Search Context
A US-based environmental services firm needed a strong communicator with a background in sustainability consulting to sell sustainability consulting services, including Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). The role focused on identifying prospects, building relationships with decision-makers, and shaping scopes of work to hand off to technical teams for delivery.
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Talent Landscape
- 25 had experience directly interfacing with sustainability service buyers
- 7 demonstrated ability to shape deals that resembled or were larger than the client's engagements
- The candidates with the largest revenue achievements sat in on client meetings with the delivery team, which gave them insights into the account
Hiring Criteria
The profile required all of these together.
Screening Insight
Top sellers with direct buyer access often came from large multidisciplinary firms and consistently generated the highest revenue.
The High-Performer Profile: The most effective sellers had significant visibility into the execution of consulting engagements — they sat in on client meetings, understood delivery team dynamics, and could advise consultants on where to focus. Direct lines to buyers combined with that operational insight made them exceptionally effective.
The Compensation Gap: That configuration commanded compensation beyond the client's budget for this role.
The successful placement combined sales ability, delivery insight, and buyer access at a compensation level that fit — and the long search surfaced a strategic insight: configuring and compensating a sales role to include visibility into ongoing client deliverables would pay for itself through improved deal quality and client retention.