CRITICAL SPRINT: technology executive search
Let’s find the right person
in 30 focused days.
SPRINT makes business-critical hiring for SaaS SMEs strategic, structured and brilliantly straightforward.
Critical SPRINT is for the hire you’ve decided matters now.
Maybe you've struggled to fill the role, growth's created a gap your team can't keep filling, or someone critical has left without warning. You could even be building a new function and need it quickly.
This hire has implications beyond an empty chair.
And you need the right person in place…
...not simply a filled vacancy.
-
SPRINT is for one business-critical hire at a time. I only work with a select number of clients, so your search gets my dedicated attention from start to finish.
-
The role you start with isn’t always the person your business actually needs. I’ll ask the questions, test the assumptions and use my judgement to make sure we’re looking for the right person in the first place.
-
I search proactively, headhunt, and use my network rather than relying on whoever happens to be looking. The goal is a carefully considered shortlist, not a pile of CVs.
-
Skills and experience matter, but a polished CV and well-prepared interview can only tell us so much...especially when AI makes both easier than ever. I look deeper at behaviours, motivations and how someone will work with the people already around the table.
Where useful, I can also facilitate psychometric assessments, including Hogan, to give us another layer of insight before you make an important hiring decision. -
I’ll plan interviews, prep candidates, and keep in close contact with both sides - so good people and good decisions aren’t ever left waiting.
SPRINT is designed to get you the right person quickly.
Without actually treating an important hire like a race. Because finding the right person in 30 days isn’t about cutting corners.
It’s about giving one critical hire:
In 30 focused days, I’ll take your critical hire from brief to offer.
Roles I recruit for:
-
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Managing Director (MD)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Growth Officer (CGO)
Chief Product Officer
Chief People Officer
Chief of Staff
-
Sales Director
Head of Sales
Sales Manager
Business Development Manager (BDM)
Account Executive (AE)
Sales Executive
-
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Marketing Director
Head of Marketing
Marketing Manager
Marketing Executive
Product Marketing Manager
Digital Marketing Manager
-
Customer Success Director
Head of Customer Success
Customer Success Manager (CSM)
Account Manager
Customer Experience Manager
Partnerships Manager
-
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Operations Director
Head of Operations
Operations Manager
Service Delivery Manager
Programme Manager
Project Manager
-
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Finance Director
Head of Finance
Financial Controller
Finance Manager
Finance Compliance & Operations Manager
Finance Analyst
-
Chief People Officer
People Director
Head of People
HR Manager
People Manager
Talent / Recruitment
-
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Head of Engineering
Engineering Manager
Development Manager
Technical Lead
Software Developer
Front-end Developer
Back-end Developer
Full-stack Developer
-
Chief Product Officer
Head of Product
Product Manager
Product Owner
Business Analyst (BA)
Scrum Master
Project Manager
-
Head of Data
Business Intelligence Lead (BI Lead)
Business Intelligence Manager (BI Manager)
Insights Analyst
Business Intelligence Analyst (BI Analyst)
Data Analyst
Data Engineer
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Engineer (AI/ML Engineer)
-
Head of Infrastructure
Infrastructure Manager
Platform Engineer
Cloud Engineer
DevOps Engineer
Infrastructure Engineer
Define the hire → shape the search → proactively headhunt → assess + shortlist → manage interviews → navigate the offer
Trusted by founder-led tech SMEs across the UK.
Over 30+ years experience recruiting business-critical roles across leadership, finance, commercial, operations, product and technology.
Meet debbie
Your strategic talent partner, focused on finding the right person.
If 30+ years in recruitment has taught me anything, it’s that moving quickly to hire someone vital to a business isn’t about speed, it’s about focus. SPRINT is built on that: one structured search, my full attention and the judgement to find someone who fits the capability and culture your business needs.
I’m often brought in on hires that have stalled or proven tricky to fill, not for lack of trying. I’ll challenge what you think you need, be honest when something isn’t quite right and work alongside you as your partner, not simply your supplier.
As a tech talent partner
I recruit across the whole business...
...whether it’s a Head of Finance or Technology Director come with completely different demands. But you shouldn’t need a different recruiter every time the job title changes.
I recruit across leadership, finance, commercial, operations, product and technology, bringing the experience to understand where your critical hire fits, what you need from them and how to find them.
Client feedback
“My most recent role recruitment with Debbie was flawless.
Interviews were organised swiftly, candidates were well briefed and of a high standard, and the whole process concluded to offer in just over three weeks. Debbie always takes time to get under the skin of the role, understand my needs and gives her time freely to discuss progress throughout.
- Hannah Whiteley, Head of Projects, Rascal Systems
A lot can happen in 4 weeks
Here’s how CRITICAL SPRINT works
* Where useful, I can also facilitate psychometric assessments to add another layer of insight.
my network of brilliant candidates
The best recruitment relationships work both ways.
I put as much care into the people I represent as the businesses I recruit for — building relationships that often continue long after someone has accepted the role.
FAQs
-
Not really. My technology executive search work spans business-critical roles across leadership, finance, commercial, operations, product and technology within SaaS and tech businesses. The roles tend be senior roles where a gap is felt quickly if not filled.
-
Critical SPRINT is designed to move one critical hire from brief to offer within 30 days. With notice periods, it’s likely your new hire won’t actually start within that time frame but by the end of the SPRINT, the goal is to have found the right person and secured their offer. We agree the process, interview stages and key dates upfront, so that we’re ready to go once the search begins.
-
The 30-day structure creates focus, but I’ll never recommend making a hire simply to hit a deadline. It is rapid recruitment but getting the right person is always my priority. I’m confident that when we’re clear on who your business needs, with the right approach and salary behind the search, I can find them. Sometimes practicalities like interview availability push the timeline slightly. If that happens, we keep going. The search doesn’t stop simply because we’ve reached day 30.
-
Before anything, we have a conversation about the hire you’re making. From there, I’ll walk you through the fee structure, what’s included and how payments work. Everything is agreed upfront before the search begins.
-
I’ll take responsibility for driving the recruitment process, but you’ll need to be available for agreed interviews, prompt feedback, and key decisions along the way. We’ll confirm dates before we begin so you know when I’ll need your input.
-
That’s absolutely fine. In fact, it can be quite useful. We’ll start by looking at what you’ve already tried such as the brief and salary to positioning, expectations and interview process, so we don’t repeat the same search twice.
-
Critical SPRINT is designed to put concentrated attention onto one business-critical hire. If you have several hires coming up or need ongoing recruitment support, my Permanent Recruitment or Embedded Talent Partnership may be a better fit. If you’re not sure, simply get in touch and we’ll figure out the best approach together.
-
I’m based near Milton Keynes and work with SaaS and tech businesses across the UK, with many of my clients based in London and the South East. Where it’s useful, I’m also happy to spend time with you and your team in person.
CRITICAL SPRINT: TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Just 30 days to hire a brilliant person
for the business you’re building.