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Placing People

with Purpose

Zocalo is a premier executive recruiting firm operating at the intersection of creativity, culture, and impact. We specialize in retained and embedded search, partnering with purpose-driven leaders to build high-performing teams that fuel transformative growth. 

Designed to Deliver

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Strategic Insights

As strategic talent partners, we dive deep into your culture and goals to uncover the tangible and intangible skills and qualities needed for high-impact, lasting hires.

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Exceptional Network

From individual hires to building cohesive, high-performing teams, we use our unrivaled network, reputation, and understanding of the role to deliver highly qualified candidates.

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Unmatched Precision

Whether kicking off an executive search or stepping in with solutions to one that has stalled, we bring intention, care and precision to every aspect of the hiring process. 

Our Clients

MoMA
Live Nation Logo
Accenture Logo
Emerson Collective Logo
Elemental Impact Logo
XQ Logo
Summer Search Logo
ERA
Droga Logo
Gentle Forces Logo
Truth Initiative Logo
S94D Logo

Recent Placements

Industries

Roles

Social Impact

Head of Content

Art, Culture & Creative 

Executive Director 

Strategic Advisors & Innovators

Head of Brand Strategy 

Investment & Emerging Ventures

VP of Growth Marketing

Climate & Environmental Innovation

Head of Communications 

Culture-Shaping Brands & Collectives

Director of Digital Marketing

Our Values

Impact.
Culture.
Creativity.

Icons, Zocalo

We partner with organizations that share our commitment to making a positive impact on the world. 

 

We believe that matching clients and candidates is a creative process. While logical factors are essential, it’s the “magic”—the intangible, soft factors—that make a connection successful. We value this quality in others; and look to partner with clients and candidates who are creative, ambitious, and unique.

 

At the core of every successful match is culture. We know that the most effective teams are built on cultural compatibility and shared values. By understanding the cultural context of both our clients and candidates, we can make thoughtful and lasting connections.

 

Our values are embedded in our name: Zocalo, the Mexican Spanish word for a town square. A zócalo is a place where diverse voices, backgrounds, and ideas converge to create community. This is our essence: we create spaces where cultures intersect, allowing for deeper connections.

Our Values

Impact.
Culture.
Creativity.

Flower_Mix

Our Values

Impact. 
Culture. 
Creativity.

Designed to Deliver

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Strategic 

Insights

As strategic talent partners, we dive deep into your culture and goals to uncover the tangible and intangible skills and qualities needed for high-impact, lasting hires.

Icon Grid 2

Exceptional Network

From individual hires to building cohesive, high-performing teams, we use our unrivaled network, reputation, and understanding of the role to deliver highly qualified candidates.

Icon Target 2

Unmatched Precision

Whether kicking off an executive search or stepping in with solutions to one that has stalled, we bring intention, care and precision to every aspect of the hiring process. 

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Zocalo takes the stress out of finding the right person for your team by leveraging their vast network, creating a detailed sourcing and recruitment strategy, and designing a thoughtful interview process. Zocalo took the time to get to know our organization and creating profiles for the individuals that would be successful in the role and our team. 

Eunice Dunham

Chief Talent Officer

Summer Search

I've been struck by Zocalo's thoughtfulness, the depth of their market knowledge and the breadth of their relationships. When hiring, I know I will get a shortlist of highly appointable candidates and that the process will be rewarding and fun.

Rob Baker

Chief Marketing Officer, Artnet

Ex-Head of Marketing, MoMA

Zocalo has become a true partner in my success by helping me find not only the brightest but those people who best fit the work's needs and my own as a leader. I have been most impressed with Zocalo's understanding of how to source, recruit, and root teams that thrive.

Celestine Maddy

Managing Director of MarCom

Emerson Collective

What Our Clients Say

Zocalo's Founder

Kimberly is a recognized leader in executive search. Over two decades, she has partnered with organizations of all types and placed a generation of leaders. She is a hands-on practitioner who understands what’s at stake for both her clients and candidates, and blends optimism, empathy, and wisdom, with a bias to action. 

 

A committed advocate for workforce equity, Kimberly founded Zocalo to have more impact with her work. She believes that a new generation of recruitment leaders are required to transform the culture of the industry.

 

Kimberly is based in Manhattan and in addition to raising a business and family, she serves as an Executive Board Member at the Lower East Side Girls Club.

Kimberly Aguilera, CEO & Founder | Zocalo
Kimberly Aguilera
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People & Ideas

Interviews with leaders from Zocalo’s network. We explore the intersections of personal values, leadership, talent and the future of work. Together, we reflect on how our professional lives can encompass creativity, cultural expression, and impact.

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