignment
• You are hiring for a new position that does not have an existing benchmark
• You want a consistent, well-managed process with one point of contact

If any of these apply, a retained approach ensures you have the structure, confidentiality and specialist insight required to navigate a more complex hiring landscape.

Many SMEs come to us when they feel unsure about how to approach a key hire. They may not have in-house recruitment support or may want an external perspective to challenge their thinking and help define what they really need. A retained partnership creates space for this level of clarity and strategy.

What are the benefits?

Choosing a retained model often means taking a little more time upfront in order to make better, more confident decisions later.
Here are just a few of the benefits:

1. Deeper understanding of your business

We take time to fully understand your business, your goals and the kind of leadership style that will complement your existing team, which ultimately results in stronger candidate matches and better cultural alignment. This approach ensures we are not just filling a vacancy, but identifying individuals who bring long-term value.

2. Tailored candidate search

We do not just advertise the role. We proactively reach out to people who fit your brief, including those who may not be actively looking. This includes market mapping, targeted headhunting and personalised introductions to individuals who meet your exact leadership brief, offering a far more focused and informed approach than traditional recruitment.

3. Confidentiality and professionalism

If you are replacing someone or restructuring your leadership team, retained recruitment gives you the privacy and control you need, ensuring every conversation is managed with care, professionalism and discretion throughout the process.

4. Clear communication

Rather than juggling multiple agency relationships and inconsistent CVs, you’ll have one dedicated point of contact who keeps the process smooth, aligned and fully transparent from start to finish. This provides clarity, reduces noise and frees up your time.

5. Stronger long-term outcomes

Because retained search focuses on finding the right person, not just the first available one, it often leads to better retention, stronger engagement and more stable long-term performance. The upfront investment pays off through stronger alignment, reduced risk and better outcomes for your team.

What does the process look like?

Our retained approach at Jo Holdsworth Recruitment is flexible and collaborative. We tailor it to your needs, but it typically includes:

1. Initial discovery session to understand your business, goals and culture
2. Role shaping and benchmarking to ensure the position is aligned with market expectations
3. Branded advertising and discreet outreach to attract high-quality candidates
4. Structured screening and interviews to assess both skills and values alignment
5. Regular updates and feedback loops to keep the process transparent
6. Support with offer stage and onboarding planning to set everyone up for success

You will be involved throughout, not as a client waiting for CVs, but as a partner shaping the future of your team.

Is retained recruitment more expensive?

Retained recruitment does involve an upfront investment, but for senior roles, the cost of getting it wrong can be significantly higher. It is not just about filling a gap quickly, it is about hiring the right person who will lead, support and add long-term value to your business.

According to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) a bad hire at mid-manager level with a salary of £42,000 can end up costing a business more than £132,000. This includes the costs of recruitment, onboarding, lost productivity, and the impact on the wider team. More broadly, the REC estimates that a poor hire can cost around three times the annual salary, meaning that a £35,000 role could result in over £100,000 in losses.

For many growing businesses, a retained approach offers the reassurance of a well-managed, structured process. It helps reduce risk, improves long-term outcomes and can offer far greater value than a quick fix. And because the fee is phased, it is easier to plan and manage within your budget.

Supporting senior hiring through retained recruitment

At Jo Holdsworth Recruitment, we understand that hiring for a senior role is not just about skills and experience. It is about finding someone who fits your values, understands your goals and can lead with confidence. Our retained recruitment service is designed to support this level of hiring. It offers the structure, insight and dedicated approach needed to make a strong, lasting appointment. We work closely with growing businesses to help shape roles, reach the right candidates and guide the process from first conversation to final offer.

For example, a legal firm based in Redditch, Worcestershire recently partnered with us to recruit a Head of Commercial Litigation. Despite a challenging location and strong competition for talent, we delivered a shortlist of two outstanding candidates within three weeks. Both were highly aligned on skills, values and leadership style, and the client expressed that they would have hired both if they had the capacity. The success of this appointment led to further senior-level roles being filled through our team.

Final thoughts

Hiring a senior leader is not just about finding someone with the right experience on paper. It is about identifying someone who understands your business, shares your values and can lead with confidence and purpose.

If you are an SME or growing organisation, retained recruitment can give you the clarity and support you need to hire well. With the right recruitment partner, it becomes more than a hiring process. It becomes a strategic step forward for your business.

Even if you are only in the early stages or exploring options, a conversation with our senior appointments team can help clarify the best approach for your business.

At Jo Holdsworth Recruitment, we offer retained recruitment that is tailored, transparent and grounded in partnership. If you are planning a senior appointment and would like to explore whether retained search is right for you, we would be happy to help.