Recruiter - Confidential Search And Market Mapping

We are seeking an experienced agency recruiter or executive search professional to support the market-mapping phase of a confidential retained executive search. The initial engagement will focus exclusively on researching the market and developing a high-quality long list. Subject to successful completion of this phase and the quality of the recruiter’s performance, there is significant potential for ongoing work, including candidate outreach, screening, and support on future retained executive search assignments. Engagement Details Commencement date: August 3, 2026 Maximum hours: 40 hours Expected duration: Approximately three weeks Engagement type: Hourly, with a strict 40-hour cap Ongoing opportunity: Potential for continued work, subject to performance Any hours beyond the initial 40-hour allocation must be approved in writing by Stonecastle Solutions before the work is undertaken. About the Assignment We are conducting a confidential search for a senior Payroll executive on behalf of a large North American organization with annual revenues between approximately US$6 billion and US$10 billion. The objective of this phase is to provide comprehensive visibility of the available candidate market before any direct candidate engagement begins. The client’s identity and any information that could reasonably identify the organization will remain confidential. Scope of Work The successful recruiter will conduct a comprehensive market-mapping exercise across North America and identify a minimum of 50 potentially viable candidates. The research should focus on senior Payroll leaders working within large, complex organizations, with preference given to candidates from companies of comparable scale and operational complexity. This is not a high-volume sourcing assignment. Each individual must be reviewed against the search requirements before being included in the long list. Target Candidate Profile Potential candidates should possess most or all of the following: 10+ years of payroll management and leadership experience Senior payroll leadership experience within a large, complex organization Experience leading enterprise-scale payroll operations Union & Non-Union payroll experience, which is required Dayforce implementation experience, strongly preferred JD Edwards or JDE experience, preferred Experience with enterprise payroll and HRIS platforms such as Dayforce, ADP, UKG, JDE, or comparable systems Experience leading payroll transformation, integration, or systems-modernization initiatives A track record of managing senior and executive stakeholders Experience supporting geographically dispersed or operationally complex workforces Canadian payroll experience, considered advantageous Target Industries Preference should be given to candidates working within, or with meaningful experience supporting, the following sectors: Engineering Construction Manufacturing Defence Mining Infrastructure Heavy industrial Transportation Energy or similarly complex operational environments Relevant candidates from adjacent sectors may also be included where their payroll scale, union exposure, systems experience, and organizational complexity are comparable. Deliverables The recruiter will provide a minimum of 50 potentially viable candidates in an organized Excel spreadsheet or Google Sheet. (Template provided) Each candidate entry should include: Full name Current employer Current job title Location LinkedIn profile Brief career summary Relevant payroll leadership experience Approximate size and complexity of the payroll environment supported Union payroll experience Dayforce, JDE, ADP, UKG, or other relevant systems experience Industry experience Canadian payroll experience, where applicable Clear rationale explaining why the candidate has been included The final submission should also include: A list of target companies researched Any relevant market observations Identified gaps or limitations in the available talent pool Recommendations for the potential outreach phase Quality Expectations The long list must contain 50 credible and potentially viable candidates, not simply 50 individuals with matching job titles. Quality, judgment, and relevance are more important than volume. Candidates should be assessed against the requirements before inclusion. Profiles that clearly lack union payroll experience, enterprise-scale responsibility, appropriate seniority, or relevant organizational complexity should not be included solely to reach the numerical target. We are looking for a recruiter who can think strategically about: Comparable organizations Adjacent industries Transferable payroll experience Enterprise systems Organizational scale Executive-level stakeholder exposure The successful recruiter must be able to: Communicate professionally and confidently in English Produce clear, accurate, and well-written candidate summaries Participate effectively in video and telephone discussions Clearly explain research findings and candidate recommendations Communicate with North American candidates and senior stakeholders if selected to continue into the outreach phase Applicants may be asked to participate in a brief video interview as part of the selection process. No Candidate Outreach During This Phase This initial engagement is strictly limited to research and market mapping. The recruiter must not undertake any of the following without written authorization: Contact candidates Send LinkedIn messages or connection requests Send emails Make telephone calls Disclose the existence of the search Disclose Stonecastle Solutions as the search firm Disclose or attempt to identify the client No candidate outreach or solicitation may occur during the long-list phase. Ideal Recruiter Background We are specifically seeking someone with experience working within an agency recruitment or executive search environment. Preference will be given to applicants with: Agency recruitment experience Executive search or retained search experience Experience identifying passive senior-level candidates Experience recruiting within engineering, construction, manufacturing, defence, mining, infrastructure, or industrial markets Experience supporting North American searches Strong understanding of payroll, HR, finance, or shared-services leadership roles Experience researching leaders within large, multi-billion-dollar organizations Fluent, clear, and professional written and verbal English Strong attention to detail and an ability to communicate research findings clearly Research Tools Applicants should have access to appropriate candidate-research tools, which may include: LinkedIn Recruiter LinkedIn Recruiter Lite LinkedIn Sales Navigator ZoomInfo Apollo Industry databases Company websites Public professional directories Other legitimate talent-research platforms The recruiter must comply with all applicable platform terms, privacy requirements, and professional standards. Project Management and Reviews The recruiter will be expected to provide regular progress updates throughout the engagement. Anticipated review points include: First sample of approximately 10 candidates Interim review at approximately 25 candidates Final delivery of 50 potentially viable candidates Final corrections and quality review within the agreed hours Stonecastle Solutions may request that unsuitable candidates be replaced where they clearly do not meet the agreed search criteria. Potential for Ongoing Work This assignment has the potential to develop into an ongoing working relationship. Subject to performance, quality, communication, reliability, and successful completion of the market-mapping phase, the selected recruiter may be engaged to support: Strong performance on this assignment may lead to regular work with Stonecastle Solutions. Application Requirements Please include the following in your application: A summary of your agency recruitment or executive search experience The industries and functions you have recruited within Examples of senior or executive-level searches you have supported Experience recruiting within engineering, construction, manufacturing, defence, mining, or industrial markets Experience conducting North American market mapping The research tools and databases you use Confirmation that you are fluent and clearly understandable in both written and verbal English Confirmation that you are available to participate in a video interview Confirmation that you are available to commence on August 3, 2026 Confirmation that you accept the hourly rate and 40-hour project cap