Talent Sourcer / Candidate Researcher

SUMMARY APAGO is seeking a skilled Talent Researcher / Talent Sourcer with experience identifying senior-level and executive candidates within the federal contracting (GovCon) solutions and services ecosystem. This role is strictly sourcing and research. No outreach, no engagement, no candidate screening. The contractor will provide short-turnaround, highly targeted lists of qualified candidates, primarily from LinkedIn, publicly available data sources, and any additional research tools they bring. This individual must be comfortable working in the federal full and open environment, familiar with the complexities of mid-tier federal contractors, and experienced sourcing for corporate leadership and growth roles in the federal contracting landscape. This is a project-based, variable-hours position. Workload will fluctuate based on active searches, and the contractor must be able to turn around early results within 24–48 hours for initial review and subsequent results over the following week. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Research & Sourcing Execution •Build carefully targeted lists of potential candidates who align with specific requirements for corporate and executive roles across the federal technology and services landscape.

• Use complex Boolean searches, X-ray techniques, and advanced filters to identify leadership-level talent.
• Conduct competitive mapping and generate target company lists to source from.

2. Priority Role Categories Focus areas include senior and executive roles in:

• Business Development & Capture Leadership & Digital Modernization Solutions architecture for growth and proposals
• P&L Leadership / IT/Technology/Transformational Delivery Leadership
• Corporate Support Functions (Pricing, Contracts, Accounting/Finance, HR, and others) by request.

The emphasis is on prime federal contractors offering services, NOT product companies or hardware manufacturers (e.g., Lockheed, Northrop, Aero/Defense manufacturing, etc.). 3. Deliverables & Workflow

• Provide 20 initial candidate profiles within 24–48 hours to verify quality and direction before deeper sourcing.
• After alignment, continue producing candidate lists in staged batches.
• Deliver:

o Direct LinkedIn profile URLs o Excel spreadsheet (template provided) for notes and feedback o Competitor/target company lists beyond those supplied

• If using the user’s LinkedIn Sales Navigator, be able to work inside the environment with real-time feedback via notes.

4. Tools Contractor should bring:

• Their own advanced sourcing tools (e.g., Primairly Linkedin Recruiter/Lite, OR HireEZ, Apollo, ZoomInfo TalentOS, ClearanceJobs, SeekOut).

APAGO can provide access to:

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator (if required)

5. Required Experience & Expertise

• 5+ years sourcing or researching talent, ideally in executive search or federal contracting recruitment.
• Proven ability to source in the federal contracting services ecosystem, including specialized corporate/leadership roles.
• Ability to map federal contractor org structures and identify executive decision-makers.
• Experience sourcing in mid-tier GovCon companies, not exclusively large primes.
• Expert-level Boolean, X-ray, and competitive intelligence research skills.
• Ability to operate independently with minimal oversight once aligned.

6. Traits and Working Style

• Detail-oriented; zero tolerance for high-quantity and low-quality sourcing.
• Collaborative and responsive: able to revise direction based on early feedback.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving environment with fluctuating hours.
• Able to think strategically about where the “right people” actually sit inside GovCon companies.

7. Compensation & Structure

• Hourly rate preferred (submit desired range).
• Per-project pricing also acceptable depending on the search.
• No retainers at this time.
• Contractor role may expand into a larger, ongoing partnership or W2 role if successful.

8. Performance Indicators

• Accuracy of candidate targeting
• Turnaround speed: ability to source 200 high-quality targeted profiles in 1-2 weeks.
• Understanding of GovCon corporate structure nuances
• Ability to produce high-quality results with minimal oversight

Breakdown of Positions We fill: BD/Growth Leadership

• Business Development & Strategy
• Capture
• Proposals
• Solution Architecture
• Price to Win/Position to Win
• Competitive Intelligence

Operational / P&L leadership

• P&L leaders, Division presidents / Operations execs.
• Program/Delivery leaders
• IT/Technology/Transformational leadership

Legal/Contracts Leadership

• Contracts
• Subcontracts
• Procurement
• Compliance

Finance/Accounting

• Leadership roles: CFO, Controller
• Pricing
• Financial reporting
• Audit/Compliance
• FP&A
• Program control / Program Finance
• Accounting operations Leadership: Payroll, billings, AR

As part of our screening, please send us a profile, resume or Linkedin URL with your relevant sourcing experience. We’re especially interested in understanding the positions you source for most often, the types of companies these positions are sourced for, and the tools and resources you use for candidate research. Feel free to find me on Linkedin (Peter Brown at APAGO) and share your profile that way as well. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job