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Sarah Madden

Why Me

I founded Madden Talent Partners to reimagine search—making it more strategic, more flexible, and built around how companies actually operate. After spending over 15 years leading in-house talent teams, I know firsthand what it takes to hire transformative leaders—and what gets in the way.

Most recently, I was VP of Talent Acquisition at Building Industry Partners (BIP), a private equity firm where I led executive searches and built scalable hiring infrastructure across the portfolio. Before that, I was Head of Talent Acquisition at DMGT, a global media and technology group, where I placed over 400 roles and various leaders across the U.S. and internationally and led talent strategy across multiple businesses.

Throughout my career, I’ve partnered closely with CEOs, boards, people leaders and investors to build leadership teams that unlock growth and drive impact. I’ve worked across media/digital media, SaaS, industrials, information services, and financial services—with companies ranging from $10-25M to $800M in scale.

What sets me apart is the operator mindset I bring to every search. I’ve built functions from scratch, implemented systems, led through M&A, and sat in the hiring seat myself. That experience shapes how I show up for my clients—and for the leaders I help place.

Our Approach

What Drives Our Success

We built our model based on what we wished search looked like when we were in your shoes. Our process is strategic, thoughtful, and rooted in deep operational context.

 

Human-First Search

Search should feel personal, not transactional. We combine real relationships, tailored outreach, and smart tools to engage top talent with messaging that resonates. Every candidate interaction is thoughtful, strategic, and designed to attract the right leaders for your stage and story.

Flexible Pricing for Every Stage

We offer flexible, stage-sensitive pricing to meet companies where they are — from fixed-fee and milestone-based models to project-based or fractional support. Our goal is to create fair, transparent structures aligned with your hiring needs and growth stage.

Transparent, Collaborative Partnership

No black boxes. We work shoulder-to-shoulder with clients, providing clear updates, context-rich feedback, and a search experience grounded in trust.

Operator Insight at Every Step

Led by a former in-house search leader, our approach is shaped by firsthand experience building teams—offering strategic guidance beyond just filling a role.

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