This is a 9-month contract role.
UTA Executive Search team is seeking a highly skilled and intellectually curious Senior Associate, Researcher to join our Executive Search team. This role is integral to the firm’s ability to identify, engage, and deliver exceptional talent across the sports, media, entertainment, and consumer digital landscape.
The Senior Associate, Researcher will partner closely with firm Partners, SVP, and Senior Associates to drive strategic market intelligence, candidate development, and client pitch presentations that inform and support our most critical searches. This position is ideal for someone who thrives on connecting insights to strategy and enjoys working at the intersection of research, relationships, and results.
This is a 9-month contract role and will pay $55.00 to $60.00 per hour.
What You Will Do
- Partner with senior recruiters and search leads to design and execute targeted research strategies for executive-level searches. Manage the research phase autonomously, produce high-quality reports with minimal oversight.
- Support the business development process, Actively participating in designing the pitch strategy with the SVP and Co-Heads. Provide active research support and insights throughout the search process from pitch to candidate development.
- Identify, map, and develop high-quality candidate pools using a variety of research tools, databases, and open-source intelligence.
- Analyze organizational structures, leadership dynamics, and industry trends to inform search strategy and client advisories.
- Provide ongoing support to Client Services team throughout the search lifecycle, including candidate profiling, assessment, and documentation.
- Conduct in-depth research on companies, market sectors, and emerging trends across sports, media, entertainment, and digital consumer industries.
- Synthesize data into actionable insights and storytelling materials for internal teams and client presentations.
- Maintain and expand our firm’s knowledge base on key market segments, leadership moves, and competitive intelligence.
- Build polished pitch decks, market maps, and client-ready materials that highlight search strategy, talent landscape, and industry trends.
- Collaborate with the design and marketing teams to ensure presentations reflect the firm’s brand and visual standards.
- Support business development efforts with background research for new client pursuits and proactive relationship mapping.
- Consistentily update and maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the applicant tracking system (ATS).
- Identify areas for improvement in operational processes and suggest and implement solutions.
What You Will Need
- 5+ years of professional experience in executive search, market intelligence, management consulting, or related research-intensive roles.
- Proven ability to conduct comprehensive research, sourcing and identifying potential candidates across a variety of tools and sources including: Encore/Cluen Database, LinkedIn, IMDB, Pitchbook, ZoomInfo, trade articles, industry associations, etc.
- Direct exposure to or expertise within sports, media, entertainment, or consumer digital sectors.
- Strong business writing, analytical, and presentation-building skills (PowerPoint, Excel, and/or data visualization tools).
- A strong sense of curiosity and an ability to ask questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to identify and solve problems.
- Adept at managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, or a related field required; advanced degree a plus.
- Intellectually curious, detail-oriented, and resourceful.
- A creative problem solver with a knack for generating new solutions.
- Confident communicator who can present research with clarity and insight.
- Demonstrates excellent note-taking and synthesis skills, with the ability to capture, organize, and distill complex discussions or meeting information into cohesive, client-ready work product with minimal oversight.
- Comfortable working both independently and as part of a high-performing, team-oriented environment.
- Passionate about leadership, talent, and the evolving dynamics of the sports, media, and entertainment ecosystem.
About UTA
UTA unites ideas, opportunities, and talent. The company represents some of the world's most iconic, barrier-breaking artists, creators and changemakers—from actors, athletes, and musicians to writers, gamers, and digital influencers. One of the most influential companies in global entertainment, UTA's business spans talent representation, content production, as well as strategic advisory and marketing work with some of the world's biggest brands. UTA is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New York, and London.
About UTA Executive Search
UTA provides retained executive search and human capital consulting services for the media, general entertainment, digital, and consumer sectors. Our differentiated, contemporary approach helps scale businesses and provides real-time marketplace knowledge and insights into highly desirable and diverse candidate pools. Our services include executive search, performance management, organizational design, and transactional assistance. Women-led and with a focus on C-suite and board-level roles, our team works on a global basis with clients leading general entertainment, consumer & digital companies and other Fortune 500 organizations.
Top Skills
What We Do
UTA unites ideas, opportunities and talent. The company represents some of the world’s most iconic, barrier-breaking artists, creators and changemakers—from actors, athletes and musicians to writers, gamers and digital influencers. One of the most influential companies in global entertainment, UTA’s business spans talent representation and content production, as well as strategic advisory and marketing work with some of the world’s biggest brands. UTA is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New York and London
