Opus Search Partners, Inc.

What Opus Search Partners, Inc. does

Opus Partners is an independent executive search firm headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, that conducts senior-level searches for universities, colleges, academic medical centers, foundations, research institutes, and cultural institutions across the not-for-profit sector. The firm was founded by consultants who have worked together since 1999, and operates with a team of 13 professionals including managing, senior, and equity-focused partners, senior associates certified in Diversity and Inclusion recruiting, managing associates, project coordinators, and research associates. Staff are distributed across Philadelphia, Charlottesville, Portland, and Cleveland to support national search coverage.

The firm's core offering is retainer-based and contingency-based executive search services focused on C-suite and senior administrative roles such as presidents, provosts, deans, vice presidents, CFOs, CIOs, chief audit officers, and department chairs. Notable clients disclosed include Columbia University, MIT, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, University of Chicago, Cal Poly Pomona, Oregon State, Oregon Health & Science University, Stony Brook University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Virginia, and the J. Paul Getty Trust. The firm supports its engagements with a password-protected Client Area portal that provides search committees access to candidate materials and updates.

Opus Partners generates revenue exclusively through professional services fees tied to individual executive search engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by scope, complexity, and position level. Its go-to-market is direct, consultative engagement with university leadership, boards, provosts, and search committees, supplemented by a content-driven website, LinkedIn presence, and confidential direct outreach. The firm is privately held, with no disclosed parent company, external investment, or public listing, and ownership is concentrated among founding and managing partners.

Name

Opus Search Partners, Inc.

Legal name

Opus Partners

Website

https://opuspartners.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Opus Partners is an independent executive search firm that places senior leaders (presidents, provosts, deans, VPs, CFOs, CIOs) for universities, academic medical centers, and not-for-profit organizations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Executive Search (BPACAAAL)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Higher education recruiting
• Academic medicine leadership
• Not-for-profit executive search
• Senior leadership recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retainer-based and contingency-based executive search fees for senior-level placements in higher education, academic medicine, and not-for-profit sectors. Search engagements for positions including presidents, provosts, deans, VPs, CFOs, CIOs, and other C-suite and senior administrative roles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Opus Partners is an independent executive search firm that conducts senior-level searches for clients in higher education, academic medicine, and the broader not-for-profit sector. The firm places presidents, provosts, deans, vice presidents, CFOs, CIOs, and other C-suite and senior administrative leaders through retainer-based and contingency-based engagements, supported by certified diversity and inclusion recruiters and a dedicated equity advisor.

Product overview

Opus Partners is an independent executive search firm that operates as a professional services company rather than a software product company. Their core offering consists of senior-level executive search services delivered across three specialized sectors: higher education (universities, colleges), academic medicine (medical centers, healthcare systems), and the broader not-for-profit sector (foundations, research institutes). The company also provides clients with access to a secure Client Area portal for viewing search-related information and materials. All services are delivered through experienced search consultants who provide personalized, transparent recruitment processes tailored to each client's needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services for Higher Education Senior-level executive search and recruitment services for colleges and universities, placing presidents, provosts, deans, vice presidents, CFOs, CIOs, and other senior academic and administrative leaders.
• Executive Search Services for Academic Medicine Senior-level executive search services for academic medical centers, healthcare systems, and medical research institutions, recruiting clinical and administrative leaders with academic credentials.
• Executive Search Services for Not-for-Profit Sector Senior-level executive search services for foundations, research institutes, museums, and other not-for-profit organizations seeking mission-driven leaders.
• Client Area Portal A secure, password-protected online portal providing search-related information, candidate materials, and process documentation for clients and search committee members.

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WittKieffer: Executive search firm with deep specialization in healthcare, higher education, and not-for-profit leadership. Comparable in client overlap (academic medical centers, universities) and vertical focus, though larger and longer-established than Opus.
• Isaacson, Miller: Boutique executive search firm focused exclusively on higher education, academic medicine, and not-for-profit sectors. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Opus, with similar vertical specialization, partner-led model, and client base.
• Diversified Search: Executive search firm with a Higher Education practice from which Opus's Managing Partner Craig Smith previously served as Managing Director. Direct competitor in the higher education search market with comparable engagement style and client base.
• Koya Partners: Executive search firm focused on mission-driven organizations including higher education and non-profits. Directly comparable as a specialized boutique; Opus's prior project coordinator came from Koya Partners' Higher Education team.
• AGB Search: Executive search arm of the Association of Governing Boards, focused exclusively on higher education leadership placements. Direct competitor for university presidential, provost, and board-level searches.
• Greenwood/Asher & Associates: Executive search firm specializing in higher education and non-profit leadership. Closely comparable to Opus in scale, vertical focus, and engagement model — focused exclusively on education and mission-driven clients.

Broad incumbents

• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with higher education and non-profit expertise. Competes with Opus on senior-level academic and non-profit placements while serving a much broader market.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a Social Enterprise practice serving higher education and non-profits. Significant overlap with Opus's client base but at substantially greater scale and broader sector coverage.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search leader with a dedicated Education, Nonprofit & Social Enterprise practice. Overlaps with Opus on senior higher ed and non-profit searches but operates at much greater scale and across multiple industries.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global organizational consulting firm with a significant executive search practice including higher education and non-profit clients. Competes with Opus at the senior end of the market while offering much broader services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/opuspartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Opus Search Partners, Inc.