Salaries And Costs
Compensation at director and C suite level varies by sector, Typical base salaries in Edinburgh often sit in these bands, Finance Director £90,000 to £130,000, CTO or VP Engineering £100,000 to £150,000, Chief Product or Chief Data £95,000 to £140,000, Life Sciences or Clinical Director £80,000 to £120,000, bonuses and equity can add meaningful upside, Executive search fees are usually a percentage of first year base, many staffing agencies and employment firms quote 20 percent to 33 percent, retained headhunters may use staged fees at project kick off, shortlist, and appointment, Agree payment terms, replacement clauses, and recruitment fees before launch, Ask for clarity on agency costs, advertising, psychometrics, and travel, Rates for interim leaders are often quoted as day rates, for example £600 to £1,200 for senior assignments, with temp agencies handling payroll and compliance.
Qualifications And Fit
For senior roles, hiring managers often look for chartered status or chartered routes where relevant, Examples include ACA or ACCA for finance, CEng for engineering, CIPD for senior HR, and MBA or MSc for leadership breadth, In regulated posts, proof of CPD, references, and track record carry weight, Recruitment agencies will test for sector depth, board communication, and culture fit, Jobseekers should keep case studies and delivery metrics ready, Be clear on team size managed, budgets, and outcomes linked to revenue, risk, or patient impact.
Local Hiring Challenges
The city’s job market is tight for niche skills, Data and software leaders, quant risk specialists, senior compliance, and clinical development heads can be hard to secure, Edinburgh draws commuters through Waverley and Haymarket, yet some candidates weigh travel against hybrid policies, The A720 City Bypass, the tram to the airport, the Forth crossings, and the Borders Railway shape talent catchments, Recruitment consultants can map passive candidates across Leith, New Town, South Gyle, and Edinburgh Park, Retention plans matter, clear onboarding, mentoring, and practical benefits keep senior hires in seat.
Regulatory And Compliance Points
Financial services roles must meet fit and proper standards, senior finance and risk posts may fall under SMCR, Life sciences and healthcare managers may need DBS checks and proof of Good Clinical Practice, Senior HR leaders often hold CIPD chartered membership, Data and tech leaders should evidence GDPR governance across vendors and cloud services, Employment firms can advise on right to work checks, references, and notice periods for restrictive covenants, Agree confidentiality terms up front to protect both parties.
Roles And Career Paths
Common executive search in Edinburgh covers CFO, Finance Director, CTO, VP Engineering, Head of Data, CPO Product, CISO, COO, Clinical Director, and HR Director, Growth companies ask for hands on leaders who can build teams from seed to scale, Corporate groups may target succession hires, Candidates moving from Senior Manager to Director often step up through programme ownership, P and L exposure, and board reporting, Headhunting recruitment agencies help map that path and present the right evidence to selection panels.
Hard To Fill Positions
Scarcity often appears in engineering leadership for highly regulated platforms, senior quant and model risk, clinical operations for complex trials, and cyber leaders with cloud and vendor assurance depth, Executive search partners use longlisting, referrals, and market mapping to find employees who mix domain skill with people leadership, Employers should agree non negotiables at briefing, then stay open on sector adjacency where skills transfer well.
Regional Or Geographic Variations
Pay rates in Edinburgh are usually below London but above many parts of the UK, Equity offers in tech can close gaps, Financial services remains a steady anchor, tech and data roles cluster near CodeBase and the university community, Life sciences grows around BioQuarter and Midlothian science sites, Public sector and third sector leadership continues to draw experienced operators who value mission and service.
Seasonal Themes
Board approvals and budget cycles often drive hiring in Q1 and late summer, Projects linked to regulatory deadlines can spike demand through spring, Tourism and events lift interim leadership around peak seasons, Plan retainers early so search can start before notice periods roll over, This helps employers hit start dates without paying for short term cover longer than needed.
Quick Facts And FAQs
How do headhunting recruitment agencies run a retained search?
Most projects start with a brief, market mapping, outreach, and interviews, with shortlist reports and progress calls at set points.
What will I pay in recruitment fees?
Retained search often runs at 20 percent to 33 percent of base with staged payments, contingency is payable on hire.
Do agencies handle temporary, permanent, and contract work at senior level?
Many do, interim leaders are common for turnarounds, maternity cover, or change programmes.
Can jobseekers register with an agency for executive roles?
Yes, send a focused CV, keep achievements measurable, and set clear location and hybrid preferences.
What should local businesses prepare before a briefing?
Define outcomes, team structure, salary bands, pay rates for interim if needed, and reporting lines, set a realistic timeframe and agree who will attend interviews.