The Best Executive Search and Recruiting Firms for Hiring in Latin America (LatAm)

Looking for the right recruiting firm to help you hire in Latin America?

More US companies are recognizing that Latin American talent can solve their hiring challenges while delivering significant cost savings. But finding the right recruiting partner isn’t straightforward.

The landscape is crowded with different types of firms: boutique executive search companies, global HR giants, RPO specialists, and regional recruiting agencies.

Each has a different approach, pricing model, and area of expertise.

Pick the wrong partner, and you’ll waste months in the process, potentially ending up with a bad hire or paying far more than necessary.

We’ve researched six leading recruitment and executive search firms that help US companies hire Latin American talent to help you create a focused shortlist.

While nothing beats getting on an actual sales call to determine if a firm is the right fit for your specific needs, this guide will save you time by showing you what each brings to the table and who they work best for. 

Why US Companies Are Turning to Latin America for Talent

The surge in Latin American hiring isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategic response to real business challenges.

According to ManpowerGroup, 75% of the US employers they surveyed struggled to fill open positions. This means companies are operating understaffed, losing competitive edge, and wasting time on endless recruitment cycles.

At the same time, salary expectations in the US continue climbing. Companies find themselves priced out of the talent they desperately need.

Latin America offers a solution that goes beyond simple cost arbitrage.

Here’s what’s driving the shift:

• Access to specialized talent you can’t find locally. Many companies spend months searching for senior accountants or software engineers in the US with no success, only to find perfectly qualified professionals with relevant experience in countries like Argentina or Colombia within weeks.
• Significant cost savings without quality compromise. According to our State of LatAm Hiring report, analyzing 2,000 placements, US companies typically save $35,000 to $55,000 per role compared to hiring in the US. These savings reflect lower costs of living, not lower quality of work.
• Real-time collaboration advantages. Unlike traditional offshoring to Asia, Latin American working hours align with the US. No more waiting overnight for responses or scheduling meetings at odd hours.
• Cultural and language alignment. Major US corporations like Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM have built teams across Latin America for decades, creating a deep pool of professionals who understand US business practices, communication styles, and quality standards.

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What Are Recruiting and Executive Search Firms?

Let’s clarify the key distinctions between these terms.

While they’re sometimes used interchangeably, there are important distinctions:

• Recruiting firms focus on filling positions across all company levels and industries. They typically work with multiple clients simultaneously, use job boards and social media for sourcing, and handle the initial screening and interviews before presenting candidates to clients.
• Executive search firms specialize in senior-level positions—C-suite executives, VPs, and board members. They work on a retained basis, use targeted outreach and headhunting techniques, and often approach candidates who aren’t actively job searching.

Both types of recruiting partners maintain extensive networks and databases of professionals, but executive search firms typically have deeper relationships with senior-level talent and more specialized industry expertise.

That said, many quality recruiting firms can also successfully place senior-level professionals, so a dedicated executive search firm isn’t always necessary, depending on your specific role and requirements.

For example, Near helped the SaaS company Propensity hire a Head of Marketing with 20+ years of experience and former high-level positions at Oracle and Thomson Reuters—this senior hire helped double their lead generation in two quarters.

Why Use a Recruiting Firm for Latin American Hiring?

Compared to hiring in the US, hiring remote professionals in Latin America presents unique challenges that specialized firms are equipped to handle. For example:

• Navigating legal and compliance complexities. Each Latin American country has different employment laws, tax requirements, and contractor regulations. A misstep can create expensive legal issues down the road.
• Accessing established talent networks. Top recruiting firms have spent years building relationships with high-quality professionals across the region. They know where to find the best talent and how to approach candidates effectively.
• Overcoming language and cultural barriers. Even with strong English skills, there are nuances in communication styles, work expectations, and cultural norms that can impact hiring decisions and team integration.
• Streamlining the vetting process. With potentially thousands of interested candidates, you need efficient systems to identify the right fit. Established firms have proven processes for technical assessments, cultural fit evaluation, and reference verification.
• Understanding local compensation markets. Offering too little means losing great candidates; offering too much inflates the market and sets unrealistic expectations. Specialist firms understand average LatAm salary expectations and know how to structure competitive offers that work for both parties.
• Handling payroll and compliance ongoing. Many firms can manage ongoing payroll, benefits, and compliance requirements, removing administrative burdens from your team.

Working with a Latin America specialist means you’re not learning these complexities from scratch—you’re leveraging years of experience and established processes.

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What Are the Best Recruiting and Executive Search Firms for Hiring in Latin America?

Let’s start with what these firms have in common.

Each company here can connect you with Latin American professionals. You’ll find talent that aligns with US business hours, communicates fluently in English, and understands how American companies operate.

Most will present you with candidate profiles quickly and make promises about talent quality.

These are baseline expectations for any serious recruiting firm.

The real differences lie in their approach, specializations, and how they structure the working relationship with your company.

1. Near

Near (Hire With Near) is a staffing and recruitment agency that helps US companies of all sizes hire high-performing remote talent in Latin America. We place talent across finance, sales, engineering, design, data, marketing, operations, and executive roles from individual contributors up to VP level.

We’re leading with ourselves here, and that’s intentional. We think our approach is genuinely different from what you’ll find elsewhere.

We’re not in the business of filling slots—we’re focused on finding people who will become key contributors to your growth.

Think of Near as your dedicated recruiting team that specializes exclusively in Latin America. Our philosophy is straightforward: hiring from LatAm should be about adding exceptional team members, not just accessing lower-cost labor.

Here’s how we work: we source and vet candidates, then you hire them directly. No layers, no markup confusion. We offer clear pricing—a straightforward placement fee for direct hires, or a monthly fee if you want us handling payroll and compliance.

Our 97% placement success rate and 9.1+ client satisfaction scores reflect our focus on quality matches that stick. We prioritize finding professionals who’ll grow alongside your business, which is why our clients often come back to hire multiple team members through us.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Exclusively Latin America, with a network of 45,000+ pre-vetted professionals across the region
• Service model: Direct hire and permanent placement, with optional payroll and compliance management, RPO, and EOR services
• Roles filled: Professional and leadership roles from individual contributors to VP level across finance, accounting, data, sales, engineering, marketing, operations, and executive functions
• Pricing structure: Transparent fee conversations—one-time placement fees for direct hires or monthly fees for staffing services with no hidden markups. You’ll know exactly what your hires earn.

Limitations

We are not the cheapest option (although we’re not the most expensive either). We’re the premium choice for companies that care about follow-through, standards, and getting the hire right the first time.

If you want to see how we’ve helped companies similar to yours, check out our client case studies to get a better sense of the results we deliver.

Client review: “Near not only helped us navigate the hiring process but fundamentally changed our approach to building our team. Their ability to connect us with high-quality, dedicated talent has been invaluable.” — Drew Prescott, Co-Founder & CEO at R\nd

2. Adecco

Adecco is the world’s second-largest HR provider with an established presence across 62 countries, including significant Latin American operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Puerto Rico.

Their key strength is sheer scale and infrastructure. When you need comprehensive workforce solutions—from temporary staffing to permanent placement to payroll outsourcing—Adecco has the global backbone to deliver.

They manage 600,000 temporary workers daily worldwide and recently showed 30% revenue growth in their “Rest of World” region, primarily driven by Latin America.

For companies that need a one-stop shop for all their workforce needs, Adecco’s breadth is hard to match.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Global presence across 62 countries with established LatAm operations in seven key countries
• Service model: Comprehensive workforce solutions, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, temp-to-hire, RPO, BPO, and EOR services
• Roles filled: Broad coverage across technology, finance, sales, industrial, professional services, healthcare, and creative sectors

Limitations

Their global focus means they lack the deep, specialized expertise in the Latin American market that a focused firm can offer. Recent divestiture of Ecuador and Uruguay operations suggests ongoing strategic restructuring in the region.

3. Randstad

Randstad operates as “the world’s leading talent company” with 60+ years of experience and significant presence across 39 markets worldwide, including strong Latin American operations in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico.

Their “Southern Europe, UK, and Latin America” region represents their largest revenue share globally. In 2024, Randstad helped 1.7 million people find jobs and generated €24.1 billion in revenue.

What makes them distinctive is their dual-consultant model where two specialists handle both client service and candidate selection, plus their emphasis on using AI-powered matching tools for efficiency.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Global operations across 39 markets with LatAm presence in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico
• Service model: Flexible workforce solutions, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, executive search, in-house services, and EOR
• Roles filled: Specializes in IT, finance, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, and logistics sectors

Limitations

Like other global giants, their broad focus means less specialized Latin American market expertise compared to regional specialists. 

4. Cielo Talent

Cielo Talent is a global recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firm operating across 113 countries in 39 languages, with strong Latin American infrastructure including a Buenos Aires regional headquarters.

Their strength lies in enterprise-scale talent acquisition transformation. If you’re a large organization looking to systematically overhaul how you hire across multiple countries, Cielo brings serious firepower.

They’ve built substantial LatAm operations with physical offices in Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, plus active markets across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, El Salvador, Peru, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.

What sets them apart is their AI-driven Cielo TalentCloud platform.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Global operations across 113 countries with strong LatAm infrastructure and physical offices in Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil
• Service model: RPO services through full RPO, modular TA Optimizers, and hybrid engagement models
• Roles filled: All role levels from entry to C-suite across manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, technology, business services, and retail
• Pricing structure: Custom RPO pricing based on volume, complexity, and services required—contact sales for quotes

Limitations

This is an enterprise-focused firm. If you’re a startup or mid-market company, their scale and complexity might be overkill for your needs.

‍5. N2Growth

N2Growth positions itself as finding and developing “the world’s best leaders” through executive search and leadership development, with dedicated Latin American leadership across Mexico, Brazil, and Chile.

They’ve built a serious reputation in executive search and have worked with “over two-thirds of the Fortune 500,” according to their website. 

For C-suite and senior executive searches in Latin America, they bring both regional expertise and executive search credibility.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Global operations across 50+ markets with dedicated LatAm leadership in Mexico, Brazil, and Chile
• Service model: Retained executive search with leadership development and succession planning services
• Roles filled: Exclusively C-suite, board, and senior executive positions across all major industries 

Limitations

They’re exclusively focused on executive search. If you need to fill non-executive roles, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

6. Cornerstone Group

Cornerstone Group operates as a premium retained executive search firm ranking among the top 25 worldwide, with a Latin American presence across seven key countries: Peru (regional headquarters), Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, and Chile.

Their strength lies in deep regional expertise. 

With 60+ offices in 40+ countries and a Miami office serving as the US-LatAm bridge, they offer serious infrastructure for executive search.

Key features

• Geographic focus: Global presence across 40+ countries with particularly strong LatAm operations in seven key countries
• Service model: Retained executive search with leadership development and career transition services
• Roles filled: CEO, COO, CFO, and board positions in the $100,000–$350,000+ salary range across all major industries

Limitations

Like N2Growth, they’re exclusively focused on executive search, so they won’t help with non-executive roles. Their retained search model requires upfront investment.

Summary

Here’s a quick comparison to help you evaluate which firms might be worth exploring further in a consultation call:

Which one is right for you depends on your business size, needs, and what you’re actually looking to accomplish.

Final Thoughts

Each of these firms brings real value to companies looking to build teams in Latin America. The key is finding the right match for your specific situation.

If you’re a startup or mid-market company focused on building a dedicated team for the long term, a specialized firm like Near that prioritizes quality matches and transparent partnerships might be your best bet.

For large enterprises needing systematic talent acquisition across multiple countries, comprehensive RPO providers like Cielo Talent, Adecco, and Randstad provide breadth and established infrastructure, making them solid choices for companies needing diverse workforce solutions beyond just permanent hires.

If you’re only looking to fill C-suite or board positions—and don’t need a long-term partner who can fill all levels of seniority—dedicated executive search firms like N2Growth and Cornerstone Group bring the specialized expertise and networks that these hires require.

The most successful Latin American hiring strategies aren’t just about finding the cheapest option—they’re about finding the right partner who understands your business needs, can navigate the complexities of international hiring, and will help you build a team that grows with your company.

Rather than trying to figure out Latin American hiring on your own, partnering with a specialist firm can save you time, money, and the headaches that come with international recruiting.

We don’t think the question is whether to use a recruiting partner. It’s which one aligns with your specific needs, budget, and long-term goals.

To explore how Near’s approach might work for your company, book a free no-commitment consultation where we can discuss your specific hiring needs and provide salary benchmarks for the roles you’re looking to fill.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring in Latin America

What’s the difference between staffing firms and recruiting firms for hiring in Latin America?

While people often think of staffing firms as filling only short-term or contract roles, many—especially those specializing in international hiring—also place long-term team members.

The main distinction is that staffing firms typically remain the official employer, handling payroll, compliance, and local labor requirements on your behalf.

Recruiting firms, on the other hand, focus on finding candidates for you to hire directly, with the employment relationship (and payroll) managed by your company.

Because Near offers both models, you can choose what works best:

• Staffing model: We handle payroll, compliance, and ongoing employment admin.
  
  
• Recruitment model: We find you the right hire, and you handle payroll and compliance on your own or using an Employer of Record.

See our breakdown of the best LatAm staffing firms ›

Can a recruiting firm also help with compliance and payroll in LatAm?

Some can, but it’s not standard. 

Many executive search firms focus on the recruitment process only.

If you also need help with contracts, payroll, and compliance, you may need an Employer of Record (EoR) service or a recruiting partner like Near that can handle both.

Why do US companies turn to LatAm for executive talent?

For many businesses—especially startups and smaller companies—the caliber of executive they want is either out of budget in the US or simply hard to find locally.

Latin America offers access to highly qualified leaders who have US market experience, proven track records, and competitive salary expectations.

This allows them to hire top-tier leadership without blowing their budget, while still benefiting from time zone and cultural alignment for seamless collaboration.