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Positions we recruit: Finance Leadership
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Financial Headhunters: Practical Hiring Guidance for Finance Leadership
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
- 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
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
Team Structure and Leveling
Select your level based on current operational pain. A Director leads execution while a CFO drives strategy. Use a Chief Accounting Officer if your audit and regulatory reporting are the primary risks. A VP Finance fits best if your controller manages the daily ledger but you need better forecast accuracy.
Assess whether you need a builder or a sustainer. A builder sets up systems during a growth phase or after a carve out. A sustainer maintains control once the infrastructure is stable. Most teams need a mix. Start with a Controller for transactional rigor if the books are messy.
- 01Use Controller for audit and ledger management.
- 02Use VP Finance for FP&A and cash management.
- 03Use CFO for capital strategy and board relations.
- 04Use Chief Accounting Officer for technical reporting and SOX.
- 05Assign title based on decision rights and direct reports.
02
Interview Bank
Use these questions to stress test technical depth. Focus on real outcomes rather than theoretical knowledge. Ask for specific examples of how they handled audit issues or covenant breaches. Look for logic in their decision making process. Listen for specific mentions of tools or accounting codes used to resolve conflicts.
Ask how they managed a liquidity crisis. Listen for specific actions taken to preserve cash. Look for evidence of communication with banking partners. Ask about the specific covenant issues they tracked. Follow up with questions about how they communicated these risks to stakeholders. Ask how they managed the 13 week cash flow model during that period.
- 01Describe a time you failed a debt covenant. What exactly was the breach? What was your first step?
- 02Walk me through your process for ASC 606 implementation. Which specific contract types were hardest?
- 03Explain your methodology for 13 week cash flow forecasting. How do you handle variances in payables?
- 04How do you approach a clean audit opinion after a period of poor controls? What evidence do you provide?
- 05Provide an example of a technical accounting memo you wrote for a complex transaction.
03
Hiring Mistakes to Avoid
Do not hire for name recognition. large public accounting backgrounds prove work intensity but not budget ownership. Focus on experience at your specific revenue scale. Verify they have functioned without large support teams. 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.
Do not ignore the technical accounting gaps. A strategic CFO who cannot guide a technical memo on ASC 805 will leave you vulnerable during an audit. Demand proof of their technical work. Ask them to explain a recent memo they authored.
- 01Ignoring the lack of specific industry accounting experience.
- 02Prioritizing software knowledge over core accounting fundamentals.
- 03Hiring a CFO who has never led a full audit cycle.
- 04Skipping the verification of their direct reports and team structure.
- 05Failing to ask about their experience with board or lender reporting.
04
Credential Verification
Distinguish between designations carefully. A CPA is a license issued by a state board and requires current status checks. It proves fundamental knowledge of tax and audit standards. It does not prove the ability to manage a department.
Registration requirements vary by state for certain financial advice roles but generally do not apply to internal accounting leadership. Certifications like the CFA are helpful but often overkill for a corporate controller. Verify the issuer and expiration status of any listed credentials. Focus on what these credentials prevent rather than assuming competence. A credential is a baseline.
- 01CPA LicenseState board issued, verifies regulatory knowledge.
- 02CFAIssued by CFA Institute, verifies investment analysis.
- 03MBAAcademic degree, verifies business study completion.
- 04SOX 404Internal control framework, not a personal certification.
- 05Always check state board websites for active status.
05
Decision Tradeoffs
Tradeoff speed against breadth. A specialist who knows one accounting area well will be faster to hire but may miss the larger picture. A generalist who has done everything will be slower to ramp up but more flexible. Decide based on your immediate need. If you have a looming audit, hire the specialist.
Consider the cost of a interim hire if the permanent search drags on. Permanent contingency is our default. We provide candidates based on the agreed terms for each search. We do not employ contractors. You hold the contract and assume the risk. Use this route for project based needs like an audit prep or a specific system integration.
- 01Specialist versus Generalist: Audit needs versus Strategy.
- 02Internal growth versus External hire: Skill depth versus New perspective.
- 03Permanent versus InterimLong term strategy versus Project deadline.
- 04Experience at revenue scale versus Theoretical potential.
- 05Technical accounting versus FP&A focus.
12 positions in this family
- Healthcare Finance DirectorThis position converts patient visits into cash flow by managing contract terms with insurance payers and billing cycles
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO)The leader manages financial statements as operating data by fixing broken ledgers and correcting manual errors in systems
- Portfolio Company CFO (PE-backed)This role manages daily bookkeeping and cash models to prevent liquidity gaps and maintain strict internal spending controls
- Chief Accounting OfficerThis leader establishes standard accounting rules across all office units while overseeing daily reconciliation and monthly close cycles
- VP FinanceThis executive converts transaction data into decisions by identifying broken accounting processes and presenting clear results to boards
- Director of FinanceThe director produces financial data for operational choices by auditing journal entries and challenging various monthly accrual assumptions
- Division / Business Unit CFOThis leader manages financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting for a specific business unit while reporting to corporate leadership.
- SVP FinanceThe SVP Finance directs complex financial operations, manages high-level reporting, and implements strategic fiscal controls for the organization.
- VP Finance and AdministrationThis role manages monthly financial close processes, directs financial planning and analysis, handles banking relationships, and leads board and lender reporting.
- Head of FinanceThe Head of Finance manages the monthly close, financial planning, analysis, and team operations. They operate specific ERP systems and produce accurate financial reports for decision makers. This person owns the integrity of the ledger and the output of the finance department.
- CFO / COO (combined role)This hire manages daily financial operations and accounting rigor while simultaneously directing core administrative, legal, and operational business functions.
- Deputy CFODirecting complex financial strategy while managing day-to-day accounting operations.
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Questions people ask
When should I prioritize a CPA over an MBA?
Prioritize a CPA when your primary need is audit, compliance, and technical accounting management. The CPA indicates formal training in standard financial statements.
How do I know if the candidate can work at my revenue scale?
Ask for the revenue size of their last two employers. Compare the complexity of their ledger and the size of the team they managed.
Should I hire a candidate with only large public accounting experience?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Only if they held an operational role in a private company. large public accounting experience provides rigor but lacks internal ownership.
What is the best way to test for technical accounting knowledge?
Ask them to explain a specific ASC standard relevant to your business model. Have them describe the last technical memo they authored.
How do you scope your replacement window for leadership hires?
We will replace the candidate if they leave within the agreed period.