Leadership Needs Evolve as Businesses Grow
The line between needing a permanent, fractional, or interim leader isn't always obvious and getting it wrong can cost months of momentum. That's exactly the kind of challenge our discovery process is built to answer, helping you land on the right leadership solution before the search ever begins.
Permanent Placement Executive Leadership
The search for full-time executive leadership is the process of identifying, recruiting, and placing permanent senior leaders such as CEOs, C-suite executives, presidents, board members, and their minus-one leadership teams, for a long-term role within an organization.
Unlike contingency recruiting, retained executive search is engaged exclusively to fill mission-critical leadership positions where fit, trajectory, and long-term impact matter as much as experience.
At Portage, full-time executive placement means finding the leader built for where your company is headed next — not just the resume that matches today's job description.
Fractional Leadership
A fractional executive is a senior leader, such as a CMO, CFO, COO, or CRO, engaged on a part-time or defined-term basis to provide executive-level strategy, leadership, and execution without the cost or burden of a full-time hire. Fractional leadership is often used to bridge a leadership gap, guide a company through a specific growth stage, or bring senior expertise to organizations not yet ready for a full-time executive.
At Portage, fractional placements are held to the same standard as our permanent searches: leaders who fit your team, your culture, and your trajectory — not just the role.
Interim Leadership
An interim executive is a senior leader engaged on a full-time basis for a defined period of time to deliver a specific outcome — often bridging a leadership gap during a transition, departure, or active executive search. Unlike a fractional executive, an interim leader is fully dedicated during the engagement, with a clear mandate and a planned transition out once the objective is met or a permanent leader is in place.
At Portage, interim placements are built the same way as every search we run: grounded in discovery, matched to what your team actually needs to move through the transition — not just a placeholder in the seat.
The Portage Process: Intentional, Shaped by Experience, and Built to Deliver Success
We don't start with a job description. We start with a destination. Every step that follows is built to get you there.
1. Set Course
Before the search begins, we align priorities across all key stakeholders. We then work to understand your organization, culture, and direction. Together, we define what your next leader needs to accomplish — and translate it into an approved Executive Position Description. Then the search begins!
2. Explore
With the destination clear, we build the search from the ground up — mapping the market, engaging prospective candidates, and assessing alignment with the company, culture, and future state. No database. No recycled shortlist. Every search starts from scratch.
3. Present
We bring you a carefully selected slate — not just names, but the insight behind each recommendation, and how each candidate aligns with your priorities and your growth goals.
4. Navigate
We stay engaged throughout your interview process — advising on approach, coordinating logistics, and gathering feedback from both sides to keep momentum without losing rigor.
5. Embark
Once you've selected your new leader, we guide the offer, compensation discussions, and negotiations to a successful close — preparing both sides to move forward together. We then stay close to you and the new leader to ensure success beyond onboarding.
Portage Search Partners — People Move Organizations Forward