Executive eCommerce Search

Hire a Chief Digital Officer Who Transforms Your Digital Business

eCommerce Placement exclusively recruits within digital commerce. We place Chief Digital Officers and senior digital leaders at retailers, DTC brands, and omnichannel businesses across the US, Canada, and UK.

Start a CDO Search
200+
Companies Served
100%
eCommerce Focus
US, CA, UK
Markets Covered
Contingency
No Placement, No Fee

What Does a Chief Digital Officer Do?

The Chief Digital Officer is the most senior leader responsible for a company's digital strategy, eCommerce performance, and digital transformation, typically reporting directly to the CEO.

The CDO role spans eCommerce revenue, digital marketing, technology, customer experience, and data strategy. At many companies the CDO owns the full P&L for digital channels and leads the transformation from traditional to digital-first business models. This is an executive hire that requires both strategic vision and the ability to build and lead large, cross-functional teams.

Core Responsibilities

  • Set and own the company's overall digital strategy and transformation roadmap
  • Lead eCommerce P&L across DTC, marketplace, and omnichannel channels
  • Oversee digital marketing, site experience, CRO, and customer acquisition
  • Drive technology and platform strategy in partnership with the CTO and CIO
  • Build and lead cross-functional digital teams spanning multiple disciplines
  • Own digital customer experience from acquisition through retention
  • Report digital performance and strategy to CEO, board, and investors
  • Evaluate and integrate AI, automation, and emerging digital capabilities

Why Use a Specialized eCommerce Executive Recruiter?

Unlike generalist recruiters, every search we run is focused exclusively on digital commerce talent. We know the roles, the platforms, and the people.

1

C-Suite eCommerce Network

We maintain relationships with senior digital leaders across retail, DTC, and omnichannel, including executives who are not visible on job boards.

2

Deep Role Scoping

CDO mandates vary enormously by company. We help define the right scope, reporting structure, and candidate profile before sourcing begins.

3

Discreet Search Capability

Executive searches require confidentiality. We conduct searches with the discretion appropriate for C-suite hires.

4

No Placement, No Fee

We work on contingency. No placement, no fee. Our incentive is fully aligned with yours.

Chief Digital Officer Salary Ranges

Compensation varies by company size, scope, and geography. These ranges reflect current US market conditions across our placement history.

Chief Digital Officer — Base Salary Benchmarks (US)

$200K-$280K
Mid-Market Company
($100M-$500M revenue)
$280K-$375K
Large Enterprise
($500M-$2B revenue)
$375K-$500K+
Major Retailer / Enterprise
($2B+ revenue)

* Base salary only. Total compensation may include annual bonus and equity. Contact us for current benchmarks specific to your sector.

What We Look For in a Chief Digital Officer

Great CDOs combine visionary digital strategy with the operational credibility to execute. They have built and scaled digital businesses and have the executive presence to lead transformation at the highest level.

Must-Have Qualifications

  • 10+ years in digital commerce with 3+ years in a VP or C-suite role
  • Proven P&L ownership of a significant digital business ($100M+ preferred)
  • Track record of leading digital transformation at scale
  • Deep knowledge of eCommerce platforms, martech, and digital infrastructure
  • Experience building and leading large cross-functional digital organizations
  • Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capability
  • Executive presence and board-level communication skills
  • Experience across multiple digital channels: DTC, marketplace, and omnichannel

What Hiring Companies Say

eCommerce Placement's work quality distinguishes them from other providers. They helped us hire four candidates within four months and excelled at listening to our needs.
VP of Human Resources
National Retail Brand
They helped us find and place multiple eCommerce team members who became some of our best hires. They scoped our roles well and consistently presented the right level of candidate.
Chief Marketing Officer
DTC Consumer Brand
Unlike generalist recruiters, their team understood exactly what our eCommerce business needed. Every candidate they sent could do the job on day one.
CEO
Mid-Market Online Retailer

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a CDO different from a VP of eCommerce?
The CDO is typically a C-suite role with broader scope than a VP of eCommerce, encompassing digital transformation, technology strategy, and often customer data alongside eCommerce operations. A VP of eCommerce usually focuses specifically on online revenue performance. Some companies use these titles interchangeably; we help clients define the right scope for their business.
How long does a CDO search take?
C-suite searches typically take 8-14 weeks from kickoff to accepted offer. The timeline depends on the complexity of the mandate, stakeholder alignment, and candidate availability.
Do you handle confidential executive searches?
Yes. We conduct CDO and senior digital leader searches with full confidentiality where required. We discuss search parameters and candidate communication protocols at kickoff.
What industries do your CDO candidates come from?
Our CDO network spans retail, DTC brands, omnichannel retailers, luxury, CPG, and digital-native businesses. We match candidate background to your sector, business model, and transformation goals.
What is your fee structure for executive searches?
We work on contingency for most searches. For retained executive searches, we offer a retained model as well. Contact us to discuss the right structure for your CDO search.

Ready to Start Your Chief Digital Officer Search?

Tell us about the role and we will be in touch within one business day.

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