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Industries
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Agency & Media
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT
Agency & Media. Winning the client is half the job.
Fast briefs. Big ideas. Tight turnarounds. Plenty of opinions.
We find new-business, client-services and agency-marketing people who understand scope, margin and what the client is actually buying — not just how to pitch.
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Technology & SaaS
Smart people. Big ideas. Fast money. Faster change.
Recruitment for sales and marketing roles across software, SaaS, cybersecurity, infrastructure, digital platforms, developer tools, managed services and technology-enabled businesses.
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT IN
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT
Technology & SaaS
Smart people. Big ideas. Fast money. Faster change.
Recruitment for sales and marketing roles across software, SaaS, cybersecurity, infrastructure, digital platforms, developer tools, managed services and technology-enabled businesses.
1 - BIG PICTURE STORY:
The Technology & SaaS Economy
THE UK PICTURE
The UK Digital and Technologies sector included more than 107,000 companies in 2024, generating an estimated £408 billion in turnover and £158 billion in GVA. It employed approximately 1.33 million people.
THE IRISH PICTURE
Technology also has an unusually large economic footprint in Ireland. The Information and Communication sector generated approximately €111.2 billion in GVA in 2024.
Behind those numbers are businesses selling everything from low-cost subscriptions to complex enterprise platforms involving implementation, security reviews, multiple stakeholders and long-term customer relationships.
£408bn
UK Digital & Technologies turnover, 2024
123.3k
Ireland Information & Communication employees, Jul 2026
+23.3%
Ireland Information & Communication services volume, year-on-year Jul 2026
01 — THE SECTOR
Unique hiring considerations:
In Technology & SaaS, early interest can look much more valuable than it really is. A prospect can love the demo, ask for a trial and keep coming back with questions without ever having enough reason, budget or internal support to buy.
Even the signed contract is only one stage.
The customer still has to implement the product, use it, see value from it and eventually decide to renew or expand. Experienced salespeople become better at recognising which opportunities have enough substance behind them to make that journey.
Marketing is working with the same reality.
High lead volumes and strong engagement can look encouraging, but experienced Tech marketers become more interested in whether the right companies are responding, whether opportunities progress and whether the message helps buyers understand why changing anything is worthwhile.
Two New Business Directors may both show major pitch wins and well-known clients. The same result can start at very different points in the buying journey.
The title tells us surprisingly little unless we know what the client was buying and how the agency made money from it.
CANDIDATE A
Strongest once the brief lands
• Builds strong credentials and pitch processes
• Coordinates senior agency involvement
• Converts briefs once the opportunity is defined
CANDIDATE B
Shapes the brief before it exists
• Builds senior relationships before formal briefs
• Creates preference while needs are still forming
• Qualifies carefully for fit, margin and win probability
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
Two Account Executives may both show quota achievement, demos and new-logo wins.
One may work in a high-volume SMB motion with short sales cycles and clear decision makers; another may manage enterprise opportunities involving technical evaluation, security, Procurement, Legal and multiple stakeholders over many months.
The same percentage of target can represent completely different levels of complexity and commercial judgement.
CANDIDATE B — SHAPES THE BRIEF BEFORE IT EXISTS
Develops complex enterprise opportunities
Works across technical and security evaluation
• Qualifies carefully for fit, margin and win probability
CANDIDATE A — STRONGEST ONCE THE BRIEF LANDS
Develops complex enterprise opportunities
Operates across relatively short decision cycles
Builds performance through pace and conversion discipline
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
Two Account Executives may both show quota achievement, demos and new-logo wins.
One may work in a high-volume SMB motion with short sales cycles and clear decision makers; another may manage enterprise opportunities involving technical evaluation, security, Procurement, Legal and multiple stakeholders over many months.
The same percentage of target can represent completely different levels of complexity and commercial judgement.
SAME JOB TITLE - CANDIDATE A
Runs frequent demo-led opportunities
Operates across relatively short decision cycles
Builds performance through pace and conversion discipline
SAME JOB TITLE - CANDIDATE B
Develops complex enterprise opportunities
Works across technical and security evaluation
Navigates Procurement, Legal and multiple stakeholders
SALES, NEW BUSINESS & CLIENT GROWTH
01
New Business Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Which pitches deserve the agency's time — not just winning them.
HOW IT VARIES
RFP-led in some agencies; relationship-led long before a brief in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Tell us about a pitch you walked away from."
02
Client Services Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The gap between what the client expects and what the fee covers.
HOW IT VARIES
Full P&L and renewal authority, or delivery lead with pricing held elsewhere.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"When did you last renegotiate scope mid-year?"
03
Account Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Growth that doesn't turn into unpaid over-servicing.
HOW IT VARIES
Performance agencies build media economics; creative agencies build judgement on ambiguous briefs.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did the account's margin move under you?"
MARKETING
04
Agency Marketing Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Attracting the kind of brief New Business actually wants.
HOW IT VARIES
Visibility and awards in some agencies; proposition and pipeline in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Which piece of thinking brought a client in?"
05
Communications Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The agency's reputation, and sometimes its clients' too.
HOW IT VARIES
Corporate narrative in-house, or crisis and media work on behalf of clients.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"What didn't you say, and why?"
06
Content Strategy Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Connecting audience insight to measurable commercial outcomes.
HOW IT VARIES
Client-facing strategy lead, or the agency's own thought-leadership engine.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did you prove it worked?"
We also recruit across media sales, partnerships, PR, performance and digital marketing, and sales & marketing leadership.
Discuss a role in this sector →
03 — ROLES
What the title doesn't tell you
We also recruit across media sales, partnerships, PR, performance and digital marketing, and sales & marketing leadership.
Discuss a role in this sector
→
MARKETING
04
Agency Marketing Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Attracting the kind of brief New Business actually wants.
HOW IT VARIES
Visibility and awards in some agencies; proposition and pipeline in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Which piece of thinking brought a client in?"
05
Communications Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The agency's reputation, and sometimes its clients' too.
HOW IT VARIES
Corporate narrative in-house, or crisis and media work on behalf of clients.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"What didn't you say, and why?"
06
Content Strategy Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Connecting audience insight to measurable commercial outcomes.
HOW IT VARIES
Client-facing strategy lead, or the agency's own thought-leadership engine.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did you prove it worked?"
SALES, NEW BUSINESS & CLIENT GROWTH
01
New Business Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Which pitches deserve the agency's time — not just winning them.
HOW IT VARIES
RFP-led in some agencies; relationship-led long before a brief in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Tell us about a pitch you walked away from."
02
Client Services Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The gap between what the client expects and what the fee covers.
HOW IT VARIES
Full P&L and renewal authority, or delivery lead with pricing held elsewhere.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"When did you last renegotiate scope mid-year?"
03
Account Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Growth that doesn't turn into unpaid over-servicing.
HOW IT VARIES
Performance agencies build media economics; creative agencies build judgement on ambiguous briefs.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did the account's margin move under you?"
03 — ROLES
What the title doesn't tell you
MARKETING
Makes the agency's thinking visible before a brief appears
Uses case studies to demonstrate decisions and outcomes
Builds reputation that helps the agency enter consideration early
Communicates a clear proposition rather than a capability list
Aligns agency marketing with the work New Business actually wants
SALES
Qualifies opportunities before consuming pitch resource
Understands what is really driving the client's decision
Sells the agency that will actually deliver the work
Understands how the pricing model affects account economics
Protects scope, margin and relationship quality as accounts grow
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals
SALES
01
Qualifies opportunities before consuming pitch resource
02
Understands what is really driving the client's decision
03
Sells the agency that will actually deliver the work
04
Understands how the pricing model affects account economics
05
Protects scope, margin and relationship quality as accounts grow
MARKETING
01
Makes the agency's thinking visible before a brief appears
02
Uses case studies to demonstrate decisions and outcomes
03
Builds reputation that helps the agency enter consideration early
04
Communicates a clear proposition rather than a capability list
05
Aligns agency marketing with the work New Business actually wants
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals we listen for
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals we listen for
SALES STRENGTH SIGNALS
Separates product interest from genuine buying intent
Understands the complete buying group
Sells the reason to change rather than features alone
Works effectively within the relevant sales motion
Thinks beyond signature to implementation and renewal
MARKETING strength signals
Understands what the company's stage actually requires
Looks beyond lead volume to pipeline quality
Makes technical value and the underlying problem understandable
Builds confidence across complex buying groups
Connects acquisition with adoption, renewal and expansion
40-person Belfast brand agency needed a Commercial Director during a major repositioning.
Result: 3-person shortlist. Successful hire remains in post today.
The brief required an unusual combination of strategic leadership, people management and new business ability. We mapped the relevant market thoroughly and narrowed a broad potential field to three candidates capable of operating across all three areas.
05 — A RECENT SEARCH
In practice
05 — A RECENT SEARCH
In practice
Infrastructure technology business needed a Marketing Manager during its transition towards SaaS.
We identified a marketer able to bridge an established technical product business with an evolving software proposition. The successful hire progressed with the company, later becoming CMO and leading a major rebrand as the business expanded.
Marketing Manager progressed to CMO before the business was acquired.
FOR EMPLOYERS
Discuss a Sales or Marketing Hire
For employers, we look beyond the obvious CV match and spend time understanding what someone has actually done, the environment they have worked in and how relevant that experience is to the role.
We look beyond the agency name and title to the proposition, pricing model, account economics and real commercial ownership behind someone's experience.
DISCUSS A HIRE
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Considering your next move?
We help make sense of the experience you've built, what you're genuinely good at and where it might take you next.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
CALL TO ACTION
Hiring in Agency & Media?
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder
About MRKTSEARCH →
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder
About MRKTSEARCH →
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder · About MRKTSEARCH →
£408bn
UK Digital & Technologies turnover, 2024
123.3k
Ireland Information & Communication employees, Jul 2026
+23.3%
Ireland Information & Communication services volume, year-on-year Jul 2026
06 — THE NUMBERS
The Technology & SaaS Economy
FOR EMPLOYERS
Discuss a Sales or Marketing Hire
For employers, we look beyond the obvious CV match and spend time understanding what someone has actually done, the environment they have worked in and how relevant that experience is to the role.
SOURCES
Advertising Association; Creative Communications Ireland.
£35.2bn
UK creative & media agency GVA, 2024
£46.7bn
UK advertising investment, 2025
€1.7bn
Irish advertising market, 2025
06 — THE NUMBERS
The agency & media economy
In Technology & SaaS, early interest can look much more valuable than it really is. A prospect can love the demo, ask for a trial and keep coming back with questions without ever having enough reason, budget or internal support to buy.
Even the signed contract is only one stage.
The customer still has to implement the product, use it, see value from it and eventually decide to renew or expand. Experienced salespeople become better at recognising which opportunities have enough substance behind them to make that journey.
Marketing is working with the same reality.
High lead volumes and strong engagement can look encouraging, but experienced Tech marketers become more interested in whether the right companies are responding, whether opportunities progress and whether the message helps buyers understand why changing anything is worthwhile.
01 — THE SECTOR
Unique Hiring Considerations
In Technology & SaaS, early interest can look much more valuable than it really is. A prospect can love the demo, ask for a trial and keep coming back with questions without ever having enough reason, budget or internal support to buy.
Even the signed contract is only one stage.
The customer still has to implement the product, use it, see value from it and eventually decide to renew or expand. Experienced salespeople become better at recognising which opportunities have enough substance behind them to make that journey.
Marketing is working with the same reality.
High lead volumes and strong engagement can look encouraging, but experienced Tech marketers become more interested in whether the right companies are responding, whether opportunities progress and whether the message helps buyers understand why changing anything is worthwhile.
01 — THE SECTOR