Building Talent Teams in
Venture Capital and Private Equity
At Tempting Talent, we partner with venture capital and private equity firms to build, scale, and strengthen their internal talent functions
Our approach is independent and objective, free from the internal conflicts that often compromise traditional recruitment partners. Our sole focus is delivering high-impact talent that drives value creation across your portfolio.
We have supported funds ranging from $2.6 billion to $85 billion in AUM. Whether you are building a talent function from scratch or evolving an existing team, we offer search solutions tailored to the stage, sector, and structure of your investments. We specialize in supporting software-focused investors as they scale talent functions across their portfolio. This includes key hires such as Heads of Talent and internal recruiters, as well as strategic placements into the fund itself.
Our team brings deep understanding of the sector and the execution capability required to move quickly and precisely.
Our track record
We have helped clients launch new functions, build executive hiring strategies, and reduce agency spend through in-house capability. Our retained process is structured, insight-led, and designed to deliver a shortlist at pace without compromising on quality.
Over 280 placements made into the executive search and talent space
Active in the US market for over 4 years
Supported funds ranging from $2.6 billion to $85 billion in AUM
Why Tempting Talent?
We are the only firm operating a true hybrid model across Executive Search, Staffing, and Talent Advisory. This means we understand both the strategic and operational sides of hiring, and we bring that depth to every engagement. Our clients trust us to advise, deliver, and partner for the long term, not just to fill a vacancy.
Our internal team is highly specialized and collaborative. We offer the largest independent network of executive search professionals in the industry, enabling us to deliver talent that other firms cannot access.
“Tempting Talent is a critical strategic partner to me regarding Eastward’s expansion. Rob worked with us this year to strategically acquire a competitor, which enabled us to increase our coverage in Industrials and Technology.”
Joe Carbone
“What I have come to appreciate most about Tempting Talent is their active listening and adaptation to changing requirements, proactive communication and organisation, and the high calibre prospects they attract and present."
Brandon Diehm
“Rob presented his analysis and recommendations to our executive leadership team and the entire team of search professionals in an engaging, informative discussion. As we are growing our business, we want to be data driven and learning from outside-in thinking. Rob and Tempting Talent's work is helping us achieve that goal."
Matt Stansky
Let’s talk about your next hire
If you’re ready to invest in senior talent, we’re ready to help you do it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hiring top talent into venture capital and private equity-backed businesses requires a focused executive search strategy, strong market positioning, and access to passive candidates.
High-growth businesses backed by VC and PE investors often compete aggressively for leadership, commercial, operational, and technical talent capable of scaling revenue and driving transformation. Successful hiring strategies typically include:
- Executive search
- Talent mapping
- Competitive market analysis
- Leadership assessment
- Targeted outreach to passive candidates
- Employer branding support
Tempting Talent recruits across leadership, operational, commercial, and growth-focused positions within private equity and venture capital-backed businesses. Typical roles include:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- Sales leadership
- Talent acquisition leadership
- Executive search professionals
- Recruitment leadership
- Operations leadership
- Revenue-generating recruitment consultants
- Growth and expansion hires
- Commercial and strategic leadership positions
Many venture capital and private equity-backed businesses invest in executive search because leadership hiring directly impacts growth, operational performance, and investment outcomes.
Executive search provides access to experienced leaders and specialist professionals who are often not actively applying for jobs. It also improves hiring efficiency, confidentiality, and candidate quality during periods of rapid scaling.
For PE and VC-backed companies competing for high-performing commercial and operational talent, executive search can reduce hiring risk and improve long-term retention.
Shortlist delivery timelines depend on the complexity, seniority, and specialization of the role. For many recruitment, executive search, and growth-focused positions, initial shortlisted candidates can often be presented within 1 to 3 weeks. More specialized leadership and executive searches may require additional time due to market competition and candidate availability.
Tempting Talent focuses on proactive search, market mapping, and direct outreach strategies designed to accelerate access to qualified professionals.
The cost of executive search for venture capital and private equity-backed businesses depends on the role scope, seniority, market complexity, and search model.
Executive search fees are commonly structured as a percentage of the successful candidate’s first-year compensation package.
Retained search is often used for senior leadership, confidential hiring, and business-critical positions because it provides dedicated search support and deeper market engagement.
The investment in executive search is typically focused on reducing hiring risk, improving leadership quality, and accelerating growth within highly competitive markets.
