Industry
Professional services firms (law, architecture/engineering, consulting) Recruiters
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.
Financial Headhunters: Verify candidate suitability before budget allocation. You pay a placement fee only if you extend an offer for a candidate provided under our written agreement.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
- FP&A Director
- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
How long did your last search take?
How much did the empty seat cost while you waited?
Every week a finance seat stays empty costs you in overtime, late closes and work that waits. We go straight to people already doing the job.
01
What does this hire really come down to?
Your firm survives on the accuracy of its project-level financial reporting. An effective finance lead must reconcile individual billable hours against engagement margins while managing the friction between aggressive practice heads and the firm's accounting controls. Success hinges on precise WIP management and the ability to project cash flow against irregular partner distribution schedules.
Generic accounting backgrounds rarely survive the specific demands of service firm economics. You need a leader who treats unbilled time as a dangerous risk and understands why realization rates fluctuate. This role requires constant communication with partners who value profitability but dislike administrative constraints. You are looking for a translator who turns operational service realities into firm-wide financial stability.
Reject candidates who prioritize rigid internal controls over project billing cycles. The ideal hire uses Deltek Vantagepoint or Elite 3E to audit realization patterns daily. They demonstrate the initiative to query partners regarding budget overruns on project profitability. Evaluate them by asking: Describe a time you challenged a partner on a project's budget; what specific data points did you present to justify the change in scope?
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
- 01We confirm their hands-on work in Deltek Vantagepoint or Elite 3E within professional service firms. Ask them to describe the steps they follow to configure a new project code in their current system.
- 02We confirm a history of managing complex realization and utilization reporting cycles, requiring them to explain how they previously handled specific instances of unbilled time and project revenue slippage.
- 03We audit their capacity to maintain partner capital accounts, focusing on their previous responsibilities involving partner distributions and the calculation of compensation based on complex firm-wide performance metrics.
- 04We audit their history of managing client billing under different models. Ask them to walk you through the specific adjustments they perform in their software when switching from a monthly retainer to a fixed-fee project invoice.
- 05We validate their ability to present financial data to non-finance practice heads, specifically testing their aptitude for translating technical accounting constraints into actionable feedback for senior partners.
- 06We require evidence of direct oversight regarding lender covenant compliance within a services firm, checking if they have previously managed the balance sheet volatility inherent in project-based businesses.
03
Where do we find them?
Our research identifies candidates working in advisory partnerships, specialized engineering practices, and boutique legal firms where project delivery dictates the accounting pace. These professionals operate in environments where billable hour tracking is the primary source of revenue data. We target those who currently manage the interplay between CRM systems and core billing software, as these individuals understand how project management behavior directly impacts month-end realization.
We recruit people who find themselves frustrated by the lack of financial visibility in their current firm or those who have successfully scaled a practice through better operational control. These candidates move because they seek a mandate that demands deeper integration between finance and service delivery. They want to exert influence over firm-wide strategy rather than acting as back-office observers. We focus on individuals looking for the operational rigor your specific partnership model requires.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring individuals from product-based companies who struggle with the manual intensity of WIP management and the non-linear revenue recognition required in professional service billing models.
- 02Assuming a title on a resume proves operational success without verifying how the candidate specifically influenced realization rates or improved the speed of partner-approved billing cycles.
- 03Overlooking candidates who treat finance as a retrospective reporting task rather than an active, forward-looking partner to the practice leaders who control the firm's billable work.
05
The search in three steps
- 01We conduct phone interviews focused on their utilization metrics and revenue recognition calculations. Ask: How do you adjust deferred revenue when a client contract is modified mid-quarter?
- 02We present detailed briefings for each vetted candidate that highlight how they handled actual billing frictions and partner distribution challenges in their previous roles rather than just listing titles.
- 03We coordinate interview scheduling and host candid discussions about your financial architecture. Ask: Based on our current reporting structure, what is the first area you would look at to improve our daily cash flow forecasting?
06
Which related hiring decisions are worth comparing?
In this family
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OpenProcure-to-Pay Manager
OpenAccounts Receivable Manager
OpenBilling Manager
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OpenFinancial Analyst II
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Related positions we recruit
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
- Division / Business Unit CFO
- Chief Accounting Officer
- SVP Finance
- VP Finance
- VP Finance and Administration
- Director of Finance
- Head of Finance
- CFO / COO (combined role)
- Corporate Controller
- Controller
- Division Controller
- Regional / Multi-Site Controller
- Assistant Controller
- VP of Accounting
- Director of Accounting
- Senior Accounting Manager
- Accounting Manager
- Accounting Supervisor
- General Ledger Manager
- Consolidations Manager
- Senior Accountant
- Staff Accountant (experienced)
- General Ledger Accountant
- Intercompany Accountant
- Fixed Asset Accountant
- Lease Accountant (ASC 842)
- Operations Controller
- VP FP&A
- Director of FP&A
- FP&A Manager
- Senior Financial Analyst
- Financial Analyst (experienced)
- Finance Business Partner
- Commercial / Sales Finance Manager
- Director of Strategic Finance
- Strategic Finance Manager
- VP Corporate Development
- Corporate Development Director / Manager
- Director of Investor Relations
- Pricing Manager
- Budget Manager
- VP of Tax
- Tax Director
- Senior Tax Manager
- Tax Manager (corporate)
- Senior Tax Analyst
- Tax Analyst
- Tax Provision (ASC 740) Manager
- International Tax Manager
- Transfer Pricing Manager
- State and Local Tax (SALT) Manager
- Sales and Use (Indirect) Tax Manager
- Partnership Tax Manager
- Property Tax Manager
- Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager
- Director of Accounting Operations
- Finance Shared Services Manager
- Accounts Payable Manager
- Accounts Payable Supervisor
- Procure-to-Pay Manager
- Accounts Receivable Manager
- Billing Manager
- Order-to-Cash Manager
- Credit Manager
- Director of Credit
- Credit and Collections Manager
- Director of Payroll
- Payroll Manager
- Payroll Supervisor
- Director of Finance Systems
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- Financial Systems Analyst
- NetSuite Administrator
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How your search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
One sequence, from a well-defined seat to a shortlist you can judge.
Search Calibration
We start with a call about the seat, the books, the owners and the people the hire will work with. We learn what the role must fix in the first year and what would make a candidate wrong even if the resume looks right.
You get: A written search brief: scope, must-haves, deal-breakers and the pay range, agreed with you.
Market Mapping
We map the companies and institutions where the right people already work: similar size, similar ownership, similar complexity, in your market and in others.
You get: The target list of companies and institutions we will search, reviewed with you before outreach.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We find direct ways to reach the people on the map. Most are employed and not reading job boards, so reaching them takes real research.
You get: Direct routes to people who are not on job boards, researched for your search.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We call and write to people individually and follow up. Interest varies, so we discuss the actual opportunity rather than promising a particular response.
You get: One-to-one conversations about your actual role, followed up, never a mass email blast.
Live Candidate Qualification
We speak with every candidate before you do. We check scope, systems, reporting lines, compensation expectations, location and why they would move.
You get: Only candidates we have spoken with, checked on scope, systems, pay, location and motive.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You receive a short written brief on each finalist covering what they have done, where they are thin and what they want. Then we help with interviews, references and the offer.
You get: A short written brief on each finalist, plus help with interviews, references, counteroffer risk and the offer.
Questions people ask
How quickly can you present candidates for our consideration?
We initiate outreach immediately after finalizing the search scope. You will receive consistent updates as we vet candidates, prioritizing precision so every presented profile is a viable match.
How do you test a candidate's technical proficiency with our specific project billing tools?
We drill into their history with specific systems like Deltek or Elite. We ask for examples of how they configured these tools to handle your billing challenges and partner reporting.
What steps do you take if a candidate considers a counteroffer?
We review departure timelines early to gauge why a candidate intends to change roles. We monitor their situation to identify potential roadblocks before they impact your hiring timeline. Ask: What specific project or deadline would you need to finish before your current employer would release you?
Can you execute this search while keeping it quiet from our competitors?
We manage all candidate outreach with strict protocols. We define your confidentiality parameters at the start to limit firm information to vetted, interested parties. Ask: How do you handle non-disclosure agreements during your initial discussions with external contacts?
How does the contingency fee structure work?
We operate exclusively on a contingency basis. You only pay a fee if you hire a candidate we present, based on the written terms we agree upon before the search begins.
How soon will I see a finance shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your finance job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
Start a search
Tell us about the seat.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Related reading
- Credentials and licenses: what they prove
- How long a search takes and why
- Bookkeeper Recruiters for Professional services firms (law, architecture/engineering, consulting)
- Full-Charge Bookkeeper Recruiters for Professional services firms (law, architecture/engineering, consulting)
- Accounts Receivable Specialist (including cash application) Recruiters for Professional services firms (law, architecture/engineering, consulting)
- Project Accountant Recruiters for Professional services firms (law, architecture/engineering, consulting)