Lock Search Group is a leading recruiter helping Toronto businesses connect with exceptional talent ready to make an impact. Our headhunters understand the nuances of this city from Bay Street boardrooms to the tech corridors of MaRS and the Waterfront Innovation Centre, giving our partners a distinct advantage in a competitive market.
Toronto isn’t just Canada’s largest city; it’s a global powerhouse. Home to all five of the country’s major banks, a thriving tech ecosystem that rivals Silicon Valley and industries spanning healthcare, manufacturing and creative services, the GTA offers unparalleled opportunity. With over 140 languages spoken and half its residents born outside Canada, Toronto’s workforce is as diverse as it is skilled and has a talent pool unlike anywhere else in North America.
But abundance doesn’t mean accessibility. The professionals who will transform your organization aren’t scrolling job boards; they’re already excelling somewhere else. That’s where partnering with a relationship-driven executive search firm like Lock Search Group makes the difference. We tap into networks built over the years across Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, Mississauga and beyond.
Our recruitment process goes deeper than credentials. We identify candidates who align with your culture, understand Toronto’s cost-of-living realities and are genuinely motivated to grow with your team. If you’re facing a recruitment challenge in the GTA, contact your Toronto recruiters today and discover what the right local expertise can do.
Lock offers a range of executive search and headhunting services in Toronto
Our distinctive “contained” executive search model combines the thoroughness of traditional retained search with performance-based accountability to deliver exceptional C-suite and senior leadership talent for permanent placement. Our proven three-phase methodology, led by experienced Senior Consultants and backed by dedicated industry-specific recruitment teams, ensures comprehensive coverage of the executive talent market, supporting organizations conducting executive search in Toronto, from Bay Street finance to Vaughan family enterprises to mining headquarters along Adelaide.
We leverage our national network and extensive research capabilities to track industry movements, mergers, acquisitions and leadership changes across the 416 and 905, providing clients with real-time market intelligence on how business actually moves in this city. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles reflects Toronto’s character as a city where leadership should mirror a population that is over half foreign-born. Our track record speaks for itself, with successful placements including Board Members, CEOs, CFOs, Presidents and numerous Vice Presidents across multiple functions and industries throughout the GTA.
Our Retained Search service establishes an exclusive partnership with organizations seeking to fill critical senior and mid-level positions through a comprehensive, priority-based approach. By dedicating our full resources and attention to your search, we conduct extensive market mapping across the GTA and develop robust talent pipelines that ensure access to the highest caliber candidates whether they’re in Etobicoke, Markham or downtown.
Our team provides regular progress updates and detailed market intelligence reports, keeping you informed on candidate movements and competitive hiring activity throughout the 416 and 905. We manage everything from initial candidate assessment through final offer negotiation, ensuring a smooth and professional experience for both clients and candidates navigating Toronto’s competitive landscape. This service includes post-placement integration support to ensure successful onboarding and long-term success of placed candidates in their new roles.
Our Contingency Search service offers a flexible, success-based recruiting solution designed to efficiently fill professional and technical positions on a permanent placement basis. Organizations benefit from immediate access to our extensive candidate database and network spanning from Scarborough to Mississauga, with payment required only upon successful placement.
Our streamlined recruitment process focuses on quick response times and efficient candidate presentation, essential in a city where top talent often fields multiple offers within days. We handle all aspects of the recruitment process from initial screening through offer negotiation, factoring in Toronto realities like commute considerations and neighborhood fit. This results-driven approach ensures we remain highly motivated to identify and secure the right talent for your organization while minimizing your upfront investment.
We are your Toronto recruiter across every practice area
At our Toronto office, we connect exceptional talent with high-quality job opportunities across diverse industries critical to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) economy. The practice areas below represent the core sectors and emerging fields significantly shaping and driving the dynamic Toronto job market. Our experienced recruiters leverage deep local expertise within these specific domains – from finance and human resources to technology and life sciences – combined with our national network. This network allows us to effectively navigate Toronto’s unique staffing industry challenges and opportunities, placing talent that drives growth and transformation for businesses throughout the GTA.
Talent found, teams built: Testimonials from satisfied employers
The team at Lock Search Group makes the process of hiring new candidates seamless from start to finish. They take the time to fully understand the needs of the their clients, position they are recruiting for and the individuals looking to be placed. Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the team at Lock Search Group and have been extremely pleased with the quality of candidates they represented. They are true professionals!
Trevor Tarasoff
National Head of Sales, CoolSculpting, Allergan Aesthetics
I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with the team at Lock Search Group for many years and have been extremely impressed with the quality of candidates they have placed within our organization. They understand our needs, and their professionalism with our team as well as the candidates makes the experience seamless for everyone involved.
Scott Lambert
Senior National Sales Director, Eisai Canada
I’ve had positive experiences working with Jay Pinniger and the team at Lock Search Group – initially as a candidate, advancing my own career, and then as a client, assembling my management team. Lock’s team worked in depth to understand Vital Metals’ needs and developed a strong collaborative and interactive partnership. They know their markets intimately.
Vincent Laniece
VP Refinery, Vital Metals
The Lock Search Group has the unique ability to identify and present great talent. The team asks the right questions and considers both immediate and longer-term needs. Lock also provides candidates with an accurate understanding of the requirements of the role and/or business. This helps with alignment and enables candidates to present relevant ideas and experience.
Donald Redford
Managing Director, A-SAFE
I have worked with Richard and the Lock Search Group for over two decades. They have always committed themselves to knowing our organization, our culture, our mission. Their combined diligence has brought me numerous star candidates over the years.
Stu Fowler
President and Co-Founder, Aesthetic Medicine Network Inc.
They have the depth of national candidates, in many select industries with specific skillsets. Then back it all up with diligence and professionalism. They deliver results for both clients and candidates.
Grant Larsen
Chief Commercial Officer, Aequus Pharmaceuticals
Lock was extremely helpful, flexible, and accommodating as we conducted a complicated search. Our consultant was very helpful in guiding us through the process.
Michael Burke
Head of School, Royal Crown School
We are extremely happy with the service and support we get from the Lock Search Group. Everyone we have hired is a great fit for our team and the Lock Group have been a pleasure to work with.
Mark Ashdown
President & CEO, Bang Albino Communications
Why Choose Lock Search Group for Toronto executive search
Track record of success In Toronto
In Toronto’s fiercely competitive market, our formula is simple: care deeply, deliver results. We know your next hire in this city can transform your team. Navigating the competitive Toronto job market requires strategic talent acquisition, which is where our expert executive search and recruitment services provide a distinct advantage.
Our founder’s national entrepreneurial grit fuels our focused Toronto approach. Expect delivery-driven partnership from our team, embedded in the GTA’s business ecosystem. Our Toronto consultants average 10+ years’ tenure, offering deep local market intelligence and established networks (Bay Street, tech corridors and beyond). We make the match that truly measures up for Toronto’s leading organizations.
Leaders and listeners
What are your goals in Toronto’s competitive market? Whether you’re scaling a tech team, building leadership on Bay Street or navigating the GTA’s diverse industries, our client-centric process puts your specific objectives at the heart of every search. We take the time to understand what success looks like for your organization.
You get an individual action plan tailored for GTA hiring realities, ensuring alignment where speed and agility are vital for securing top Toronto talent. Actions, progress tracking, and timelines are clearly defined upfront, enabling confident decisions in this high-stakes market.
Industry-savvy insiders
Building incredible Toronto teams since 1983, we’ve witnessed the city’s dynamic evolution. Our deep GTA network connects leaders and influencers across key sectors like Bay Street finance, the thriving tech ecosystem (including MaRS influence), healthcare, and professional services.
Our Toronto recruiters build genuine connections through direct local industry experience. They intimately understand GTA market nuances, from TSX governance needs to tech startup agility. We operate at the cutting edge, tuned into Toronto’s evolving innovation landscape.
Matching Toronto’s fast pace, our experienced team knows the key players throughout the GTA. They really understand the ins and outs of crucial sectors – think Bay Street, tech hubs like MaRS, and healthcare. Connecting top talent with roles that push Toronto forward globally is what they love to do. Meet the people making the difference in the GTA’s demanding hiring scene.
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DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Location: Greater Toronto Area, ON (Hybrid) Company: Top-Tiered Consumer Packaged Goods Company Reports to: VP, Marketing Position Overview The Director…
Frequently asked questions about recruiting in Toronto
We connect top talent with leading companies across Toronto’s financial services, technology and professional services sectors (among others). Our specialty is placing experienced professionals in management and executive roles that drive organizational success. From portfolio managers and compliance directors to product leads and operations executives, we understand what makes Toronto’s businesses tick. Our deep industry knowledge helps us match the right people with the right opportunities, creating partnerships that fuel growth and performance.
As one of the leading executive search firms in the Bay Street area, our practice areas are diverse and comprehensive, covering a wide range of industries and sectors.
We have recruiters who work on filling roles on executive search and talent acquisition projects for the following industries:
We can be found at 161 Bay St. Suite 2435, Toronto, ON M5J 2S1. We are located just a few minutes away from Union Station and there is ample parking in the area should you arrive by car.
Our Toronto location provides an unparalleled advantage through a deep, real-time understanding of the local Toronto job market. This isn’t just about knowing who the major players are; it’s about grasping the specific nuances, salary benchmarks, emerging trends, and skill demands within the key sectors that define this city – areas like finance, technology, life sciences, and manufacturing, detailed in our Practice Areas. This crucial market intelligence allows our recruitment specialists to deliver superior outcomes by going beyond active job seekers to effectively identify, access, and engage high-caliber passive candidates who aren’t readily found through standard methods. Finally, our physical presence in the downtown core allows for regular and meaningful engagement within Toronto’s business community and talent hubs (like the Financial District or MaRS), fostering trust and enabling interactions that lead to a more successful, efficient, and personalized recruitment process.
A recruiter and a headhunter perform similar functions, but they typically differ in their approach and the roles they fill. Recruiters often work on a broader range of positions and may source candidates who are actively looking for work. Headhunters typically focus on senior or specialized roles and proactively approach passive candidates who are not actively job searching. In Toronto’s competitive market, where top talent in sectors like finance and technology is often already employed, headhunting is particularly valuable for reaching professionals on Bay Street or in the city’s tech corridors who would never respond to a job posting. At Lock Search Group, our Toronto team operates as both recruiters and headhunters depending on the nature of the search and the seniority of the position.
Recruitment fees in Toronto typically range from 15% to 30% of the placed candidate’s first-year salary, depending on the type of search. Contingency searches, where payment is made only upon successful placement, usually fall at the lower end of this range. Retained and executive searches command higher fees due to the dedicated resources and guaranteed exclusivity involved. Toronto’s high salary benchmarks, particularly in the Financial District and for technology roles, mean that recruitment fees often reflect the premium compensation packages common in the GTA market. The specific fee structure depends on the complexity of the role and the level of service required.
Toronto companies typically benefit from using an executive search firm when they need to fill senior leadership positions that require discretion or when internal HR teams lack the specialized networks to reach passive candidates. In a market as competitive as Toronto, where top executives in banking, technology and life sciences are constantly being courted, executive search firms provide access to candidates who are not visible through traditional channels. Executive search is also valuable when a role has been difficult to fill through job postings on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, or when the company needs an objective assessment of the GTA talent market. Time-sensitive searches and confidential replacements, such as when replacing a CEO at a Bay Street firm, are other common scenarios where executive search adds significant value.
The executive search process in Toronto typically takes between 8 and 12 weeks from initial briefing to accepted offer. This timeline includes market mapping across the GTA and candidate identification in the first two weeks, followed by outreach and screening in weeks three and four. Interviews and shortlist presentation usually occur in weeks five through eight, with final interviews and offer negotiation completing the process. Searches for highly specialized roles, such as compliance directors for Toronto’s Big Five banks or CTOs for tech companies in the MaRS Discovery District, may take longer due to the limited talent pool. Urgent searches can sometimes be accelerated when candidates are sourced from our existing Toronto network.
When selecting a recruitment agency in Toronto, you should evaluate their experience in your specific industry and the types of roles you need to fill. An agency with established relationships in Toronto’s key sectors, whether that is financial services on Bay Street, technology in the King West corridor or life sciences in the Pearson Airport area, will have better access to relevant candidates. Ask about their search methodology and how they identify and assess candidates beyond resume review. Check their track record by requesting references from similar placements in the GTA and ask about their guarantee policy if a placement does not work out. A good Toronto agency will take time to understand your company culture, your compensation positioning relative to local competitors and your hiring needs before presenting candidates.
A retained search is an exclusive engagement where the recruitment firm is paid an upfront fee to dedicate resources to filling a specific role. The client works with one firm and the search is prioritized accordingly. Contingency recruitment operates on a no-placement-no-fee basis, where the agency is paid only if their candidate is hired. In Toronto’s competitive executive market, retained searches are typically used for C-suite and VP-level roles where confidentiality and thoroughness are essential, such as placing a CFO at a publicly traded company or a General Manager for a major CPG brand. Contingency arrangements are common for mid-level positions where speed and competition among agencies can benefit the client.
Toronto headhunters find passive candidates through a combination of industry networking, direct outreach and deep local market knowledge. They maintain relationships with professionals across sectors like finance, technology and consumer goods, and track career movements at major Toronto employers through LinkedIn and industry events such as those hosted by the Toronto Board of Trade or sector-specific associations. Research teams map organizations across the GTA to identify individuals in relevant roles, and headhunters then approach these candidates confidentially to gauge their interest. Referrals from previously placed candidates and contacts at Toronto companies also provide access to professionals who would never apply to a job posting. Understanding the nuances of Toronto’s business community, from the culture differences between Bay Street banks to the startup ecosystem around MaRS, helps headhunters craft compelling outreach that resonates with passive candidates.
Executive search firms in Toronto typically specialize in industries that drive the local economy. Financial services and banking are dominant given Toronto’s status as Canada’s financial capital, with the Big Five banks and numerous investment firms headquartered in the city. Technology is a major growth area, with Toronto’s AI corridor attracting global attention and companies clustered in areas like King West and the Waterfront Innovation Centre. Life sciences and pharmaceuticals have a strong presence, particularly in the Mississauga and Pearson corridor. Consumer packaged goods companies maintain significant operations in the GTA, as do manufacturing and supply chain businesses serving both Canadian and cross-border markets. Professional services, legal and insurance sectors are well-represented, along with emerging areas like renewable energy and fintech that are growing rapidly in the Toronto market.
161 Bay St. Suite 2435 
416-626-6609 
