When Our Customer Wins, We Win.
Guided by Values. Driven by Service. Powered by People.
Our Values
At Naviga, our values are the foundation of everything we do. Integrity drives how we build partnerships, fostering trust through transparent, honest communication and a commitment to long-term success. Honesty guides our interactions, ensuring clarity with both clients and candidates, even in difficult conversations, so solutions are reached efficiently. Ethics shape every decision we make, keeping our process fair, respectful, and principled, and ensuring we never compromise for short-term gains.
These values define how we operate, how we support careers and how we build lasting relationships with the businesses and people we serve.
Boutique Flexibility. Big-Firm Results.
Agility
Naviga Recruiting Executive Search combines boutique agility with the capability to execute high-caliber searches comparable to the Big-5 industry executive search giants; Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Russell Reynolds Associates, and Egon Zehnder (The SHREK). Unlike large firms with vast red-tape and less personalized service, we offer a deeply customized, hands-on approach and immerse ourselves in your culture, framework, and strategic goals.
Our Talent Acquisiton process delivers exceptional results with direct communication and rapid responsiveness, acting as a true extension of your team. Clients appreciate how our personalized partnership secures the right leaders to drive their future growth, an experience that often exceeds expectations.
Built to Win Together
Our Team
Redefining Talent Acquisition with Passion
Our History
Naviga was founded in Chicago,IL by CEO Kathleen Steffey, a corporate recruiter with a deep understanding of the corporate hiring landscape. Beginning as a solo-preneur’s passion, her talent acquisition approach soon captured widespread attention in the corporate market. Her professional but agile approach towards talent selection and the talent acquisition process was widely received by employers across the US.
This foundation of professional agility and personalized recruiting service has been carefully cultivated within our team as Naviga has grown. Each employee is trained to embody these core principles, ensuring consistency and excellence in every search. In turn, this disciplined yet flexible approach has allowed us to successfully extend our impact beyond the U.S., delivering tailored talent acquisition solutions to a global marketplace.
Empowering the U.S. Special Operations Forces
Community Impact
Naviga respects the leadership, resilience, and strategic mindset of U.S. Special Operations Forces. These exceptional individuals face unique challenges when transitioning from military service to civilian careers, and we are committed to helping them translate their invaluable experience into successful professional opportunities.
We achieve this through personalized, hands-on support including executive coaching, resume refinement tailored to military-to-corporate translation, mentorship, and direct introductions to employers who value veteran talent. By acting as trusted advisors and advocates, we help SOF veterans confidently navigate the recruitment process, ensuring their skills and discipline shine in every interaction.
Why Choose Naviga?
We Deliver. They Talk.
Naviga was the first recruiter I had ever worked with and they set the bar high. I had a very positive experience working with them. I can tell that they really care about their candidates and that they really want them to succeed.
Cindy Dickens, Director of Brand and Culture
Richman Property Services
Working with Naviga made me feel like I had a partner who was very invested in me and that made the entire experience simple. Someone who could reach out to the company so I didn’t have to do all of the legwork. I could really focus on what mattered to me.
Robyn Spanier, Senior Director of New Business Intake
Placed with our client DLA Piper
“One of my concerns was that I was going to pay a lot of money
and just get random resumes. Lucky for me, that’s not what
happened… I wouldn’t hesitate using a recruiting firm if Naviga is, in
fact, the bar. I’ll use Naviga for all future recruiting.”
Curtis Bauer, CEO, Health iPASS
Health iPass –
Working with Naviga really made the hiring process easy for me. I was fearful of getting back out there and looking for something but they really made it a pleasant experience.
Mina Patel, Director of Business Development
Placed with our client Nix United
Our recent Director of Sales hire is doing amazing – a rock star! He’s a true coach, cheerleader, and he has fun with his team. He’s bringing in more than impressive numbers Q1 – ranked as #1 across the entire company.
John Makarewicz
President, Mark Spain Real Estate
I received a lot of information about the company.
I found it to be really helpful to work with a recruiter. It takes some of the pressure off to have someone that you can ask more in depth questions.
Sara Staszak, HR Generalist
Placed with our client Sammons Warehouse Solutions
After my first conversation with Naviga, I had a really good feeling about Bounce Curl. Just to have someone be there for the candidate is a huge, huge deal. Otherwise, we’re just names on paper.
Blessly Thomas, Marketing Manager
Placed with our client Bounce Curl
I am a firm believer in communication and good communication really helped set Naviga apart from the other recruiting firms that I was working with. I was always in the know and any questions I had were always answered on the spot.
Jason Abbey, Director of Enterprise Sales
Spectrio
The difference between working with Naviga and other recruiting firms is that Naviga stuck with me the entire time and truly helped me along the path to making sure that I was successful.
TC Ford, Leader of Business Innovation
Placed with our Client D&H
Working with Naviga made me feel like I had a partner who was very invested in me and that made the entire experience simple. Someone who could reach out to the company so I didn’t have to do all of the legwork. I could really focus on what mattered to me.
Jamy Parker, Sr. Sales Executive
Placed with our client Selerix Systems
I felt I was prepared and it did give me a little bit of an advantage knowing some of the details about the role and where they were going with this opportunity and where the company was going as a whole.
Fred Tort, Senior Talent Acquisition Recruiter
Placed with our client InTegrum Resources
The wonderful part about working with Naviga is that I didn’t feel like just a number, I felt like a neighbor. I felt like they were equal parts advocates of me and an ambassador for the client which was a welcome surprise.
Amy Barkley, Director of Enterprise Sales
Spectrio
Helping You Navigate Your Career or Talent Search
Research & Insights from Naviga's Blog
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