Virago Search Services
How We Deliver
Hiring Models Matched to Decision Risk
Virago supports leadership teams across different hiring contexts—but the model is never the point.
The risk profile of the decision is.
Our work is designed to align the hiring approach with the real consequences of getting it wrong.
Retained Search
Retained search is most often used when the role carries such weight that the wrong hire can compromise the company’s effectiveness for years—not months—and recovery would be costly, disruptive, and uncertain.
These are moments where leadership decisions shape culture, strategy, execution, and credibility all at once.
A retained engagement allows us to go deep—into the organization’s operating reality, constraints, and future direction—so the leader selected is not just capable, but right for this company, at this moment, under these conditions.
This model is used when precision matters more than speed, and when there is little margin for error.
Executive Contingent Search
When urgency exists, but risk still demands judgment
Executive contingent search is typically used when the stakes are slightly lower than retained—but still material.
These roles often sit at the Head of or VP level, where leaders are expected to:
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drive strategic transformation initiatives
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navigate regulatory or compliance complexity
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prepare organizations for foundational shifts such as AI adoption or emerging technologies
While time sensitivity may exist, the cost of a wrong decision remains high. Our approach applies retained-level rigor to contingent engagements, ensuring urgency does not override judgment.
High Impact Individual Contributor Hires
When technical leadership determines future positioning
High-impact individual contributor searches are most often contingent—though occasionally retained when the expertise is exceptionally rare or the technology itself is being built for the first time.
These roles are not people leaders.
They are technical leaders.
Architects, product owners, engineers, and specialists whose decisions shape:
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platform direction
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technical durability
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competitive insulation against future shifts
The goal is not just innovation, but innovation with resilience—advancing capability while mitigating the risk that future pivots or market changes stall momentum.
In these searches, resumes are insufficient. Judgment, problem framing, and decision-making maturity matter most.
Confidential Advisory
When the right move isn’t clear yet
Sometimes the highest-risk decision is starting a search before the problem is fully understood.
Confidential advisory engagements are used when leadership needs clarity before committing to a role, a timeline, or a hiring decision at all.
This work helps surface risk early, sharpen the real question being solved, and determine whether hiring is the right next step—or whether another move should come first.
Consistent Delivery...Always
Across every engagement, we apply the same discipline:
We understand the moment.
We surface risk early.
And we measure success by whether the decision holds up under real conditions.
If you're navigating a hiring decision where judgment matters just as much as execution, we're happy to talk.
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