Cindy Nicholls Smith, executive recruiter in Edmonton
Cindy Nicholls Smith
Principal of AVID EXEC Ltd. Executive search, contingency recruitment and leadership advisory across organizational levels for Edmonton, Alberta and Western Canada — over 15 years.
My passion is search and recruitment, along with leadership advisory — working with boards, hiring committees and leadership teams on hiring, terminations and exits, succession, process and organizational effectiveness.
I stay close to every engagement. The work is personal to me and the level of the role never determines its importance.
AVID’s market depth, intelligence and curiosity allow us to go well beyond the surface of a job description — uncovering the challenges, needs and nuances that may not be immediately visible. We work to understand what success in the role really requires: the right experience, emotional intelligence, values, capacity and potential.
We bring that same depth of discovery to candidates — understanding not only what they have done, but what they are looking for, what they can contribute and where they have the potential to thrive. Their how and their why matter.
When those pieces align, we are not simply presenting a candidate for a job. We are presenting a possibility with the genuine potential to become something lasting for both the individual and the organization.
That approach has shaped how AVID works, built long-standing relationships and led to consistent repeat business. I am proud of what we have built — and still genuinely energized by what comes next.
AVID EXEC Ltd. is a search and recruitment firm providing leadership advisory in Edmonton, Alberta, led by Principal Cindy Nicholls Smith. Commercial Real Estate is our deepest specialization, with work spanning property management, operations, leasing, asset management, finance and accounting, brokerage, investment and lending, development, project management, maintenance and facilities, and specialized administration. AVID also works across Engineering, Finance & Accounting, Corporate/Professional Leadership, and Not-for-Profit & Association environments.
The work is executive search, contingency recruitment, leadership advisory, succession and termination and exit advisory, from emerging professionals to executive leadership. Every engagement is led by me, with a shortlist that is built against what the organization needs to change, not against a generic job description.
Designations
- CPCCertified Personnel Consultant
- MHCSMaster Human Capital Strategist
- CCPCertified Coach Practitioner
Rooted in the commercial real estate industry
My connection to commercial real estate goes well beyond search and recruitment.
I am a proud Founder, champion and member of Edmonton CREW. What started locally as a small group of women leaders in commercial real estate to charter a new chapter of CREW in Edmonton, has grown into a membership of over 200 — a strong and connected community of women and men, representing virtually every sector and level of Edmonton’s commercial real estate industry.
I’ve stayed involved, too. Over the years, I’ve served as a Board Member, Committee Lead and active committee participant, and I remain an engaged member today. I was also incredibly honoured to be recognized by my industry peers as a recipient of Edmonton CREW’s Commercial Real Estate Women of Influence Award.
For me, that involvement has never simply been about networking. It’s about being part of the industry in which I work — contributing to it, learning from it and building genuine relationships with the people who own, develop, manage, lease, finance, build and shape our commercial real estate community.
The Foundation
I was one of the original founders of Edmonton CREW, part of the broader CREW Network — a global organization dedicated to advancing women in commercial real estate.
“That depth of involvement matters in search. My network wasn’t built from a database. It was built over years of conversations, searches, introductions, industry involvement and simply being part of the market.”
Cindy Nicholls Smith
Over time, that has given me both the reach and the depth to understand who is in the market, what motivates them and where the right connections may exist. The right person isn’t always actively looking to make a move. But strong people are often open to the right conversation — particularly when it offers meaningful alignment, growth and career advancement.
Commercial Real Estate Executive Search →The market is small. The reputations are long. A search firm is only as good as its last three phone calls.
That is why I do not forward résumés. I return with a shortlist of people who have been spoken with, understood, and honestly represented. The client gets a real choice. The candidate gets a real conversation. And the outcome — work joy, tenure and value creation.
Work Joy
Work Joy is my term for the point where what a person is good at, what matters to them and what an organization genuinely needs come together. I built AVID EXEC around it because I had watched too many technically correct hires fail: the right résumé but the wrong fit, the wrong profile, careers set back by it.
So I assess for self awareness, motivation, capacity and alignment alongside proven capability. A placement is only successful when the person is doing work they are genuinely suited to, in an organization that suits them — and stays.
Our Approach →Connect with me on LinkedIn
I share current searches, observations from the market, thoughts on talent and leadership, and occasionally simply THIS IS WHAT I KNOW on LinkedIn.
Follow Cindy on LinkedIn →