Recruiting as a Service for eCommerce Brands
Sequence Commerce is an operator-led eCommerce recruiting and executive search firm for marketplace brands across the United States, Canada, the UK, and the EU. Operator-led means candidates are screened by people with direct experience in the relevant eCommerce function. Our team has managed more than $500M in annual revenue across 100+ brands, including Heinz, Nestlé, Catelli, Joe Boxer, VASANTI, and ANS Performance.
What is recruiting as a service?
Recruiting as a Service (RaaS) is a recruiting model in which an external team manages some or all of the hiring pipeline on an ongoing or subscription basis. Sequence's RaaS model covers sourcing, screening, vetting, interviewing, offer support, and onboarding for a fixed monthly fee rather than a percentage-based placement fee.
Sequence Commerce provides RaaS for eCommerce brands. Each search is led by an operator with direct experience in the relevant function, such as Amazon advertising, eCommerce leadership, retail media, or supply chain. Sequence's average time to hire is 30 days, and each eligible placement includes a 12-month replacement guarantee.
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Operators vet operatorsEvery candidate is screened by someone who has done the role.
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30-day average placementSequence measures its 30-day average time to hire from kickoff to signed offer.
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12-month replacement guaranteeIf the placement does not work out in year one, we re-run the search.
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Fixed monthly feeA fixed monthly fee with no percentage-based placement commission on first-year salary.
Which eCommerce teams does Sequence recruit for?
Sequence recruits across four functions: eCommerce leadership, digital marketing, logistics and operations, and creative and design.
Why use an operator-led eCommerce recruiter?
Sequence uses screeners with hands-on experience in Amazon advertising, retail media, marketplace operations, and related eCommerce functions. That experience helps the team evaluate platform-specific skills, metrics, and decisions during screening.
How does Sequence screen eCommerce candidates?
An Amazon Advertising Manager candidate solves a Sponsored Products bid problem. A VP of eCommerce candidate walks through a real profit and loss statement (P&L). A Retail Media Director rebuilds a search-term harvest in front of our team. We use the same evaluation standard for candidates that we use for our own hires.
How long does an eCommerce executive search take?
Sequence maintains an active network of 1,000+ pre-vetted eCommerce operators across Amazon, retail media, marketplace operations, and creative leadership. Most searches begin with a shortlist of 5 to 8 qualified candidates within the first 7 days, so hiring teams spend more time interviewing and less time waiting for sourcing.
What does the 12-month replacement guarantee cover?
Sequence backs each eligible placement with a 12-month replacement guarantee. If a Sequence-placed hire leaves or is terminated for cause within the first 12 months, we rerun the search at no additional fee, subject to the engagement terms.
What eCommerce roles does Sequence place?
Sequence focuses on mid-level and senior eCommerce roles. We do not place entry-level or junior coordinator roles.
Chief Digital Officer
C-suiteVP of eCommerce
VPVP of Marketplace
VPHead of Growth
Director / VPDirector of Digital Marketing
DirectorAmazon Advertising Manager
Manager / Sr.Retail Media Manager
Manager / Sr.SEM / SEO Manager
Manager / Sr.Director of Logistics
DirectorSupply Chain Manager
Manager / Sr.FBA Operations Manager
Manager / Sr.Creative Director (eCom)
DirectorHow does Sequence's 30-day recruiting process work?
Sequence's average time to hire is 30 days from kickoff to signed offer. The process includes role calibration, candidate vetting, interviews, final selection, and offer support.
Calibration
Days 1–5
- 90-minute kickoff with the hiring manager
- Role scorecard and must-have skills
- Compensation range and ideal candidate profile (ICP) finalized
- Vetting test designed
Sourcing & Vetting
Days 6–14
- Source from the 1,000+ operator network
- Targeted outreach and warm introductions
- Operator-led screening calls
- Real-world skills test
Interview & Select
Days 15–24
- Shortlist of 5–8 qualified candidates
- Hiring-manager interviews
- Reference checks and backchannel checks
- Final interview and hiring decision
Offer & Close
Days 25–30
- Offer structure and counteroffer modelin
- Negotiation support
- Signed offer in hand
- Onboarding handoff
Speed, fit, and a 12-month safety net.
Sequence makes three commitments on every search, and each is written into the engagement letter.
30 days
From kickoff to signed offer. Industry standard for senior eCommerce roles is 60 to 90 days.
12 months
If the placement does not work out inside year one, we re-run the search at no additional fee.
Fixed fee
Subscription model with a flat monthly fee. No 20 to 30% placement commissions on first-year salary.
RaaS, traditional recruiter, or in-house talent acquisition team?
Here is how the three recruiting models differ on vetting, time to hire, guarantees, pricing, and talent access.
| Capability | Sequence Commerce (operator-led RaaS) |
Traditional recruiter | In-house talent acquisition team |
|---|---|---|---|
| eCommerce-specialist vetting | Every candidate, by an operator | Varies by firm | Varies by team strength |
| Average time-to-hire | 30 days | 60–90 days | 90–120 days for senior roles |
| 12-month replacement guarantee | Standard | Varies by firm | No |
| Pricing model | Fixed monthly subscription | Varies by firm and search model | Internal salary, benefits, and recruiting overhead |
| Pre-vetted talent network | 1000+ operators on file | Varies by firm | Varies by team |
| Skills-based assessment | Real operator-built tests | Varies by firm | Varies by team |
| Best fit for | Brands hiring mid-level to senior eCommerce roles | One-off senior hires on an ad hoc basis | Brands with enough hiring volume to support an internal talent acquisition team |
| Bottom line | Recurring mid-level and senior eCommerce hiring without a full internal recruiting team | Right for one-time C-suite searches | Right when hiring volume justifies a full TA org |
What do clients say about Sequence recruiting?
Sequence delivered our VP of eCommerce in 28 days after our last two recruiters spent six months striking out. The shortlist was sharper, the vetting was real, and the hire is still with us 18 months later.
We needed a senior Amazon advertising manager who could actually defend a TACoS target, not just talk about ACOS. Sequence's screening test surfaced two candidates that would never have passed a normal phone screen. We hired one.
The 12-month guarantee is what got us off the fence. The fact that we did not need to use it is what made us run two more searches with Sequence the following year.
eCommerce recruiting, answered honestly.
Recruiting as a Service (RaaS) is a subscription-style recruiting model where a specialist team manages your hiring pipeline end-to-end sourcing, screening, vetting, interviewing, offer support, and onboarding for a fixed monthly fee instead of the traditional 20 to 30% placement commission.
What is recruiting as a service (RaaS)?
Recruiting as a Service is a subscription-style recruiting model where a specialist team manages your hiring pipeline end-to-end — sourcing, screening, vetting, interviewing, offer support, and onboarding — for a fixed monthly fee instead of the traditional 20 to 30% placement commission. Sequence Commerce operates RaaS exclusively for eCommerce brands.
What roles does an eCommerce recruiter at Sequence place?
Sequence focuses on mid-level through senior roles across four functions: eCommerce leadership (Chief Digital Officer, VP of eCommerce, VP of Marketplace, and Head of Growth), digital marketing (Director of Digital Marketing, Amazon Advertising Manager, Retail Media Manager, and SEM/SEO Manager), logistics and operations (Director of Logistics, Supply Chain Manager, and Fulfillment by Amazon Operations Manager), and creative (Creative Director for eCommerce). We do not place entry-level or junior coordinator roles.
How long does it take to hire an eCommerce executive through Sequence?
Sequence's average time to hire is 30 days from kickoff to signed offer. We draw from a pre-vetted network of 1,000+ operators and use calibrated, role-specific skills assessments.
What is the Sequence 12-month replacement guarantee?
If a Sequence-placed hire leaves or is terminated for cause within the first 12 months of employment, we rerun the search at no additional fee, subject to the engagement terms.
Why do operators make better eCommerce recruiters?
Operator-led screening means candidates are evaluated by people who understand the metrics and workflows of the role. Sequence manages $500M+ in annual revenue across 100+ brands. When an Amazon advertising candidate discusses a change in total advertising cost of sales (TACoS), our screeners can question the inputs, tradeoffs, and mechanics behind the result instead of taking the claim at face value.
How do you screen candidates differently from traditional recruiters?
Every Sequence search includes a real-world skills assessment built by an operator who has done the role. An Amazon advertising manager candidate solves an actual bid problem. A VP of eCommerce candidate walks through a real 9-figure P&L. A retail media director rebuilds a search-term harvest in front of our team. These role-specific assessments add evidence beyond résumé keywords and standard interviews.
Do you work with brands outside of Amazon?
Yes. Sequence recruits across eCommerce channels and platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, TikTok Shop, Meta, and Google. Our deepest specialization is Amazon and marketplace roles, but we recruit for eCommerce positions across these channels.
What size brand should hire through Sequence?
Sequence is designed for eCommerce brands generating $1M to $500M in annual revenue. Fit also depends on role seniority, hiring volume, and the strength of the brand's internal recruiting team.
How is Sequence different from a traditional executive search firm?
Sequence differs in three ways: operator-led screening, a 30-day average time to hire, and a 12-month replacement guarantee. Sequence also uses a fixed subscription fee rather than a percentage of first-year salary.
Need to hire an eCommerce operator?
Tell us about the role. A Sequence recruiter schedules a calibration call within 24 hours and presents a shortlist of 5 to 8 vetted candidates within the first 7 days..