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Real consulting market knowledge
We understand career rhythms, partner economics and the politics of moving between firms. Conversations with senior consulting candidates are calibrated, not transactional.
- Recruitment -
Consultancy recruitment across Europe and the UK
Senior Consultants, Engagement Managers, Principals and Partners placed across strategy houses, Big Four practices and boutique consultancies in Europe.
- Why this practice exists -
A senior, cross-border practice for consultancy
Consulting firms compete for the same shortlist of senior talent. Go Ahead HiRe runs structured, off-market searches for strategy houses, Big Four practices and boutique consultancies who want a partner that understands the rhythm of a consulting career and the realities of European cross-border project work.
We focus on the senior end of the consulting org chart: Engagement Managers, Principals, Directors and Partners. We also handle hires from consulting into industry, where a senior Principal or Director is moving into a Head of Strategy, Chief of Staff or VP Operations role at a European scale-up or corporate.
Read more about our six-step approach or the six European markets we cover.
- What we do -
Inside the consultancy recruitment practice
A focused set of services delivered by a single accountable consultant, with senior calibration on every shortlist.
- Retained search for Partner, Director and Principal hires for strategy and Big Four firms in Europe.
- Engagement Manager and Senior Consultant search for boutique consultancies expanding into a new European market.
- Industry and functional specialist hires for niche advisory practices (for example transformation, M&A, sustainability, technology).
- Consulting-to-industry transitions: Principals and Directors moving into Head of Strategy, Chief of Staff or VP Operations roles.
- Cross-border searches across the Netherlands, UK, DACH, France, Iberia and the Nordics.
- Typical mandates -
Roles we recruit, week in week out
A snapshot of the consultancy recruitment mandates that come across our desk most often. If your role is not listed but lives at the senior end of the function, send us a one-paragraph brief.
- Partner (strategy, transformation, M&A, technology, sustainability)
- Director or Principal Consultant
- Engagement Manager
- Senior Consultant or Manager
- Industry or sector lead (for example Financial Services, Industrials, Public Sector)
- Head of Strategy or Chief of Staff (consulting to industry move)
- European Practice Lead
Looking for a current opening? Browse our live open positions or submit your CV confidentially.
- Who we work with -
The kind of clients on this practice
A representative cross-section of the consultancy recruitment clients we partner with across Europe and the UK.
Strategy houses building or scaling a European country practice.
Big Four advisory practices replacing or upgrading senior leadership in a specific country or sector.
Boutique consultancies expanding from one European market into a second or third.
European scale-ups and corporates hiring senior consulting alumni for in-house strategy, transformation or chief-of-staff roles.
- Our approach -
A six-step search method, applied consistently
Every consultancy recruitment engagement runs on the same six-step search process: discovery, market mapping, sourcing and longlisting, calibrated shortlisting, client interviews and selection, and offer plus onboarding support. Most senior searches close within 6 to 10 weeks, with a calibrated longlist visible to you within 2 to 3 weeks of kickoff.
See the full six-step approach- Why choose us -
Why clients pick Go Ahead HiRe for consultancy
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Off-market reach into competitor firms
Most senior consulting candidates do not respond to LinkedIn outreach. We work through trusted networks, alumni groups and confidential introductions to surface candidates who would never apply through a job ad.
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Cross-border, multilingual
European consulting markets are fragmented by language and country practice. We map the relevant candidate pool in each market in parallel rather than relying on a single home-market network.
Ready to start a consultancy search?
Brief us on the role and Darcie will personally come back within one business day with proposed next steps. Want to see how we run cross-border searches first? Read about our six-step approach or the six European markets we cover.
- Country specialisations -
Consultancy Recruitment by country
Country-specific landing pages for consultancy recruitment, with local salary benchmarks, market context and FAQs.
Consultancy recruitment in Netherlands
Engagement Manager, Principal, Director and Partner placements for strategy houses, Big Four advisory practices and boutique consultancies operating from Amsterdam, Rotterdam and U...
OpenConsultancy recruitment in United Kingdom
Engagement Manager, Principal, Director and Partner placements for strategy houses, Big Four advisory practices and boutique consultancies operating from London, Manchester and Edi...
OpenConsultancy recruitment in Germany
Senior consulting leaders placed across Berlin, Munich, Hamburg. Native local sourcing, written Germany compensation benchmarks and a single accountable consultant on every search.
OpenConsultancy recruitment in France
Senior consulting leaders placed across Paris, Lyon, Toulouse. Native local sourcing, written France compensation benchmarks and a single accountable consultant on every search.
OpenConsultancy recruitment in Spain
Senior consulting leaders placed across Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia. Native local sourcing, written Spain compensation benchmarks and a single accountable consultant on every searc...
OpenConsultancy recruitment in Italy
Senior consulting leaders placed across Milan, Rome, Turin. Native local sourcing, written Italy compensation benchmarks and a single accountable consultant on every search.
OpenConsultancy recruitment in Portugal
Senior consulting leaders placed across Lisbon, Porto, Braga. Native local sourcing, written Portugal compensation benchmarks and a single accountable consultant on every search.
Open- Explore further -
The other five recruitment specialisations
Most clients work with us across more than one discipline. Browse the rest of the practice or return to the recruitment services hub.
Sales Recruitment
Hunters, account managers and revenue leaders.
Open practiceMarketing Recruitment
Brand, demand and lifecycle specialists.
Open practiceEngineering Recruitment
Software, platform and engineering leaders.
Open practiceOperations Recruitment
Supply chain, customer ops and revenue ops.
Open practiceManagement & Leadership
C-suite, country leadership and board roles.
Open practice- Consultancy Recruitment FAQ -
Process, pricing and how we work
Five questions we are asked most often about consultancy recruitment at Go Ahead HiRe.
Last reviewed: · Source: goaheadhire.com
Do you recruit for the Big Four or only boutique consultancies?
Both. Roughly half of our consultancy work is with strategy houses and Big Four advisory practices hiring at Director and Partner level. The other half is with boutique and specialist consultancies expanding their senior bench in a new European market. The common thread is senior consulting talent, not the size of the firm.
Related: Brief us on a consulting role, See who we work with
Reviewed · Source: goaheadhire.com
How do you find Partner-level candidates who are not actively looking?
Senior consulting candidates almost never respond to public job ads or cold LinkedIn outreach. We work through trusted networks, alumni groups and confidential introductions to surface Partner-level candidates. Initial conversations are always confidential, off the record and on the candidate's timeline.
Related: See our six-step approach
Reviewed · Source: goaheadhire.com
Can you handle consulting-to-industry transitions?
Yes, this is a regular part of our work. Senior Principals and Directors looking to move into a Head of Strategy, Chief of Staff or VP Operations role at a European scale-up or corporate make up a meaningful share of our placements. We brief candidates honestly about the cultural and operational shift, not just the title and the package.
Related: See our management practice
Reviewed · Source: goaheadhire.com
Are consulting searches always retained?
For Partner, Director and Principal searches, yes. The market is small, the candidate pool is well known and the search depends on confidential off-market work that contingent recruiters cannot deliver. Engagement Manager and Senior Consultant searches can run on container or selective contingent terms.
Related: Speak to a recruiter
Reviewed · Source: goaheadhire.com
Do you recruit across all six core European markets for consulting?
Yes. We run senior consulting searches in the Netherlands, UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy on a regular basis, plus on-demand searches in Belgium, the Nordics, Switzerland and Ireland. For pan-European Practice Lead roles we map candidate pools in each relevant market in parallel.
Related: See the six European countries we cover
Reviewed · Source: goaheadhire.com
Still have a question? Send us a message on the contact page or brief us on a new role.