Executive Search in Houston

Senior tech leadership is the smallest market in hiring and the one where signal matters most. It is a decision that shapes how a company builds product, scales an engineering org, and competes for the next decade.

Tecla treats every executive search in Houston with the weight that decision deserves, from the first conversation to long after the offer is signed.

Over 10 years placing senior tech professionals in US companies.
90 days

Replacement guarantee, no additional cost

$0 upfront

Billed only on placement, no retainer

3 to 5 days

To first candidates

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Inside the Engagement

A Tecla executive search runs as one engagement from briefing to long after the offer is signed. Six stages, with the last two designed to do what most retained firms leave to the client.

1
Discovery

We map the role, the team it joins, and the leadership profile that fits Houston's market and your company's stage.

2
Sourcing

We work the network beyond the open market, activating senior contacts who rarely sit on public channels.

3
Vetting

Technical depth, AI fluency, leadership track record, and cultural alignment, screened through a process refined over a decade.

4
Shortlist

First candidates presented within 3 to 5 business days. Full shortlist typically delivered inside the first two weeks.

Where most firms stop

Our engagement continues past signing. The next two stages are built into every search.

5
90-Day Window

If the placement does not work within 90 days, we replace the hire at no additional cost. A dedicated Account Manager stays close throughout.

6
Team Buildout

The same network that delivered the executive can build the engineering team around them, through staff augmentation or a dedicated squad built to fit.

Senior tech leadership is where every major product decision originates.

The search we run carries that weight.

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Roles We Place

We place c-suite and senior tech roles in Houston across software, AI, data, security, and platform engineering. The four below are the most common placements through our executive search practice.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Technology strategy, architecture, and engineering org leadership for Houston companies scaling product and infrastructure.

VP of Engineering

Engineering execution, team scaling, and delivery leadership for product and platform organizations.

Chief AI Officer

AI strategy, model selection, and applied research leadership for companies building AI-native products in Houston.

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Security strategy, compliance, and risk leadership for fintech, healthtech, and regulated enterprises.

Other senior roles we place

VP of Product
VP of Platform Engineering
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Head of Data
Head of Machine Learning
Chief Digital Officer
SVP of Software Engineering
Director of AI Research

Industries We Serve

We place senior tech leaders across the industries that drive Houston's tech economy.

AI & Machine Learning
SaaS & Enterprise
Fintech
Cybersecurity
Healthtech
E-commerce & Retail
Edtech
Logistics & Supply Chain
Energy Tech

Why Tecla

The retained search model is structured to close the deal, not to ensure it holds. Once the offer is signed, the engagement ends and whatever happens next is the client's problem. It is a reasonable business model. It is just not one designed with the client's risk in mind.

Billing only on placement changes the dynamic in ways that compound over the course of the engagement. Our interest in finding the right person, not just the first acceptable one, runs in parallel with the client's. The 90-day guarantee holds that standard past signing.

For clients who want it, the same network that placed the executive can source the team that forms around them. The engagement is designed to close at the hire and to continue past it, depending on what the company needs.

How We Compare

How standard executive search models in Houston measure against our model.

Retained FirmsTraditional model
Contingent RecruitersLocal placement
RecommendedTecla
Fee model
Upfront retainer, paid in stages
Contingent on placement
All-inclusive, billed only on placement
First candidates
4 to 8 weeks
2 to 4 weeks
3 to 5 business days
Replacement guarantee
Varies
Rarely included
90 days, no cost
Network reach
Local and national
Mostly local
US + 18 LATAM countries
Team buildout after hire
Separate vendor
Not offered
Same partner
Compliance and EOR
Client handles
Client handles
Tecla as EOR

No fees until the hire is made.

One partner for the executive and the team that follows.

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Beyond the Executive

Executive search opens the door. What comes after the hire is where engineering orgs get built, scaled, and sometimes rebuilt over years. We work across that full arc through one network and one point of contact, from a single executive placement to a dedicated team across the US and LATAM.

Staff Augmentation

Pre-vetted senior engineers added to your team in 3 to 5 business days, fully managed by Tecla.

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Nearshore Teams

Dedicated engineering teams across LATAM, working in your timezone, billed only for hours worked.

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AI Recruiting

Engineers screened for how they use AI across architecture, tooling, and daily problem-solving.

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FAQ

How long does an executive search in Houston take with Tecla?
First candidates are presented within 3 to 5 business days. Full search timelines depend on role seniority and scope, but the targeted shortlist is typically delivered within the first two weeks.
What tech roles do executive search firms in Houston typically place?
CTO, CIO, CISO, Chief AI Officer, VP of Engineering, VP of Product, Head of Data, Head of Machine Learning, and other senior leadership roles across software, AI, fintech, and cybersecurity. We place all of these.
How is Tecla different from other Houston executive search firms?
Most retained executive search firms charge upfront fees and end accountability at signing. We bill only on placement, include a 90-day replacement guarantee, and can build the engineering team around the executive through the same network.
Does the 90-day replacement guarantee apply to executive search placements?
Yes. If the placement does not work within the first 90 days, we replace the hire at no additional cost. The guarantee is standard across every engagement, including c-suite placements.
Can Tecla build a team around the Houston executive we hire?
Yes. Most clients add staff augmentation engineers or build dedicated teams alongside the executive, sourced wherever it fits the work. One partner manages the full team setup, so the engineering org scales without adding vendors.
What does executive search cost compared to other Houston firms?
Our pricing is all-inclusive, with no upfront fees, no fees to start a search, and no charges for interviews. Clients are billed only on placement. Traditional retained firms typically charge 25 to 35% of first-year compensation, paid in stages before the candidate signs.
Are Tecla's executive search services available outside Houston?
Yes. We operate one network across the US and 18+ Latin American countries, so executive search services run anywhere in the US and across LATAM through the same process and the same point of contact.
Does Tecla work as an executive search agency for tech roles specifically?
Yes. Our executive search practice is focused on senior tech leadership: CTO, VP Engineering, Chief AI Officer, CISO, and other technical c-suite and VP-level roles. Non-tech executive searches are not part of the practice.

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Staff Augmentation in HoustonPre-vetted engineers embedded in your Houston team from day one.AI Recruiting in HoustonFind senior AI and ML engineers for US-based engineering teams.Nearshore Teams in HoustonBuild dedicated engineering teams in Latin America, in your time zone.IT Staffing and Recruiting in HoustonFull-cycle recruiting for engineering roles across every stack.