Top Line Advisory

Role Description As Director Research, you are the engine of our search delivery: you find the candidates others miss - through deep market knowledge, creative sourcing, and the smart use of modern AI tools. - Candidate Sourcing & Identification: Build longlists for C-level and Senior Sales/GTM mandates via LinkedIn Recruiter, Apollo, AI sourcing tools, and your own research methodology. - Market Mapping: Systematically screen target industries, competitors, and career paths - who is relevant, who is moving, who is ready for the next step. - AI-Driven Research: Use and further develop our AI sourcing workflows (ChatGPT, Claude, Custom Agents) to scale and elevate the quality of our research. - Candidate Profiling: Create structured candidate profiles, conduct background research, and provide first assessments against the scorecard. - Knowledge Building: Build and maintain our internal talent database and industry insights for recurring mandates (PE portfolio, DACH B2B). Qualifications - Research Experience in a Top-Tier Executive Search Firm: Several years in a Senior Researcher role at a leading global search firm or comparable boutique. - Research Excellence & Speed: Ability to understand new industries and profile requirements fast and dig deeper than others when it comes to finding the right candidate. - Tool Mastery: Technical literacy with openness to leverage accuracy and speed of emerging AI tools (e.g. Juicebox, Apollo, etc.) as well as experience in using traditional search tools (e.g. LinkedIn Recruiter, etc.). - Structured Analytical Mindset: Think in markets, patterns, and target groups - no blind list-processing, but hypothesis-driven research. - Language: Fluent English is required, German is a plus. Benefits - AI-First Environment: You don't work against modern tools - you work with them, and actively shape how we redefine research. - Senior Exposure: Direct collaboration with the founders (ex-McKinsey, ex-CxO Unicorns) and insight into C-level searches for top PE clients. - Remote-First, Outcome-Driven: Work from wherever you are most productive - outcome beats presence.

• Candidate Sourcing & Identification: Build longlists for C-level and Senior Sales/GTM mandates via LinkedIn Recruiter, Apollo, AI sourcing tools, and your own research methodology • Market Mapping: Systematically screen target industries, competitors, and career paths - who is relevant, who is moving, who is ready for the next step • AI-Driven Research: Use and further develop our AI sourcing workflows (ChatGPT, Claude, Custom Agents) to scale and elevate the quality of our research • Candidate Profiling: Create structured candidate profiles, conduct background research, and provide first assessments against the scorecard • Knowledge Building: Build and maintain our internal talent database and industry insights for recurring mandates (PE portfolio, DACH B2B)

Our client is a confidential PE-backed software company in the 3D visualisation space, searching for a Senior Director Sales to lead a fast growing team of 8 sales reps. The mission of the role is to transform a largely untapped pipeline into consistent ARR growth — with a PE exit on the horizon. The client's product is trusted by the world's top architectural firms, VFX studios, and creative agencies. The company is headquartered in Germany with offices across Europe and the US, all following a remote-first policy. Tasks Drive Revenue Growth - Own ARR performance and deliver above-company-average growth within 12–24 months leading a team of 8 sales people - Activate untapped pipeline through rigorous account segmentation and expansion of top-tier accounts - Build and own the full pipeline architecture across €100K–€500K+ ACV deals Establish a Performance Culture - Replace reactive account management with a rigorous KPI framework across activity, pipeline, and quota - Address underperformers decisively; embed sales plays the team genuinely owns Player-Coach Leadership - Be present in the field; personally own relationships with strategically critical accounts - Serve as GTM sparring partner to the VP Growth on segmentation and emerging verticals Strategic GTM Development - Challenge legacy assumptions on territory, coverage, and account prioritisation — decide where to play, where to double down, and where to stop - Shape vertical strategy and geographic expansion: which segments to build, which segments to double down, and where to focus first Requirements - 5–10 years in B2B software sales, with 2–3+ years leading a team of 5 or more - Proven track record of building or transforming a sales organisation — quota over-achievement and establishing a performance culture driven by KPIs - Hands-on player-coach: able to close enterprise deals while simultaneously coaching a team - GTM expertise and commercial accument — ability think strategically on go-to-market and act as the bridge between sales, product, and senior leadership - Hungry, positively aggressive, growth-oriented attitude - Industry experience in visualisation software, or adjacent creative technology is a plus, not a requirement - Located CET timezone as the company follows a remote-first policy, being located in Munich is plus as the VP Growth is located there - Business fluent in English - Willingness to travel to customers across Europe and occasionally US Benefits - Report directly to the VP Growth with strong C-level visibility; clear path to VP role for strong performers — the client promotes on merit, not tenure - World-class product with loyal customer base, untapped pipeline, and opportunity to double the team size if ARR growth can be demonstrated