In today’s market, growth is no longer driven by product alone. It is driven by people.

Markets evolve. Consumer behaviour shifts. Digital transformation accelerates. But one constant remains. The organisations that outperform their competitors are those led and supported by exceptional talent.

For more than 18 years, Jivaro has specialised in executive recruitment across retail, fashion and consumer goods. Founded by Chantelle James, whose background spans senior executive and digital leadership roles in Australia and the UK, Jivaro was built on genuine commercial understanding and deep industry connections.

From the beginning, the vision was clear. To create a specialist recruitment partner that understood retail and consumer businesses from the inside out.

Today, Jivaro works with 227 corporate clients across Australia, maintains a 150,000-plus live candidate database built exclusively within retail and consumer goods, and operates with teams across Australia and Europe. The scale is significant, but what truly differentiates Jivaro is the structure and expertise behind it.

A specialist vertical model

Jivaro operates a vertical sourcing model designed for precision and speed.

Each consultant specialises within a defined function, whether buying and product development, marketing and digital, planning, retail operations, supply chain, HR, finance, IT or executive leadership. This ensures that every role brief is managed by a consultant with the strongest network, deepest technical knowledge, and most up-to-date market intelligence within that discipline to respond to briefs quickly with the right talent.

Rather than a generalist approach, clients are partnered with true functional experts. A head of e-commerce role is handled by a digital specialist. A senior planner role is managed by a planning expert.

This structure allows Jivaro to respond quickly while maintaining quality and alignment.

Executive search with commercial insight

Executive recruitment requires more than candidate shortlists. It requires business understanding.

Jivaro’s executive search capability is grounded in commercial insight. The team conducts comprehensive role briefings, organisational analysis and talent mapping to ensure alignment not only on skill set, but on leadership capability, cultural fit and long-term strategy.

The results speak for themselves:

• 630 placements in FY 2025.
• 99 per cent fill rate on executive roles.
• 100 per cent retention across 1 billion dollar plus revenue corporate clients.

These outcomes are driven by rigorous process, behavioural interviewing, reference checking and an unwavering commitment to quality.

In a competitive war on talent, organisations need more than recruiters. They need trusted advisors.

Access to top-performing talent

With an 18-year track record exclusively within retail and consumer goods, Jivaro has cultivated one of the most comprehensive industry talent networks in the market.

The 150,000-plus candidate database is supported by advanced recruitment technology, headhunting tools, LinkedIn Recruiter, Seek Talent Search and AI-powered sourcing platforms. Beyond technology, the team actively engages passive candidates, high-performing professionals who may not be actively applying but are open to strategic opportunities.

Consultants attend industry forums and networking events and maintain strong relationships across leadership communities to ensure consistent access to high-calibre talent.

This proactive approach ensures clients are presented with the best available talent, not simply the most visible.

Boutique care with major player capability

Jivaro combines the care and relationship focus of a boutique agency with the scale, systems and global reach of a major recruitment partner.

Teams are based in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with extended networks in Europe, Asia and South Africa, allowing access to both local and international talent pools. Whether supporting a growing mid-sized brand or a billion-dollar enterprise, Jivaro has the capability to recruit across all head office functions and senior operational roles.

Every placement is approached with attention to detail and accountability. Clients and candidates are met personally to ensure a deep understanding of requirements, values and expectations.

Because recruitment is not transactional. It is personal.

Driven by values

At the core of Jivaro is a clear set of values. Inspire others. Be curious. Exceed everyday. Act with integrity. Lead with compassion.

These principles guide internal hiring, client partnerships and candidate engagement. The team undertakes biweekly training to ensure consistent market knowledge and high service standards. Satisfaction is measured after placements to identify strengths and opportunities for continuous improvement.

Diversity and inclusion remain central to the recruitment philosophy. Jivaro is committed to fostering equitable opportunities and building diverse, high-performing teams that drive innovation and growth.

A long-term partner in growth

For nearly two decades, Jivaro’s reputation has been built on trusted relationships and consistent delivery of high-quality executive talent.

The goal is not simply to fill roles. It is to strengthen organisations from within by aligning structure, capability and leadership to drive performance.

The right hire does more than meet a brief.

It influences culture. 

It elevates standards.

It accelerates growth.

And at Jivaro, matching exceptional candidates to their ultimate careers is not just what we do. It is what defines us.