Go-To-Market Recruitment

Go-to-market leadership appointments are usually driven by businesses on an acceleration trajectory. Common triggers include expansion into new markets or geographies, launching new product lines, bringing cohesion to fragmented commercial functions (sales, marketing, customer success), private equity acquisitions requiring fresh leadership, or the need for revenue-focused talent to drive growth. Many of the roles we recruit for are newly created positions, requiring close consultation to define scope, success metrics, and organisational fit.

Our industry-agnostic approach allows us to draw from an expansive talent pool across sectors, identifying leaders whose commercial skills are transferable rather than being constrained by narrow industry experience. We have depth of knowledge in private equity and ASX contexts, and understand the hands-on, change-oriented leadership required in high-growth environments. Our consultative process includes workshopping role design with clients, ensuring clarity on expectations, KPIs, and what success looks like from day one.

For senior leadership, we look for clear evidence of revenue growth, increased annual recurring revenue, team scaling, market expansion, or product launches that moved the needle commercially. We assess progression within growth-focused organisations, evaluating how candidates have personally contributed to measurable business outcomes. For team-building roles, we examine career progression from individual contributor to team leader, delivery against KPIs, and evidence of exceeding targets consistently.

The most successful go-to-market leaders are intensely results-driven, capable of tying strategy to execution and take teams on the journey with them. They thrive in ambiguity, adapt to rapidly changing markets and strategies, and are hands-on – often directly involved in client negotiations, pricing discussions, and sales execution rather than remaining purely strategic. Strong cross-functional leadership, commercial acumen, and a track record of building and scaling teams are non-negotiable.

Top commercial talent seeks clarity: a defined pathway to success, transparent KPIs, and a clear understanding of what achievement looks like in the role. Competitive compensation structures matter – solid base salaries combined with attractive, flexible commission structures that aren’t one-size-fits-all. At senior levels, short- and long-term incentives, as well as equity, become increasingly important. Beyond remuneration, candidates look for progression opportunities, strong leadership, training and support, and organisations genuinely committed to growth.

While these C-suite roles often overlap, there are nuanced distinctions. A Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) typically orchestrates all revenue-generating functions – sales, marketing, customer success, and partnerships – with ultimate accountability for commercial outcomes. A Chief Growth Officer (CGO) is an emerging title often focused on market expansion, new product lines, and scaling strategies, sometimes with a remit beyond traditional sales and marketing. A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) leads brand, demand generation, product marketing, and customer acquisition, though in some organisations, may also take ownership of broader commercial strategy. The specific remit varies by company structure, growth stage, and strategic priorities.

We assess core commercial competencies rather than narrow industry experience. Key indicators include: a proven track record of driving revenue growth, experience in adjacent or comparable environments (such as multi-site operations if recruiting for a multi-location business), evidence of scaling teams, and demonstrated ability to execute strategy in fast-paced, sales-focused environments. The best candidates possess transferable skills in budget management, pricing strategy, negotiations, and cross-functional leadership, combined with hunger and adaptability.

These roles favour practical experience over formal training. The highest performers typically come from commercially driven environments where they’ve led sales functions, managed P&L, navigated pricing and contract negotiations, and executed strategy at pace. Demonstrated experience with commercials, budgets, KPIs, and customer-centric thinking matters more than certifications. Increasingly, data literacy is essential – go-to-market leaders must leverage insights and analytics, not just relationship-building, to drive performance.

At senior levels, clearly articulate how you’ve driven measurable business impact: revenue growth, annual recurring revenue increases, team expansion, market entry, or product launches. Quantify your contributions wherever possible. If you’ve progressed through a company during a growth phase, demonstrate how your leadership influenced that trajectory. For team-building roles, show your career progression – how you moved from individual contributor to managing teams – and provide specific examples of exceeding KPIs. Focus on outcomes and impact, not just responsibilities.