What Does Executive Search Cost for a COO or President?

One flat fee, set upfront. Most searches fall between $45,000 and $75,000. That is the published executive search cost for a COO or President at Captains Club, and the same range applies to both seats. Traditional search firms typically charge a percentage of the hire's first-year compensation. A 2016 SHRM article, How to Work Effectively with an Executive Search Firm, reports the industry standard as about 33 percent of the role's annual salary, bonus, and signing bonus. On a COO package of $220,000 to $350,000 in total cash compensation, that percentage comes to about $72,600 to $115,500. The Captains Club fee is agreed before work begins and stays the same no matter what the final offer looks like.

Captains Club Talent LLC is based in Gilbert, Arizona. Daniel Cheetham leads every search from start to signed offer, for owner-led and investor-backed companies, typically in the $10 million to $100 million range, across the Western U.S. Full engagement details are on What we do.

Captains Club's published fees

"One flat fee, set upfront. Most searches fall between $45,000 and $75,000."

That fee is set at the start from the role, how hard the search is, the timeline, and what the hire will mean for the business. A COO search and a President search typically fall in the same $45,000 to $75,000 range. The fee is set by the scope of the search.

"Every search starts with a $5,000 monthly retainer, and every dollar is credited toward one flat search fee." You can begin with a $5,000 monthly commitment instead of a large payment at the start. Each monthly payment reduces the agreed search fee, so the total does not stack, and you know the full cost on day one.

The fee is agreed before work begins. An offer of $150,000 or $300,000 does not change it. If pay targets, the market, or the timeline shift later, the search fee stays put.

What drives the cost of a COO or President search

At a percentage-fee firm, the executive's pay drives the fee. A bigger package means a bigger invoice for the same work. The work itself sits here:

• Defining the seat. Every search starts with a strategy session: behavioral benchmarking of your current leadership team, a multi-stakeholder role scoping exercise, and a scorecard for the seat, a profile of the ideal candidate, and a compensation benchmark, so the seat is clear before anyone is approached. If you are still choosing between the two seats, read the President vs. COO guide.
• Reaching passive leaders. The best operators are usually employed and not looking. Continuous, confidential candidate outreach is part of the search.
• Assessing fit. Every search runs through Navigating Talent™. Head looks at behavioral fit with the people the new leader will work beside. Heart looks at values and what actually motivates the candidate. Helm looks at whether the operating skills have been proven at a similar scale. Horizon, the relationships a leader can bring, is used when the seat needs it.
• Closing and onboarding. We stay through offer talks, pay coaching, and a 90-day onboarding plan.

Compensation still matters to your total budget. Our COO salary and compensation guide cites third-party benchmarks that put COO total cash compensation at $220,000 to $350,000 for a $10M to $50M owner-operated company. That guide notes that when a President holds the full P&L, pay is usually at least even with the COO range, and often higher.

Flat fee vs percentage of salary

Here is how the two models compare on the same seats, using the compensation range above. Captains Club does not publish a separate COO fee and President fee; both typically fall in the same $45,000 to $75,000 range, set by scope.

With a flat fee, you know the full search cost on day one. The search firm gains nothing from a richer offer, so compensation advice stays on your side of the table. If the right candidate needs a larger package, you can stretch the offer and the search fee stays put.

At the low end of that compensation range, a fee of about 33 percent can land near the top of our typical flat-fee range. Compare how candidates are found and assessed before you compare invoices.

How long a COO or President search takes

A COO or President search often takes several months from engagement to an accepted offer, and longer for complex seats. Captains Club plans senior leadership searches around 60 to 120 days.

What moves the timeline most:

• Role clarity. A seat defined before outreach avoids restarts when requirements change midway.
• Candidate availability. Passive leaders need time to consider a move, and some carry notice periods.
• Owner feedback. Fast responses after each interview round keep finalists engaged.

We report progress weekly, so you can see how the market is responding.

Guarantees and what happens if the hire doesn't work out

"Six-month replacement guarantee on every placement." The home page states: "Every placement carries a six-month replacement guarantee. If it doesn't work out, we pick up where we left off to ensure the right candidate is in place."

Guarantee terms vary by firm. Read the agreement for the term, what triggers it, and whether a replacement search carries any added fee.

The best protection is a hire that lasts. Our Results page publishes a 94% 12-month stick rate and a 9.6 Net Promoter Score, and lists searches as 100% Aptive Index Certified.

Executive search cost for a COO or President FAQ

How much does executive search cost for a COO or President?

One flat fee, set upfront. Most searches fall between $45,000 and $75,000. A COO search and a President search typically fall in the same range, set by the scope of the search. Traditional search firms typically charge a percentage of the hire's first-year compensation. A 2016 SHRM article, How to Work Effectively with an Executive Search Firm, reports the industry standard as about 33 percent of the role's annual salary, bonus, and signing bonus. On a COO package of $220,000 to $350,000 in total cash compensation, that percentage comes to about $72,600 to $115,500.

Does the Captains Club fee go up if the candidate earns more?

No. The fee is agreed before work begins, and an offer of $150,000 or $300,000 does not change it. If pay targets, the market, or the timeline shift later, the search fee stays put. You can budget the full search cost before the search starts.

How is the Captains Club search fee paid?

Every search starts with a $5,000 monthly retainer, and every dollar is credited toward one flat search fee. Each monthly payment reduces the agreed search fee, so the total does not stack, and you know the full cost on day one.

How long does a COO or President search take?

A COO or President search often takes several months from engagement to an accepted offer, and longer for complex seats. Captains Club plans senior leadership searches around 60 to 120 days and reports progress weekly. A clearly defined seat and fast feedback from the owner keep a search moving.

What happens if a COO or President hire doesn't work out?

Every placement carries a six-month replacement guarantee. If it doesn't work out, we pick up where we left off to ensure the right candidate is in place. Firms set their own guarantee terms, so ask any firm to put its terms in writing.

How does the $5,000 monthly retainer work?

Every search starts with a $5,000 monthly retainer, and every dollar is credited toward one flat search fee. You can begin with a $5,000 monthly commitment instead of a large payment at the start. Each monthly payment reduces the agreed search fee, so the total does not stack.

Is executive search worth the fee for a mid-sized private company?

For a COO or President who will run operations or the whole business, a structured search lowers the risk of a costly mismatch. Captains Club publishes a 94% 12-month stick rate and a 9.6 Net Promoter Score on its Results page. A flat fee lets you weigh the cost against the value of the seat before you commit.

Talk through your COO or President search

Pricing a COO or President hire? We will walk you through the seat and what the search would cost before you commit. If you are still comparing firms, read how to choose an executive search firm. For President seats, see President executive search.

Phone 480-347-9000, or request a private consultation. Email info@captainsclub.com.