--- title: Riviera Partners Alternatives for Hiring Engineering Leaders description: "Riviera Partners alternatives for startups hiring a CTO, VP or Head of Engineering: compare retained search, contingency and fixed-fee models in 2026." image: https://funded.club/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-riviera-partners-alternatives-engineering-leaders.png --- [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club/) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - [Hire](https://funded.club) - [Pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Case Studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Locally](https://funded.club/case-studies/locally) - [Supernova](https://funded.club/case-studies/supernova) - [Isolocity](https://funded.club/case-studies/isolocity) - [WeTravel](https://funded.club/case-studies/wetravel) - [Digital Science](https://funded.club/case-studies/digital-science) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog-results) - [Resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [Predict success](https://signup.predict.ventures/) - [Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) - [Glossary](https://funded.club/glossary) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact us](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - Engagement options: - [Hiring solutions](https://funded.club) - [Pay-as-you-go](https://funded.club/pricing) - Membership plan # Riviera Partners Alternatives for Hiring Engineering Leaders ![riviera-partners-alternatives-for-hiring-engineering-leaders](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-riviera-partners-alternatives-engineering-leaders.png?width=1200&height=628&name=fc-riviera-partners-alternatives-engineering-leaders.png) [Ray Gibson](https://funded.club/blog/author/ray-gibson) Sep 29, 2026, 9:03:11 PM *Updated September 2026* Startups hiring engineering leaders can choose between retained executive search firms such as Riviera Partners, contingency recruiters, an in-house recruiter, or a fixed-fee recruiting partner such as Funded.club. Riviera Partners is an executive search firm focused on technology and engineering leadership. The best fit depends on the exact role, your stage and how you want to pay, so check each provider's own site for current pricing. ## Be precise about which engineering leader you need "Engineering leader" covers very different jobs, and the title you advertise shapes who responds. Settle this before you speak to any search partner. - **Head of Engineering or Engineering Manager:** still close to the code, runs a small team, owns delivery and hiring for the next few engineers. - **VP of Engineering:** builds the organisation, managers and process. Focused on execution, predictability and scaling the team. - **CTO:** owns technical direction and architecture, often works with investors and customers, and may or may not manage people day to day. At Seed, many companies need a hands-on head of engineering rather than a VP. After a Series A or B, a VP of Engineering often becomes the priority. Our guide on [how to hire a CTO](https://funded.club/blog/hire-cto-startup) explains how that role differs. ## Retained search vs fixed-fee search Retained executive search commits a firm to one senior role, with fees paid in stages across the search. It is a common route for board-level and senior technology roles. Fixed-fee search also uses a committed recruiter, but the cost is one set figure agreed before kick-off rather than a share of salary. | Question | Retained search | Fixed-fee search | | --- | --- | --- | | How is the fee set? | Set by each firm, usually paid in stages | One fixed amount per hire, agreed upfront | | Does cost rise with salary? | Depends on the firm's terms | Only by salary band | | Who runs the search? | A search consultant or team | A dedicated recruiter | Terms vary between firms and change over time, so ask every provider for the total cost in writing. For a wider comparison of models, see [fractional recruiting vs RPO vs agencies](https://funded.club/blog/fractional-recruiting-vs-rpo-vs-agencies-for-startups-2026). ## What a worked example looks like Percentage fees scale with the package. Take a VP of Engineering hired at $220,000: a 20 to 25% contingency fee would be $44,000 to $55,000. With Funded.club, a role above $150,000 is a fixed $15,900 to $21,900. On a leadership hire, the gap between a percentage and a fixed fee is usually the widest it will be in your hiring plan. ## Assessing engineering leaders well A strong search can still end badly if the assessment is loose. A process that works for most startups: - **Founder conversation first.** Test alignment on product direction, pace and how decisions get made. - **Architecture discussion.** Walk through a real system decision your team faces. Look for trade-off thinking, not the "right" answer. - **Team interviews.** Let two or three engineers meet the candidate. Their read on how the leader listens is valuable. - **Hiring plan exercise.** Ask how they would grow the team over the next 12 months and what they would fix first. - **Deep references.** Speak to people who reported to them, not only to their former managers. Keep the process to a few weeks. Senior engineers usually have several conversations running, and a slow process is often how good candidates are lost. ## Where Funded.club fits Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner that has helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D since 2019, across North America, Europe and APAC. It hires engineering leaders as well as the engineers who report to them, which helps when a new VP needs to build a team quickly. - **A dedicated recruiter** runs the search from sourcing and headhunting to screening and offer support. - **Fixed fees by salary band:** $4,900 up to $70,000, $7,500 up to $110,000, $11,500 up to $150,000, and $15,900 to $21,900 above $150,000. That averages 6 to 9% of salary. See [pricing](https://funded.club/pricing). - **First screened candidates within 7 days** and 33 days average from kick-off to hire. - **An advance and a balance:** part of the fee is paid at the start and the rest when the candidate accepts. First-time customers can ask to defer the advance until they see their first candidates. Supernova (YC W19) made 22 hires with Funded.club, with 27 days average time to hire. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Riviera Partners do? Riviera Partners is an executive search firm focused on technology and engineering leadership. Check its website for current services and fees. ### Is retained search the only option for a VP of Engineering? No. Startups also hire engineering leaders through contingency recruiters, in-house recruiters, their own networks and fixed-fee recruiting partners such as Funded.club. Choose based on role seniority, budget and how much of the process you want to run yourself. ### How much does Funded.club charge to hire an engineering leader? Most engineering leadership roles sit above $150,000, where Funded.club's fixed fee is $15,900 to $21,900 per hire. The fee is agreed before the search starts. ### How long does it take to hire a VP of Engineering? It depends on the market and your process. With Funded.club, first screened candidates arrive within 7 days and the average from kick-off to hire is 33 days across roles. Worth a brief chat about your next hire? [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us). ## Hiring after a funding round? First candidates in 7 days. Fixed-fee, no commission. [See pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Try the Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/funded-images2022/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club) © 2019-2026 Funded.club B.V. All Rights Reserved. Chamber of Commerce: 63083809    VAT (BTW): NL855084844B01 ## Contact Us - [Hiring service](https://funded.club) - [Pricing - Recruiting projects](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Our team](https://funded.club/fundedteam) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog) - [Case studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Startup resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact Us](https://funded.club/contact-us) ## Follow Us © 2019-2026 All rights reserved. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290) - [Cookie policies](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290/cookie-policy) - [Terms of Use](https://funded.club/terms) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#ray-gibson" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-29", "datePublished" : "2026-09-29", "headline" : "Riviera Partners Alternatives for Hiring Engineering Leaders", "image" : [ "https://7828179.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7828179/blog-featured-images/fc-riviera-partners-alternatives-engineering-leaders.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/blog/riviera-partners-alternatives-engineering-leaders", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "areaServed" : [ "North America", "Europe", "Asia-Pacific" ], "description" : "Fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. 500+ startups helped since 2019. 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