Direct Hire

Waiting for the needle in the haystack to find you is not a hiring strategy. Relativity Partners is a senior level recruiting partner built for high impact, one off Direct Hire searches where the right person is unlikely to come from a job post or a casual referral. We are the firm companies turn to when the role is too critical to leave to chance. Our Direct Hire recruiting services go after the one off hires across product, engineering, data, go to market, operations, and G&A. We bring operator grade judgment usually reserved for executive search to senior IC and leadership roles, from Staff and Lead through Director and VP level.

Relativity Partners runs Direct Hire as a proactive, partner led search. We map the market, build targeted longlists, run outbound outreach, and screen for both performance history and stage fit. You get a small, calibrated shortlist instead of a stack of resumes, a clear search plan and timeline, and one accountable partner from intake to accepted offer.

When Direct Hire makes sense

Direct Hire is the right fit when:

• You have a small number of specific roles to fill, not a broad hiring program.

• The role is too important for inbound only and needs targeted outreach and expert screening.

• You cannot afford a sustained vacancy in a key leadership or senior IC role.

• You are hiring a first-of-its-kind role in a new function, market, or product line.

• You need confidentiality around backfilling a leader or upgrading a key position.

• Your internal team is at capacity or you do not yet have in-house recruiting support for this level of hire.

For VP and C-level roles, our Executive Search offering is a better fit. For ongoing hiring across multiple roles and functions, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is typically the right solution.

How our Direct Hire model works

We plug in as your search partner for a defined role or set of roles.

• Dedicated partner
  You work directly with a senior recruiting partner, not a rotating list of recruiters. Your dedicated partner is accountable for the search from intake through signed offer.

• Role intake and scorecard

• We align with the hiring manager on the business case, reporting lines, success metrics, and non-negotiables, then translate that into a clear scorecard and candidate profile before we go to market. The scorecard and candidate profile are completed within 24 hours of the intake, so everyone is aligned on what “good” looks like from day one.

• Market mapping and sourcing
  Your dedicated partner maps relevant companies and talent pools, builds a targeted longlist, and runs focused outbound outreach to candidates who match the scorecard. The goal is a calibrated shortlist of high intent, high fit candidates, not a pile of resumes.

• Screening and calibration
  Your dedicated partner runs initial screens against the scorecard and calibrates with you early so we stay aligned on level, compensation, and what “exceptional” looks like in your environment. We work with hiring managers and stakeholders to define realistic, outcome based success for the role before candidates move deeper in process.

• Process control and candidate experience

• Your dedicated partner manages interview logistics, gathers feedback, keeps candidates informed, and keeps the process moving so you do not lose momentum. We act as stewards of your brand in the market, bringing an in-house operator’s understanding of candidate experience, confidentiality, and guardrails to how your company is represented.

• Offer strategy and close
  Your dedicated partner brings current market data and real-time search insight to benchmark compensation and structure offers that are competitive, sustainable, and fair. We lead the negotiation with a steady hand, representing your position clearly while keeping the candidate engaged and moving with urgency. The goal is simple: a signed offer from a candidate who is excited to join, aligned with your stage, and set up to succeed long term.

• Reporting and insight
  You get clear, regular reporting on pipeline health, stage conversion, time in step, and emerging risks so you always know where the search stands and what needs a decision.

Results and SLAs

Exact timelines depend on the role, market, and brand, but this is the standard we work toward on Direct Hire searches:

• Intake and Profile

• Scorecard and candidate profile completed and shared with stakeholders within 24 hours of the intake.

• Time to first calibrated candidates
  Initial calibrated profiles within 5 to 10 business days of kickoff.

• Time to hire
  For most senior IC and manager / director roles, the target is 30 to 45 days from role intake to accepted offer, assuming alignment on profile and compensation.

• Shortlist
  A focused shortlist of qualified, interested candidates rather than a high volume of marginal resumes.

• Communication rhythm
  Weekly (or more frequent) check-ins with clear next steps, owners, and timelines.

On your side, we ask for:

• A clear description of the role, reporting lines, and success metrics.

• Access to the right decision makers for intake and debriefs.

• Timely feedback after interviews.

• Realistic compensation and title relative to the market.

When both sides hold up their end, Direct Hire lets you treat a critical role like a project with a defined plan, timeline, and accountable owner, rather than a best-effort job posting.