Account Executive

Cowen Partners is hiring an Executive Sales Leader to help drive growth at one of the nation’s leading executive search firms.

Recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Retained Executive Search Firms and Top 100 Private Equity Executive Search Firms, Cowen Partners partners with public, private, and private equity-backed companies to recruit elite leadership talent across the C-suite. Our clients engage us to identify and secure high-impact executives including CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Chief People Officers, General Counsel, and other senior leaders whose decisions shape the future of their organizations.

This is not a commodity sales role. This is an opportunity to sell a premium, retained professional service at the highest levels of business.

About the Role

We are seeking a proven, sophisticated sales leader who can open doors, build trust quickly, and win retained executive search engagements with boards, CEOs, private equity firms, and senior operating executives. The right person will understand how to sell in a consultative, high-value environment where credibility, judgment, and persistence matter.

You will be responsible for developing new client relationships, expanding existing opportunities, and helping organizations solve critical leadership needs through retained executive search. This role is ideal for someone who is comfortable operating in executive-level conversations and can position Cowen Partners as a strategic partner in leadership hiring, succession, and organizational growth.

What You’ll Do

• Generate new business for retained executive search engagements across public, private, and private equity-backed companies
• Build relationships with CEOs, boards, founders, private equity partners, operating partners, and senior HR leaders
• Lead consultative sales conversations around executive hiring, succession planning, and leadership gaps
• Own the full business development cycle from prospecting through close
• Partner closely with firm leadership and recruiting teams to ensure smooth handoff and strong client experience
• Represent Cowen Partners in the market as a trusted advisor and premium search partner
• Help expand the firm’s reach across core functional areas including CEO, CFO, COO, HR, legal, revenue, operations, and other executive-level mandates

What We’re Looking For

• Proven success in business development, middle market or enterprise sales, professional services sales, or other high-value consultative sales environments
• Strong executive presence with the ability to engage senior decision-makers with confidence and credibility BOD, CEO, CHRO, etc.
• Experience selling complex services with large deal sizes and long-term client value
• Ability to prospect, qualify, and close opportunities in a competitive market
• Strong communication skills and sound commercial judgment
• A self-directed, high-motor approach with the discipline to build pipeline and drive results
• Comfort working in a fast-moving, performance-oriented environment

Why Cowen Partners

• Nationally recognized brand with strong market credibility
• Recognized by Forbes among the best executive search firms in the country
• Established reputation in retained executive search and private equity recruiting
• Global client base and a steady flow of retained search activity
• Opportunity to sell high-impact work tied directly to CEO, CFO, COO, and board-level talent decisions
• A platform built for professionals who want to win meaningful business and operate at a high level

At Cowen Partners, clients hire us when the stakes are high and leadership matters. We help companies gain access to the most competitive executive talent markets in the world, and we are looking for a sales leader who can bring that message to the right buyers.

To learn more about Cowen Partners, please visit our website.