Decision Guide
The terms are used interchangeably in conversation. They describe different working models. This guide is for hiring leaders in the intralogistics industry who want to be clear on what they are buying before they sign an engagement letter.
When to use this guide
Use this guide when you have been recommended a specialist sales recruiter, an executive search firm, or a headhunter, and you want to understand which one your seat actually needs.
Any figures, fee bands, salary ranges or percentages quoted on this page are indicative narrative guidance from Evara's operator-led practice in 2026, not a formal benchmark or audited statistic.
A specialist focused on commercial and sales seats across individual-contributor and leadership levels in intralogistics, working from a defined brief and a curated talent pool.
Best for
Watch out for
A research-led practitioner focused almost exclusively on senior, often confidential, leadership seats. Usually retained, often more expensive.
Best for
Watch out for
Side by side
| Dimension | Specialist sales recruiter | Headhunter / executive search |
|---|---|---|
| Typical role level | Field sales up to Sales Director and Commercial Director | Board level, exclusively senior leadership |
| Sector specialism | Deep within intralogistics commercial roles | Function-agnostic, focused on seniority |
| Process style | Targeted market map, structured commercial screen, regional and sector depth | Research-heavy, longer time horizons, board-level interview support |
| Fee model | Retained two-payment structure | Almost always retained, often a percentage of total package |
| Time to fill | 6 to 10 weeks for most senior commercial seats | Longer for board-level and highly confidential mandates |
| Best fit for UK intralogistics vendors | Strong fit for owner-managed and mid-sized vendor businesses | Often over-specified unless the seat is genuinely board level |
Our take
If the role is Sales Director, Commercial Director, Head of Sales, or a senior field-sales seat, a specialist intralogistics sales recruiter is the right call. If the role is a Managing Director or Chief Commercial Officer where the talent pool is international and the budget supports it, an executive search firm is the right call. The labels matter less than the fit between the firm and the seat.
FAQs
We are a specialist commercial recruitment practice for the intralogistics industry. We run a dedicated, research-led process, and we do most of what an executive search firm does, but we focus on the senior commercial band, from field sales through to Sales Director, Commercial Director and Managing Director.
Ask the same questions of both. How do you define the role? How do you build the long-list? How many candidates per shortlist? Who personally runs the search? What protection do I have if the hire does not work out? A serious firm of either kind will give you direct, specific answers.
Rarely. Running two firms on the same search creates noise in a small, well-connected industry and confuses candidates. Pick one and let them run it. If the firm is not delivering against the agreed milestones, end the engagement and bring in another, but do not parallel-run.
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Email Rachel Lunn and we will tell you whether your seat needs a specialist sales recruiter, an executive search firm, or something else.
Email Rachel LunnSpecialist commercial search for the intralogistics industry. We reply within one working day.
Email Rachel Lunn