About Cadence Partners

We are an executive search, consulting and advisory firm dedicated to building more diverse, inclusive and effective leadership across the social impact sector. Since our founding, we’ve helped organisations appoint and develop leaders who bring the values, experience and vision to drive lasting change.

OUR STORY:

Cadence Partners was founded on the belief that recruitment and consultancy can be powerful tools for equity and change.

We saw that many organisations wanted to lead differently: to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, and to make inclusion a lived reality rather than an aspiration.


Since then, we have worked across the social impact sector, from national charities to community start-ups, foundations and creative institutions, supporting leadership that drives lasting, systemic change. Our story is one of collaboration and progress, helping organisations turn purpose into practice and intention into impact.

OUR MISSION:

To help organisations build leadership cultures where everyone can thrive.

We connect people, insight and opportunity to create the conditions for lasting impact, whether through executive search, advisory work or consultancy.

 

We believe inclusion is not a project or a policy; it is a way of leading. That means questioning assumptions, widening access, and ensuring every process is fair, transparent and rooted in respect. By supporting organisations to embed equity into their systems, we help make change sustainable rather than situational.

OUR VALUES:

Our values shape everything we do: how we partner, how we make decisions, and how we hold ourselves accountable.

They are more than principles; they are our practice. Every relationship, conversation and appointment is guided by them, and by the belief that better leadership leads to better outcomes for everyone.

Equity

Placing fairness and inclusion at the centre of every process.

Integrity

Acting with honesty, transparency and respect.

Collaboration

Building trust through partnership and curiosity.

Impact

Focusing on meaningful, measurable and long-term change.

Equity

Placing fairness and inclusion at the centre of every process.

Integrity

Acting with honesty, transparency and respect.

Collaboration

Building trust through partnership and curiosity.

Impact

Focusing on meaningful, measurable and long-term change.

How we work

Every partnership starts with listening. We take time to understand your purpose, people and ambitions so that every project reflects your context and values.

Whether we are appointing a senior leader, advising on EDI strategy or supporting a board through change, we design inclusive, evidence-based approaches that deliver real impact. You will always know what to expect, and why it matters.

Our approach is built around three principles:

Discover

Understanding you story, context and goals.

Design

Creating inclusive, transparent processes that reach beyond the usual routes.

Deliver

Providing honest challenge, insight and partnership at every step.

These principles shape everything we do. We work alongside our clients to create open, transparent and equitable recruitment experiences that strengthen both people and culture.

We are known for being the market leader in equity and social justice is in our DNA – and the result is outstanding leadership that reflects the world we live in and the future we want to build.

Work with us!

If you’re ready to reimagine what leadership can look like, we’d love to work with you. Whether you need to appoint a new leader, strengthen your board, or embed equity in your recruitment approach, we’re here to help.