Leadership Decisions. Talent Optimization.
Executed with Precision.
Defense-Tech | Cybersecurity
S.A.S operates at the intersection of talent, corporate development and growth execution.
INTENTIONAL LISTENING • SEEING AROUND CORNERS • NAVIGATING THROUGH THE FOG
Discernment • Candor • Clarity
EXECUTIVE
SEARCH
Bespoke high-touch offering designed to identify and recruit the ‘best fit’ leader candidate—where experience + intention + values are aligned—to drive your organization forward.
For S.A.S, a retainer underscores exclusivity, defined as . . . shared intent, alignment and unity of purpose.
Fees are flat, fixed and agreed prior to engagement commencement.
Structured with delivery, success and long-term partnership in mind.
Priced always with delivery, success and long-term partnership in mind.
Leadership Decisions. Talent Optimization. Executed with Precision.
INTERIM TALENT ACQUISTION LEADERSHIP
A novel approach to recruitment: thoughtful diligence combined with highly responsive execution, turnaround, and delivery.
Designed primarily for emerging and growth-stage companies, including VC- and PE-backed businesses, that are either:
• Not yet ready to commit to a full-time, in-house Talent Acquisition leader; or
• Seeking an experienced talent acquisition partner to augment existing capabilities during periods of growth, transformation, or accelerated hiring activity.
This model can be equally effective for larger organizations entering a new phase of growth, leadership buildout, or organizational change.
Bespoke. Flexible. Scalable.
From executive assistants to executive leadership teams, S.A.S provides targeted recruitment support up, down, and across the organization.
A novel approach warrants a novel pricing model.
Three incidental retainer options. Multiple recruitments bundled under a single engagement. Fixed success fees materially below traditional market single-hire fee structures.
Leadership Decisions. Talent Optimization. Executed with Precision.
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY
Thoughtful partner. Trusted advisor.
S.A.S advises founders, executive teams and investors through periods of growth, uncertainty, transition and opportunity—helping leaders assess emerging developments, navigate unexpected challenges and capitalize on opportunities both visible and over the horizon.
Areas of engagement include leadership development, next-level-down leader identification, long- and short-list benchmarking, quiet market referencing, reputation commentary and reporting, outsourced business development support and collaborative go-to-market (GTM) execution.
Collaboration is paramount. Asking the right questions. Saying the hard things that need to be said. Providing perspective when the path forward is unclear.
Discernment, candor and clarity are foundational to the S.A.S approach.
Engagement structures are tailored to each mandate and aligned with delivery, success and long-term partnership.
Leadership Decisions. Talent Optimization. Executed with Precision.
REPRESENTATIVE
ENGAGEMENTS
Unity of purpose wins the day . . .
Executive Search ES • Interim Talent TA Manager TA • Corporate Development Advisory CD
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M&A Team Lift-out . . . 5x person team move; middle market investment bank ES, CD
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IB Sector Coverage Team Lift-out . . . 11x person team move; global financial services platform ES, CD
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Multiple CISO & Deputy CISO Recruitments . . . Across industry sectors; notably, first ever CISO hire for Tier 1 global PE firm ES, TA, CD
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Senior HR Specialist for Cybersecurity Practice . . . Tier 2 global strategy consultancy ES
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EVP & Head of Strategy . . . PE sponsored growth cybersecurity & defense-tech company; this was an opportunistic (reverse query) recruitment adjacent to a separate search . . . the position was created to take advantage of the candidate's breadth and depth of experience and wide skillset ES, CD
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Deputy CISO Mandate >>> Bottom Up Cyber Advisory Engagement . . . Regional office of Tier 2 Global Bank's newly named CISO discovered, during course of this initial overseas recruitment mandate, that her team's cyber ops capabilities were woefully inadequate . . . In effect I project-managed her self-appointed (6 months) uplift campaign ES, TA, CD
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Cyber Discovery Campaign . . . Mandated by CEO (former IB candidate 16 years prior) of market leading niche investment platform to recruit company's first CISO . . . Long and short-list discussions made apparent that he/we needed to first inform and educate the executive team & respective reports (prevailing cyber compliance & digital risk mitigation hygiene) . . . before we could effectively bring forward finalist candidates for mutual diligence discussions ES, CD
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Multiple Partner & Below Partner Recruitments . . . Tier 1 & Tier 2 Consultancies and other Business Services organizations ES
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Cyber Co Interim Talent Acquisition Manager . . . Multiple recruitments mandated by a Series B digital security/risk mitigation company; a range of remits, to include EA to CEO TA, CD
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Defense-Tech Co Project Staff Build . . . High priority, quick turnaround staff up of 4x DARPA alumnae to support emerging defense-tech (SaaS, C2 & Autonomy) client's strategic proposal/SBIR submission(s) to DoD TA, CD
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Defense-Tech Co Target Counterparty Partner Approach & Close (Third Party Business Development) . . . Multiple engagements for various clients across industry sectors CD, GTM
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Defense-Tech Co Investor Approach & Close . . . Engaged by early-stage cyber and defense-tech companies at '11th hour' to source interim (bridge) emergency funding, enabling clients to carry-forward day-to-day operations, while awaiting closing Series A & B rounds CD
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Defense-Tech Co Lead Business Development Partner . . . Mandated by bootstrapped defense-tech company (SaaS, C2 & Autonomy) to serve as point in approaching target market counterparties for purposes of collaborative partnerships and ultimately strategic sale (IP/asset) opportunities . . . This was 3-year campaign CD, GTM
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Advisor & Co Founder . . . Engaged by the CEO of the leading global CIO consortium . . . Initiated, planned and launched the premier global professional gathering consortium for CISOs & Deputies CD, GTM
STORYLINE
S.A.SEARCH ADVISORS
Unity of purpose wins the day . . .
Stephen Spagnuolo is an operator, builder and strategic talent & growth advisor.
linkedin.com/in/stephen-spagnuolo
S.A.SEARCH ADVISORS (S.A.S) is a veteran-owned advisory firm operating at the intersection of talent, corporate development and growth execution.
Drawing upon experience across executive search, talent acquisition leadership, sponsor-backed environments and defense-technology, S.A.S helps organizations make higher-confidence leadership decisions, build stronger teams and execute against consequential growth objectives.
Stephen’s background spans the U.S. Marine Corps — serving as an infantry officer, aide de camp and USNA company officer, leadership instructor and assistant football coach — followed by leader recruitment and operator experience across Investment Banking & M&A, Digital Security & Risk Mitigation and Defense-Technology. His work has included executive search, talent acquisition leadership, corporate development advisory and go-to-market execution within sponsor-backed and mission-driven environments.
Supported by a robust network of corporate executives, investors, investment bankers and national security leaders, S.A.S brings together the right expertise, relationships and capabilities to support each client's unique growth objectives and situational requirements.
Intentional listening, seeing around corners and navigating through the fog . . .
underpin the S.A.S approach to client engagement.
Discernment • Candor • Clarity