Retained vs Sole-Agency Contingency

Choosing the Right Search Model

Different roles require different levels of commitment, discretion, and investment.

What ultimately determines success is not the label — retained or contingency — but whether the search model creates alignment, focus, and accountability between client and search partner.


Retained vs Sole-Agency Contingency

Choosing the right recruitment model is less about labels and more about focus, alignment, and accountability.

For business-critical hires, exclusivity matters.


Retained Search

Best suited to mid-management, senior leadership, and executive roles where certainty, discretion, and depth are required.

A retained search provides:

  • Exclusive commitment to your assignment

  • Structured market mapping and direct headhunting

  • Investment in search technology, advertising, and research

  • Time for thorough screening, interviews, and referencing

This model supports a considered, end-to-end search process aligned to long-term outcomes.

Sole-Agency Contingency

Ideal when speed and flexibility are important, but ownership and accountability must remain clear.

A sole-agency contingency search offers:

  • One search partner, one mandate

  • Fees payable on successful placement

  • Consistent candidate representation

  • Focus without the inefficiencies of multi-agency recruitment


Why Exclusivity Works

When a single partner is trusted with the search, incentives align.

Exclusivity allows your recruitment partner to:

  • Prioritise your role properly

  • Engage candidates confidently

  • Represent your brand consistently

  • Deliver a more controlled and professional search process

Our Approach

At Global Retail Recruitment, we operate exclusively on either a retained or sole-agency contingency basis.

We advise on the model that best fits the role, the market, and your hiring objectives — not simply the fastest option.

Current Vacancies

International Retail & Consumer Leadership

We specialise in senior and executive appointments across the global retail and consumer sectors, including:

Retail & Store Operations · Digital & E-commerce · Buying & Merchandising · Product & Private Label · Marketing & Brand · Visual Merchandising · Real Estate & Expansion · Supply Chain & Logistics · Finance · Human Resources · Franchise & Partnership Models

We support hires from senior management through Country Leadership, General Management, and C-suite.

Many assignments are delivered on a confidential and exclusive basis and are therefore not publicly advertised.
For a discreet discussion, please contact us directly.

Latest news

What our clients say

For your team:

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You know they will buy into the recruitment process because retained = brand partner

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You will have a dedicated consultant/agency working 100% to achieve the desired result

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You will receive Market feedback: full report of candidates that are being headhunted, screened, selected by Name, Title, Brand for potential future use.

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You will get a result rather than multiple agencies who may or may NOT! focus on your role as a priority.