Services
More than recruiting. Real guidance
Building a successful operation across cultures takes more than the right hire — it takes understanding. BBRecruitingUS offers executive search, HR consulting, and individual career coaching — all built around one core competency: the intersection of German and American professional culture.
We don't try to be everything to everyone. Our focus is narrow by design. And that's what makes us effective.
- FOR COMPANIES
Executive Search
The right leader, for the right culture.
Finding an exceptional executive is hard enough. Finding one who can lead a US operation for a German, Austrian, or Swiss parent company — navigating dual accountability, cultural distance, and the particular expectations of Mittelstand ownership — is a challenge in its own category. That is the search BBRecruitingUS was built to run.
Over more than 20 years, we have built an extensive network of senior professionals across the United States who bring not only the technical qualifications your role demands, but the cultural fluency your organization requires. We do not mass-distribute job postings. We conduct searches — deliberately, discreetly, and with a keen sense for the human dimension of every mandate.
How We Work
Mandate & Discovery — We begin with a thorough briefing: understanding not just the role, but the organization, the reporting structure, the cultural context, and what success looks like 18 months in. A search is only as good as its brief.
Market Mapping & Direct Approach — We identify qualified candidates through direct research, not job postings. Target individuals are approached personally, with discretion and a compelling narrative about your opportunity.
Assessment & Shortlisting — Every candidate we present has been interviewed by us, evaluated against your specific criteria, and assessed for both professional fit and cultural alignment with a DACH-owned structure.
Offer Management & Close — We manage the offer conversation on your behalf — navigating compensation, timing, and candidate concerns so strong candidates don't fall out at the finish line.
Engaged through Onboarding — Our engagement doesn't end at the signed offer. We stay close through the start date and into the guarantee period — protecting your investment and supporting the candidate's transition.
"BBRecruitingUS will accompany your company safely through all recruiting processes. Our services are tailored to your company's current needs — because the right search is never one-size-fits-all." — Bertina Brase, Founder · BBRecruitingUS
- FOR COMPANIES
HR Consulting
Closing the gap between two workplace cultures.
German companies expanding in the US frequently encounter HR challenges that sit at the intersection of two fundamentally different professional worlds. We work directly with leadership and HR teams to close that gap — before small misunderstandings become costly mistakes.
HR Strategy & Localization Adapting your policies, compensation structures, and management practices to align with US legal requirements and talent market expectations — without losing your company's identity or values in the process.
Cross-Cultural Leadership Training Preparing German managers for the realities of leading American teams — and helping US employees understand the decision-making culture of a European parent. The relationship has to work in both directions.
Retention & Engagement Advisory Turnover in a DACH-owned US subsidiary is rarely just about compensation. We diagnose the structural and cultural factors driving attrition in your organization and build practical solutions that improve retention without compromising your operating model.
Compensation Analysis & Benchmarking We research current market rates for your specific roles, regions, and industries — and deliver a structured analysis that gives you the data to make confident, defensible decisions.
Employment Law in the US — What German Companies Need to Know
Most companies, after incorporation, choose to send an experienced employee from Germany to build out the US operation. If you choose this route, that person becomes subject to the employment law of the state in which they work — because the German employment contract is temporarily suspended under the terms of the expat arrangement.
Written employment agreements are strongly recommended. Under US employment law, these fall into three categories: a Letter of Employment for general staff; a Management Agreement for leadership roles; and a Secondment / Expat Agreement for employees sent from Germany.
Once you reach approximately 5 employees and $1 million in revenue, formal Employment Policies become expected — along with a 401(k) and medical benefits plan, the US equivalents of Germany's statutory pension and health insurance systems.
One critical point: employment law in the US is state law — 50 separate legal frameworks, each with its own rules. After product liability, employment disputes represent the highest volume of litigation in the United States. We are glad to help you navigate this landscape and connect you with the right legal specialists.
- FOR INDIVIDUALS
Exploring your next move
Your next role might not be posted anywhere.
Some of the best positions inside DACH-owned US subsidiaries are filled before they ever reach a job board — through relationships, conducted discreetly and with the right person in mind. BBRecruitingUS maintains an active network of senior and mid-level professionals across the United States. When a mandate opens that fits your background, we reach out.
Who We Work With
We place middle and senior management professionals in DACH-owned US operations — across industries including industrial manufacturing, precision engineering, cabinet and furniture hardware, distribution, and B2B sales.
You may be a strong fit for our network if you are:
- A US-based professional with experience working in or alongside a European corporate structure
- A German, Austrian, or Swiss professional living in the US — or planning to relocate
- A senior candidate open to confidential conversations about what's next
- A professional who has led or wants to lead a US subsidiary, regional operation, or functional team
You don't need to be actively searching. Many of the professionals in our network are simply open to the right conversation at the right time.
What working with us looks like:
A confidential first conversation about your background and goals. Honest guidance — we only bring you opportunities that are a genuine fit. Full preparation and context before every interview. Support through the offer stage and into your first weeks on the job.
Relocating from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland? We also offer individual coaching for professionals new to the US job market — covering cultural orientation, résumé and application strategy, and LinkedIn positioning. The US market speaks its own language. We help you enter it with confidence.
Get in Touch
Whether you are actively exploring or simply want to be on our radar, we'd like to hear from you.
Schedule a confidential call · Contact us
What Clients Say
"Bertina understood what we needed before we could fully articulate it ourselves. She brought us five candidates — all excellent. We made an offer to our first choice within twelve weeks." — General Manager, German precision manufacturing subsidiary, Southeast US
"What sets BBRecruitingUS apart is the cultural layer. Every candidate she presented could hold their own in a meeting with our German leadership. That's rare in a US search firm." — HR Director, Austrian industrial equipment subsidiary, Mid-Atlantic US
"Es ist toll mit Bertina zu arbeiten. Sie macht nicht nur Unmögliches möglich, sondern ist auch ausgesprochen gut darin, außerhalb der Normen zu denken, zum absoluten Vorteil der Kunden." -- VP Finance, German Subsidiary manufacturing industrial shredders, presses, and drainage machinery, Southeast US
Ready to start a conversation?
C L A M P S
ALS SCHLÜSSEL ZUM ERFOLG
The Key to Employee Attraction and Retention
CLAMPS — The Key to Employee Attraction and Retention
Wollen Sie Ihr Team vergrößern — oder haben Sie Schwierigkeiten, Mitarbeiter zu halten?
Looking to grow your team — or struggling to retain the people you have?
Employee satisfaction, performance, and your company's attractiveness as an employer all rise or fall on six factors.
We call it CLAMPS:
C - Challenge - Herausforderung
Sind die mit der Arbeitsstelle einhergehenden Aufgaben spannend und herausfordernd genug?
Are the responsibilities tied to this role genuinely engaging and challenging? Talented professionals — in both the US and Germany — stay where they are stretched. A role that feels stagnant within six months is a retention risk from day one.
M - Money - Bezahlung (Gesamtpaket)
Passt die Vergütung, und zwar alles inklusive? Gesundheitsversicherung/Pensionsfonds usw. sind in den USA nicht gesetzlich geregelt, und es liegt am Arbeitgeber, ein entsprechendes Paket zu schnüren und letztlich auch zu verwalten. Erlaubt es die Größe der Firma nicht, solche Leistungen anzubieten, muss sich der Arbeitnehmer selbst versichern oder - sofern möglich - beim Ehepartner mitversichern. In beiden Fällen wird in der Regel ein monetärer Zuschuss vonseiten des Arbeitgebers erwartet.
Does the compensation package work — all of it? In the US, health insurance and retirement contributions are not legally mandated the way they are in Germany. The employer is responsible for designing, offering, and administering these benefits. If the company's size doesn't allow for full benefits, employees must self-insure or be covered through a spouse — and in either case, a monetary contribution from the employer is expected. Compensation has to be structured thoughtfully, not as an afterthought.
L - Location - Ort
Wie weit ist der Arbeitsplatz vom Wohnort entfernt, ist womöglich ein Umzug vonnöten? Wie offen ist der Arbeitgeber für das Homeoffice?
How far is the workplace from the candidate's home? Is relocation required? How open is the company to remote or hybrid work? In the US, commute distance and flexibility are decisive factors — often more so than in Germany.
P - People - Team
Was tut der Arbeitgeber, um für ein gutes Arbeitsklima zu sorgen? Sich am Arbeitsplatz wohl zu fühlen und mit den Kollegen auszukommen, ist für die Mitarbeiter extrem wichtig.
What does the employer do to foster a positive work environment? Feeling comfortable at work and getting along with colleagues matters enormously to American employees — and it's a primary driver of both attraction and retention. Culture is not a soft benefit. It is a competitive advantage.
A - Advancement - Aufstiegschancen
Welche Möglichkeiten bestehen, sich innerhalb eines Unternehmens weiterzuentwickeln, was sowohl die Verantwortlichkeit als auch das Gehalt betrifft?
What opportunities exist to grow within the company — in responsibility, scope, and compensation? US professionals expect a visible path forward. If advancement feels unclear or unlikely, the best people leave.
S - Stability - Stabilität und Sicherheit
Inwiefern ist der Arbeitsplatz sicher und auch der Fortbestand der Firma garantiert?
How secure is the position — and how confident are employees in the company's future? DACH-owned subsidiaries often have a genuine advantage here: the stability of Mittelstand ownership, long-term thinking, and financial solidity. Make sure candidates know it.
GABA - German American
Business Association
Erfolgreicher Markteinstieg in die USA:
Chancen nutzen, Risiken minimieren –
mit Experten an Ihrer Seite.
mehr erfahren
Wege entstehen dadurch, dass man sie geht
Die German American Business Association bietet Ihnen Praxistipps für Ihre US-Unternehmen, für bestehende oder noch zu gründende. Unsere Referenten sind Experten mit langjährigen Lebens- und Berufserfahrungen in den USA und bieten Ihnen in unseren Seminaren kompakte Informationen, die Ihnen den Markteintritt und die Risikominimierung in den USA erleichtern.
Der Hauptfokus liegt dabei auf den Risiken und deren Vermeidung. Wir sprechen unter anderem über Produkthaftung und das US-Prozessrecht, Transfer Pricing (Verrechnungspreise), Corporate Governance (insbes. Vermeidung der Haftung der deutschen Mutter), Contractual Risk Management, Vollstreckung von US-Titeln in Deutschland und Personalangelegenheiten, wie die Personalbeschaffung und Personalführung in den USA.
Das können Sie erwarten – eine Auswahl unserer Themen
- Wie werden die amerikanischen Märkte erschlossen?
- Welche Anforderungen hat das deutsche Management im Rahmen der Corporate Governance der US-Tochter zu beachten?
- Wie funktioniert erfolgreiches Recruiting geeigneter Mitarbeiter in den USA?
- Wie bereite ich Mitarbeiter auf Ihre Entsendung vor?
- Wie erhöhe ich interkulturelle Kompetenz in multinationalen Teams?
- Wie führe ich die Führungskräfte an ihre internationale Rolle heran?