Business Development & Recruitment Lead

Business Development & Recruitment Lead

Location: Cape Town (Remote/Hybrid)
Reports to: Managing Director

About Us

Progressive Edge Consulting is a boutique tech recruitment and executive search firm based in Cape Town. We specialize in headhunting top-tier talent for the South African market and supporting international companies hiring in South Africa. Our focus is on high-quality, strategic partnerships rather than transactional recruitment.

We're a high-performance, small team that values ownership, quality, impact, and integrity. As we grow, we're looking for a self-motivated and entrepreneurial recruiter who thrives in a fast-moving, agile environment.

Role Overview

The Business Development & Recruitment Lead is a high-impact, revenue-generating role designed for an autonomous and strategic professional. You will drive new business growth, manage recruitment delivery, and foster long-term client relationships.

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Loves both business development and recruitment not just one or the other.
• Wants to own their desk and build a portfolio of clients that they manage long-term.
• Thrives in an environment that offers both autonomy and support.
• Is eager to develop a team around their success as they grow.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development & Sales

• Own the full sales cycle from prospecting, pitching, negotiating, and signing to recruitment delivery.
• Secure and onboard new clients within the tech and executive search space.
• Prioritize high-quality, profitable business opportunities to ensure maximum revenue generation.
• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities, converting contingent work into engaged and retained search agreements.

2. Recruitment Delivery & Candidate Sourcing

• Manage end-to-end recruitment processes
• Source, engage, and recruit high-caliber tech and executive talent
• Where supported by delivery consultants, ensure detailed debriefs and filter ensuring client receives exceptional quality
• Head-hunt proactively rather than relying on job ads.
• Ensure quality over quantity protecting both clients and candidates by ensuring long-term success.

3. Account Management & Client Retention

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with clients to drive repeat business.
• Provide strategic hiring advice and become a trusted talent partner.
• Achieve a client satisfaction score of Y% or higher.

4. Team Leadership & Contribution

• Mentor junior staff and contribute to a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Support internal process improvements and help shape Progressive Edge's growth strategy.
• Take ownership of internal projects or initiatives to enhance efficiency.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience & Background:

• 5-10 years of full-cycle recruitment experience (preferably in tech or executive search).
• Proven ability to consistently achieve revenue targets.
• Experience selling multiple recruitment service models (contingency, engaged, retained, contracting) is a plus.

Skills & Competencies:

Sales & Business Development - Ability to proactively win new clients and close deals.
Full-Cycle Recruitment - Hands-on experience with headhunting, sourcing, and placing top talent.
Negotiation & Influence - Strong ability to position value, sell retained search, and close high-quality business.
Client Relationship Management - Able to build long-term strategic partnerships.
Leadership & Team Collaboration - Natural mentor who supports and uplifts the team.
Process Improvement - Excels at finding ways to streamline and enhance recruitment operations.
Resilience & Self-Motivation - Thrives in a high-accountability, high-autonomy role.

Why Join Us?

Ownership & Autonomy - We trust you to run your desk like your own business.
High-Impact Role - See the direct impact of your work on our business growth.
Agility & Speed - Work in an efficient, no-bureaucracy environment.
Earning Potential - Your billings directly impact your financial growth.
Career Growth - The opportunity to develop into a leadership role and significantly improve your commercial experience in a scaling business, as you build your portfolio.
Reputation & Network - Work with top tech companies in SA & internationally.
A Business That Values Quality - We build high-value partnerships.