Amara Whitfield94% fit
VP Engineering · Northwind Systems
Scaled 40 → 120 engPlatform re-architectureComp inside bandOn-site 3 days
ReservationHas never reported to a founder-CEO directly.
For companies
The seat is open. The clock is already running.
Recruiting for high-growth VC and PE-backed startups and scale-ups across go-to-market, technical, executive and legal hiring. You get the whole market, a calibrated shortlist, and a team that stays in the room through the offer.
Search · VP EngineeringLive search
VP Engineering
Series B · Infrastructure · Austin, TX · Hybrid
214
Mapped
96
Contacted
31
Screened
4
Shortlist
2
Final
0
Offer
Current shortlistWeekly update sent
Amara Whitfield
VP Engineering · Northwind Systems
Location
Austin, TX
94% fit
Daniel Osei
Head of Platform · Verity Labs
Location
Remote · EST
88% fit
Priya Raghunathan
Director of Engineering · Cadence Health
Location
Chicago, IL
86% fit
Illustrative, not a real client search$310k–$360k + 0.4–0.7%
Clients
The startups and scale-ups we recruit for
Go-to-market, technical, executive and legal hiring for high-growth VC and PE-backed startups and scale-ups.
Current client
Palantir
Enterprise software for data integration and decision-making.
View search partnershipHow a search runs
01 / 05Stage 01 · Calibration
The search starts with what is actually hireable.
Before a single name is sourced, we pressure-test the role against the market: the success profile, the comp band, the non-negotiables. If the role as written cannot be filled, you hear it in week one, not in month four.
Calibration briefHireable with one change
Comp band is 12% under market for this title in Austin. Raise the ceiling or widen to Director-level with a promotion path.
Must have
- Has scaled an org past 100 engineers
- Owned a platform re-architecture end to end
- Comfortable reporting to a founder-CEO
Nice to have
- Infrastructure or developer-tools background
- Austin-based or relocating
Disqualifying
- Big-tech only, no startup exposure
- Never hired above senior level
Week 1
You know if the role is hireable
Stage 02 · Market map
The whole market, including the people who said no.
Every qualified operator in the territory, contacted and logged. You see the coverage: who engaged, who passed, and the reason they gave. The passes are the most useful data in the search.
Market map · coverage214 in territory
Engaged96
Passed on comp47
Passed on stage38
No reply33
Why they passed
- Comp band 12% under market for this title47
- Not open to Series B after Series D38
- Hybrid requirement, wanted fully remote21
100%
Of the territory mapped and logged
Stage 03 · Shortlist
Three to five people, with the reservations left in.
Each candidate is written up against the calibrated profile: evidence for, evidence against, and the one thing that might not work. Every submission is reviewed by Jarod Taylor before it reaches you, and nothing is smoothed over to protect the pipeline.
Shortlist · VP Engineering4 candidates
Daniel Osei88% fit
Head of Platform · Verity Labs
Infra at scaleHired 6 staff+ engComp inside bandPrior VP title
ReservationWants a title bump we have not scoped.
Priya Raghunathan86% fit
Director of Engineering · Cadence Health
Ran 5 teamsCompliance depthRelocating to AustinStartup stage fit
ReservationRegulated-industry background only.
Marcus Lindqvist81% fit
VP Engineering · Meridian Freight
0 → 1 experienceLocalTenure patternComp inside band
ReservationTwo short tenures in a row.
3-5
Candidates, never a stack of résumés
Stage 04 · Evaluation
One rubric. The same questions, in the same order.
Structured interviews against a single scorecard, with a written debrief inside 24 hours of every round. You compare evidence between candidates instead of comparing impressions between interviewers.
Interview scorecardRound 3 of 4 · Panel
Amara Whitfield
Written debrief filed 4 hrs after the round
Org design & scaling4/4
Technical judgement4/4
Hiring & retention3/4
Founder partnership3/4
Communication4/4
Debrief · Strongest on scaling evidence. The founder-partnership score is the one to probe in round 4, since she has always had a layer above her.
24 hrs
From interview to written debrief
Stage 05 · Offer & close
In the room until someone has started.
Comp strategy, references, counter-offer pressure, notice period, start date. The search is not finished when an offer goes out. It is finished when the person is in the seat.
Offer & closeVerbal accepted
Amara Whitfield
Base$345,000
Equity0.55%, 4yr / 1yr cliff
References3 of 3 complete
Counter-offerDeclined, handled
Notice period4 weeks
Start dateConfirmed
5 of 6 complete
One
Accountable team, intake to start date
Engagement models
Two ways to run a search.
Retained search is one model, not the only one. The right structure depends on the role, the urgency and how much of the market has to be covered.
Retained search
An exclusive engagement for roles that need the whole market covered. Taylor Talent runs the search end to end: calibration, market map, shortlist, evaluation and close.
- Exclusive, committed engagement
- Full market map rather than a pipeline
- Typically executive and business-critical roles
Contingency / success-based search
No upfront payment. The fee is due when a hire is made. Suited to roles where speed matters and the search can run alongside your own sourcing.
- No upfront payment
- Fee due on a successful hire
- Runs alongside in-house recruiting
Specific fee structures and agreement terms are confirmed in writing before a search begins.
Discuss the mandate
Bring the role before the search starts.
Pressure-test the scope, compensation and market before committing to a process.
- A realistic market read
- A calibrated search scope
- A clear path from intake to offer