How to Brief a Retained Executive Mandate

Why the brief comes first

Retained search is not volume recruitment. The partner is accountable for one critical appointment: mapping the market, approaching candidates discreetly, calibrating a shortlist, and managing process through offer. That model fails when stakeholders disagree on outcomes, deal-breakers, or package ceilings halfway through interviews.

A written brief is also a governance artefact. Company secretaries and RemCo secretariats often need to know when an offer can be issued relative to committee calendars. Confidential replacements (incumbent still in seat) need clear rules on who may be contacted and how the client is named — or not named — in the market.

Six sections every mandate brief should cover

These mirror the Mandate Briefing Checklist (PDF).

1. Role and outcomes

• Position title, reporting line, and location (office / hybrid / remote)
• Purpose of the role in one or two sentences
• Success outcomes for the first 6–12 months (measurable where possible)
• Scope: team size, budget or P&L influence, key deliverables
• Why the role is open: growth, succession, replacement, or new capability

Vague purpose statements (“drive transformation”) produce vague shortlists. Prefer outcomes the hiring manager and RemCo would recognise at the six-month review.

2. Must-haves versus nice-to-haves

• Essential qualifications, licences, or professional standing
• Non-negotiable experience (sector, scale, technical depth, leadership span)
• Preferred but flexible attributes
• Deal-breakers (conflicts, availability, mobility, security or regulatory constraints)
• Assessment emphasis: what will distinguish a strong candidate from an acceptable one

Separating must-haves from preferences prevents late-stage fights over “perfect” profiles that do not exist in the South African market at the package on offer.

3. Culture and stakeholders

• Organisation stage and operating rhythm (scale-up, listed, professional services, SOE, SETA)
• Leadership style and cultural norms that matter for fit
• Decision-makers and influencers (names and roles)
• Interview panel composition and who owns the final decision
• Sensitivities: restructuring, brand reputation, incumbent relationships

A retained mandate is only as fast as the slowest approver on the client side. Name that person in the brief.

4. Remuneration and constraints

• Total package parameters (base, benefits, STI / LTI where relevant) — ranges as policy allows
• Flexibility versus hard ceiling
• Notice periods and earliest start window
• Relocation, travel, or visa constraints
• Equity, retention, or sign-on parameters if applicable

Divine ICTP quotes fees per mandate in the engagement letter. We do not publish fee percentages or ZAR package tables on this page. Remuneration parameters in the brief are for search calibration, not a public salary survey.

5. Process and confidentiality

• Preferred approach: retained mandate, exclusivity, market mapping depth
• Confidentiality level: open market versus discreet / unnamed approach
• Who may be contacted at the client; who must not be approached
• Candidate communication protocol and feedback turnaround
• Reference and background-check expectations

6. Decision timeline

• Target shortlist and interview windows
• Board or RemCo dates that constrain offer timing
• Internal approval steps before an offer can be issued
• Contingency if the first slate does not convert
• Named client contact for day-to-day progress

What good looks like after the brief

Once the brief is agreed, a typical retained sequence is: mandate confirmation → discreet market mapping → calibrated shortlist → interviews and references → offer support through acceptance (scoped in the engagement letter). Divine ICTP runs position-specific executive and specialist search from Johannesburg, nationwide. One mandate focus — not a volume agency desk.

Common brief failures (and how to avoid them)