Lock Search Group is an independent executive search and recruitment firm founded in 1983. Over more than forty years of operation, it has established itself as a trusted partner for organizations seeking top leadership and specialized talent. The firm’s mission is to bridge client objectives with candidate aspirations by delivering personalized, solutions‑driven recruitment and consulting services grounded in integrity, open communication, and lasting relationships.
Headquartered in Toronto, Lock Search Group maintains a truly national footprint with eleven offices across Canada, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax, Moncton, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Quebec City. It also operates two offices in the United States, located in Boston, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois. Supported by a team of more than twenty‑five experienced consultants and associates, the firm is able to serve both domestic and cross‑border recruitment needs seamlessly.
Lock Search Group specializes in four core practice areas: Life Sciences, which covers biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and scientific research; Consumer Packaged Goods, including food service, beverage, retail and hard goods; Industrial sectors, encompassing manufacturing, automation, supply chain and distribution; and B2B & Technology, spanning digital, IT, software‑as‑a‑service, cybersecurity, finance, legal and insurance.
Lock Search Group offers flexible engagement models, including contingency‑based and performance‑based search, allowing clients to tailor fees and risk according to their preferences. Strategic partnerships and industry affiliations further extend its reach and strengthen its ability to meet complex talent challenges.
In recent years, the firm has embraced innovation through the launch of Lockin AI, a proprietary business development platform.
Min project size
Undisclosed
Hourly rate
Undisclosed
Employees
10 - 49
Locations
Toronto, Canada
Year founded
Founded 1983
13 Locations
Toronto , Canada
Montréal , Canada
Vancouver , Canada
Calgary , Canada
Edmonton , Canada
Halifax , Canada
Moncton , Canada
Ottawa , Canada
Québec , Canada
Saskatoon , Canada
Winnipeg , Canada
Cambridge , MA
Chicago , IL
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Pricing Snapshot
Min. project size
Undisclosed
Avg. hourly rate
Undisclosed
Rating for cost
5
/5
What Clients Have Said
Lock Search Group offers competitive pricing, with clients reporting costs of $10,000 and $15,000 for successful placements. Clients noted good value for cost, high-quality communication, and effective project management, making them a reliable choice for recruitment needs.
The candidates placed by Lock Search Group had a significant positive impact on client operations, such as overhauling internal processes and improving efficiency in finance departments.
Timely Project Delivery
The company consistently met deadlines, delivering projects on time and exceeding client expectations, which was a significant factor in client satisfaction.
Understanding of Specialized Markets
Lock Search Group showed expertise in specialized markets, notably the life sciences sector, which helped them successfully place candidates with the necessary industry-specific knowledge.
Strong Communication Skills
Clients praised Lock Search Group for their clear and effective communication, which facilitated smooth project management and ensured all parties were informed throughout the hiring process.
Good Value for Cost
Clients found Lock Search Group's pricing to be competitive and aligned with their budgets, offering good value for the services provided.
Recruiting Services for Advertising & Marketing Firm
RecruitingRecruitment Process Outsourcing
$10,000 to $49,999
Oct. - Dec. 2025
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"They met all deadlines and found us a great hire."
Jan 7, 2026
President, Talent Hero
Zack Gallinger
Verified
Advertising & marketing
Toronto, Ontario
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Lock Search Group helped an advertising and marketing company find a new director of marketing. They drafted the job description, screened candidates, conducted initial interviews, and handled onboarding.
Lock Search Group successfully found a new director of marketing in two months. The team impressed the client with their clear communication and excellent project management. They also met all deadlines.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the president of Talent Hero, an advertising and marketing company. We help recruiting agencies grow their business.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lock Search Group?
We needed help hiring a new director of marketing.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Lock Search Group helped us find candidates for our director of marketing role. They also helped us draft the job description. Once they found potential candidates, they screened them, conducted an initial interview, and onboarded them.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 2–5 teammates from Lock Search Group.
How did you come to work with Lock Search Group?
We found them through an online search. We chose them over other options because they had high ratings, were close to my geographic location, and their pricing fit our budget.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent $10,000 with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from October–December 2025.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Lock Search Group successfully hired a director of marketing for us. It took them two months to complete the process.
How did Lock Search Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Lock Search Group's project management was amazing. We communicated via email and messaging apps.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Lock Search Group's clear communication was impressive. They met all deadlines and found us a great hire.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything for Lock Search Group to improve.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Executive Search for Private School
Executive Search
$10,000 to $49,999
Aug. - Sep. 2025
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Their willingness to provide customized solutions was impressive."
Nov 24, 2025
Head of School, Royal Crown School
Michael Burke
Verified
Education
Toronto, Ontario
51-200 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Lock Search Group provided executive search services for a private school. The team was tasked with finding a senior financial officer who could work with the client's staff and board of directors.
Lock Search Group delivered a strong list of candidates and met all key deadlines. The team communicated effectively and went above and beyond the client's expectations, and communicated via virtual meetings. Their willingness to provide customized solutions was key to the project's success.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the Head of School of Royal Crown School
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
Royal Crown is a private and international Middle and High School school with grades 7 to 12, located in Toronto.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Lock Search Group to accomplish?
Searching for a senior finance officer
SOLUTION
How did you find Lock Search Group?
Referral
Why did you select Lock Search Group over others?
High ratings
Pricing fit our budget
Good value for cost
Referred to me
Company values aligned
How many teammates from Lock Search Group were assigned to this project?
1 Employee
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
The school was looking for a senior financial officer to lead our finance area. The candidate needed to be able to work with both staff and the Board of Directors.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Good communication, strong list of candidates, met key deadlines
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Delivered above and beyond expectations
What was your primary form of communication with Lock Search Group?
Virtual Meeting
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their willingness to provide customized solutions was impressive.
Are there any areas for improvement or something Lock Search Group could have done differently?
Everything was done well. No further recommendations
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Recruiting & Executive Search Support for Staffing Agency
Executive SearchRecruiting
$10,000 to $49,999
Sep. - Nov. 2024
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"I was impressed by Lock Search Group's understanding of the life sciences market."
Aug 12, 2025
Founder & President, KBC Staffing
Rich Franklin
Verified
Business services
Oakland, California
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Lock Search Group helped a staffing agency find a CFO for one of their end clients. The team performed a market map to identify potential candidates and contacted them via LinkedIn, email, and phone.
Lock Search Group found a candidate with the desired qualifications and experience. The new CFO completely overhauled the end client's internal accounting processes and redesigned their finance operations to be more efficient. The team delivered on time and communicated primarily via email.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
KBC Staffing is a staffing and recruiting agency that places candidates in finance, marketing, clerical, engineering, and accounting roles through temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire contracts. I’m the founder and president of the company.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lock Search Group?
One of my clients was hiring in the Toronto area, so I wanted to find a partner who could split the recruiting duties.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Lock Search Group helped me find a life sciences CFO in the Toronto area. Their deliverable was a signed contract between my client and the candidate. The team performed a market map to identify potential candidates. They filtered them by additional criteria and reached out to approved candidates via LinkedIn, email, and phone. Finally, they passed along positive responses to us.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two teammates from Lock Search Group.
How did you come to work with Lock Search Group?
I found Lock Search Group through an online search.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent $15,000 with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from September–November 2024.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Lock Search Group found us a candidate who had previous experience working with a biotech company as their CFO. Moreover, they lived in the city of Toronto. The impact on my client’s business was significant. This new CFO completely overhauled their internal accounting processes and redesigned their finance and accounting operations to be more unified and efficient across their front, middle, and back offices.
How did Lock Search Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Lock Search Group delivered on time. We primarily communicated via email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I was impressed by Lock Search Group’s understanding of the life sciences market.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, there weren’t any.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Recruitment Process Outsourcing for Recruitment Firm
Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Confidential
Feb. - Apr. 2025
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"It was a great engagement."
Jul 28, 2025
Founder, Recruit Engineering
Sarah Chen
Other industries
Chicago, Illinois
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Lock Search Group helped a recruitment firm find candidates for a client. The team sourced candidates for a specific job and provided a list of candidates for the client.
Lock Search Group provided high-quality candidates in a short time. Moreover, the team's project management was impressive. The team was super organized and on time, and communicated effectively via email. Overall, the team was totally on the ball, which led to a great engagement.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder of Recruit Engineering, a recruitment firm. We help companies hire engineers.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lock Search Group?
We needed them to use their local knowledge of the Toronto market to find us some candidates we could present to our client.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Lock Search Group provided us with 12 candidates that we screened further before presenting them to our client. They helped us with candidate sourcing and initial screening. Lock Search Group also assisted us with some paperwork on the back half of the project.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two teammates from Lock Search Group.
How did you come to work with Lock Search Group?
When one of our clients asked us to find someone for their new Toronto office, we needed a Canadian partner to help with the job. One of our network’s recruiters said they had a good experience with Lock Search Group on a previous split placement.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together in February-April 2025.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Lock Search Group presented us with 12 candidates in about two weeks. The quality of the candidates was very high and comparable to the work we would have done on our own. One of their candidates was hired.
How did Lock Search Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Lock Search Group was super organized and on time. Their project management was very impressive. We primarily communicated via email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Lock Search Group was totally on the ball. They got the assignment and ran with it with little guidance from us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No. It was a great engagement.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
"I'd be happy to refer them to others
Recruitment Process Outsourcing for Job Board Company
Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Confidential
Oct. - Dec. 2024
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Lock Search Group was on top of everything."
Jul 25, 2025
Web Content Writer, PA Career Hub
Carlos da Silva
Other industries
San Jose, California
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Lock Search Group provided recruiting services for a job board company. The team sourced and interviewed candidates for a life sciences consultant position and handled onboarding and deal negotiation.
Thanks to Lock Search Group, the client hired a life sciences consultant who helped them triple their search volume in six months. The team offered a smooth experience for the client. Lock Search Group delivered work on time and was very proactive. The team communicated via email and Zoom.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
PA Career Hub is a job board dedicated to physician assistants in the U.S. We offer curated job listings, career resources, and tools for both job seekers and employers in various healthcare settings.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lock Search Group?
We needed to hire a life sciences consultant to help us improve our branding.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of work performed?
Lock Search Group provided us with a shortlist of candidates qualified to help PA Career Hub improve our branding. They screened the candidates, conducted the first round of interviews, prepped the candidates to interview with us, helped us negotiate deals, and took care of the onboarding process.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two teammates from Lock Search Group.
How did you come to work with Lock Search Group?
We found Lock Search Group through an online search. We chose them because they understood the life sciences space better than anyone else we spoke with.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from October–December 2024.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Lock Search Group helped us hire the consultant, and the impact on our branding efforts was incredible. She was amazing and helped us triple our search volume in six months.
How did Lock Search Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Lock Search Group's project management was excellent. They delivered on time and were very on the ball. We communicated via email and Zoom.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were impressed with how smooth everything went. We had worked with other recruiters and were constantly chasing them for updates. Lock Search Group was on top of everything.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There was nothing Lock Search Group could have done better or differently.
RATINGS
5.0
"A perfect experience"
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Showing 1-5 of
5 Reviews
Locations (13)
Suite 2435 - 161 Bay St. - TD Canada Trust Brookfield Tower Toronto, CanadaM5J 2S1
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