Product Leader Recruitment

The titles vary widely between companies. A Product Lead often manages a product area or a small team while staying hands-on. A Head of Product usually leads the product managers across the business. A Director of Product may oversee several product areas in a larger organisation. We look at the scope someone actually held, not the title on the CV.

Some briefs now combine the two, often where a founder built the first version and the business needs it made scalable and secure. People who have done both at a senior level are scarce. They tend to be heads of product who stayed close to engineering, or platform owners from larger organisations. It is worth testing early how much architecture experience the role really needs.

Many founders say they want someone who will push back. The candidates who stand out can explain how they do it. They bring evidence, such as what customers actually use or the cost of switching priorities, and they leave the final decision with the person who owns it. We ask candidates for real examples of disagreeing well.

In smaller businesses, usually yes. A leader with a small team will often need to run discovery or write specifications themselves. In larger organisations the job shifts towards setting direction and developing people. Many candidates describe themselves as both, so we ask what they personally took from discovery through to launch.

When the role is senior, the pool is small or the appointment needs to stay confidential. Most Chief Product Officer and VP hires fall into that group. A Head of Product search can often run as a standard permanent search, unless earlier attempts have not worked. We can advise on the right route once we understand the brief.

Clients can get in touch to discuss a brief, and candidates are welcome to register their interest. The quickest route is our contact page or a call to +44 203 397 4565, and one of our consultants will pick things up from there.