AC Martin: Delivering Senior Talent in California’s Competitive Architecture Market

Hiring Strategic Leadership in a Competitive Architecture Market

To support its growth plans, CSG Talent has supported AC Martin in making several high-impact hires across key functions, including a new IT Manager, Project Director, and Financial Controller. These roles have played a crucial role in enhancing the firm’s project delivery and financial performance.

The relationship between AC Martin and CSG Talent began when the architecture recruitment team introduced two senior candidates from their established network who they believed could make a positive impact on the firm. The precision and quality of those introductions immediately demonstrated CSG Talent’s deep market expertise and understanding of the firm’s requirements, which built confidence and led to further conversations about the type of hires AC Martin would look for and how CSG Talent could support on this.

From there, CSG Talent developed a strong working relationship with the COO, who then introduced the team to additional senior leaders across the organisation. Today, the partnership operates on both active executive search assignments and proactive candidate introductions, reflecting a truly strategic recruitment partnership.

Delivering Executive Search with Pace, Precision, and Expertise

Across each assignment, CSG Talent applies an executive search approach built on market expertise and consultative guidance. For active vacancies, the COO connects CSG Talent directly with the relevant hiring managers to align on expectations and objectives. This direct communication significantly streamlines the hiring process, removes communication barriers, and allows for faster decision-making, which is a key advantage of a collaborative executive search partnership.

The IT Manager hire, for example, was completed within just four weeks from initial contact to offer acceptance. For a key operational role, this is an exceptional timeline and reflects the responsiveness and commitment of both partners. Regular communication and streamlined processes ensured momentum was maintained throughout, enabling AC Martin to secure key technical capability without disruption to ongoing operations.

On the Project Director search, CSG Talent emphasised the importance of pace in a competitive market, as delays at senior level can quickly damage candidate engagement and risk losing strong individuals to competing firms. By maintaining consistent touchpoints with both client and candidate, CSG Talent enhanced the candidate experience and ensured the process progressed smoothly. This proactive management demonstrates the value of executive search expertise, particularly when hiring senior professionals balancing multiple opportunities.

CSG Talent also provides consultative insight into salary benchmarking and market positioning. By advising on competitive compensation structures within the California architecture market, the team helps AC Martin secure top talent with reduced risk of last-minute dropouts or counteroffers.

AC Martin has sought CSG Talent’s guidance on broader strategic questions, including where to locate a new office based on regional talent availability. The firm values the straightforward, honest approach that helps streamline decision-making and enhance mutual trust. This demonstrates the wider value of working with a specialist executive search partner who understands both the architecture market and regional talent dynamics, both in California and across the USA.

CSG Talent’s in-depth understanding of both the architecture market and AC Martin’s culture is reflected in the quality of shortlisted candidates. Almost every individual presented has progressed to the interview stage, often generating genuine excitement about the impact they could have on the business. This level of precision significantly reduces wasted time and ensures leadership attention is focused solely on highly relevant profiles.