Position directory
Positions we recruit: FP&A and Strategic Finance
Start a Search Financial Headhunters Salary Guide
Financial Headhunters: Financial Planning and Analysis Hiring Standards
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
Hiring Levels and Team Architecture
Analysts run the daily cycles. Managers connect data to operations. Directors own the board narrative. VPs set the structural roadmap.
Use Analysts for heavy spreadsheet work. Use Managers to bridge the gap between ledger data and department budgets. Use Directors for scenario modeling and strategic pivots. Use VPs for capital structure and investor communication.
Define the scope before starting the search. Ask candidates how they identify and resolve data discrepancies during the scoping conversation. They must show how they validate outputs against the ledger. Require them to describe an audit of their own model logic. Ask for the difference between a static budget and a driver-based model. Push for an explanation on integrating non-financial data into income statements. Confirm if the role involves building models or maintaining architecture. Demand evidence of fixing broken formulas. Ask how they document model assumptions. An effective hire explains variance stories. Check their specific software history to see if it matches your current stack. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
- 01AnalystExecutes budget cycles and routine variance analysis.
- 02ManagerDirects forecast accuracy and partners with non-finance heads.
- 03DirectorOwns long-range models and board reporting.
- 04VPManages complex capital allocation and corporate strategy.
02
Interviewing for Practical Output
Do not ask about theory. Ask about the messiest model they ever built. Focus on how they handle broken data sources.
Listen for specific technical decisions. Did they choose a specific logic flow in Anaplan or OneStream? Why? If they cannot explain the underlying math, they are not ready.
We perform a formal diagnostic before you interview anyone to pin down your actual reporting burden. We track whether you require a builder who constructs new logic from blank tabs or a maintainer who updates existing inputs. Our discovery questions uncover if they prioritize speed over accuracy in their model builds. We specifically look for the conflict between hiring for deep vertical depth in one software versus hiring for horizontal range across various data sources. You must choose between paying for someone who can bridge accounting gaps and someone who focuses purely on high level strategy. We test if they know how to explain data discrepancies directly to non-financial peers versus simply hiding them behind complex macros.
- 01Walk me through the last model you built from scratch. What were the input drivers?
- 02Explain a time a forecast missed the mark. What was the variance? How did you report it to leadership?
- 03Which EPM tool do you prefer for scaling a headcount model? What is a limitation of that software?
- 04How do you handle a request from a department head that contradicts the business strategy?
03
Common Hiring Mistakes
Hiring for pedigree over spreadsheet output is a frequent error. A finance professional without recent modeling experience will fail in this current environment.
Ignoring tool proficiency is another trap. If your stack is Pigment or Adaptive, do not hire someone who only knows basic Excel pivot tables. They will spend months learning the software instead of delivering value.
- 01Valuing past company size more than current tool experience.
- 02Failing to conduct a live spreadsheet test for junior roles.
- 03Overlooking the ability to clean raw data from accounting systems.
- 04Ignoring the candidate's history of model documentation.
04
Credentials and Verification
Certifications indicate a baseline of accounting knowledge. They do not mean the person can build a board-ready model.
Distinguish between a degree, an exam-based certification like CPA, and voluntary memberships. Check current status with the state board for licenses. Use this to confirm identity and educational history only.
- 01CPAValidates technical accounting and audit logic.
- 02CFAProves deep knowledge of valuation and investment theory.
- 03MBAShows breadth of business exposure.
- 04License CheckConfirm active status via state or issuing body databases.
05
Tradeoffs for Strategic Hires
Candidates move for ownership. They want to see the impact of their forecast on real operational choices. If your finance team is just a reporting factory, you will only attract those looking for exit opportunities.
Candidates trade security for influence. A candidate will leave a stable, stagnant role for a messier one if they have the mandate to fix the planning process or own the board deck creation.
- 01They move for control over the EPM stack and model architecture.
- 02They move to get closer to the executive decision process.
- 03They leave if the role is purely reconciliatory rather than strategic.
- 04They seek environments that prioritize driver-based modeling over manual inputs.
17 positions in this family
- VP FP&AThis executive transitions the finance function from past reporting to building forward looking projections and identifying future steps
- Director of FP&AThe director turns the department into a tool for future planning by identifying why margins move and building
- FP&A ManagerThis professional monitors budget variance and aligns the general ledger with long term business strategy to improve financial results.
- Senior Financial AnalystAn analyst connects ledger data to business outcomes by pinpointing why figures miss projections and building reliable financial forecasts.
- Director of Strategic FinanceThis role maintains financial logic by forecasting capital allocation while balancing requests from department heads against current liquidity requirements.
- Corporate Development Director / ManagerA leader manages full cycle deal sourcing and due diligence while adjusting valuation assumptions when underlying variables shift during negotiations.
- Finance Business PartnerA Finance Business Partner who bridges financial planning with operational decision support for specific departments.
- Commercial / Sales Finance ManagerLead sales operations financial analysis and drive commercial profitability through strategic margin management.
- Strategic Finance ManagerLead financial forecasting, board reporting, and operational modeling to drive business decision-making.
- VP Corporate DevelopmentLead corporate growth through acquisitions, integrations and strategic partnerships.
- Director of Investor RelationsDirecting equity story communication and financial market interaction for institutional investors and analysts.
- Pricing ManagerThis role owns the pricing strategy to drive margin, manage revenue, and align commercial contracts with corporate financial objectives.
- Budget ManagerAn operator who controls spending cycles and variance reporting against fixed fiscal targets.
- Financial Analyst IEntry level financial analyst focusing on budget tracking and variance reporting.
- Financial Analyst IIExecution of financial planning, budgeting, and variance analysis using EPM tools and three-statement modeling.
- Financial Analyst IIILead budgeting, forecasting, and board-level financial modeling for operational performance.
- Lead Financial AnalystLead Financial Analyst managing budgeting, forecasting, and board-level reporting.
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Questions people ask
When should I hire an FP&A Manager versus a Senior Analyst?
Hire a Senior Analyst when you need someone to execute existing processes efficiently. Hire a Manager when you need someone to create new processes or manage the relationship between finance and department heads.
What is the most important technical skill for this team?
The ability to build a model that handles dynamic input changes. If a model breaks when an assumption changes, the logic is poor.
Should I care about a CPA for an FP&A role?
Only if you need them to translate complex accounting entries into finance narratives. It is not a requirement for standard budgeting or forecasting.
How do I spot a candidate who will struggle with board reporting?
Ask them to explain a negative variance in a board deck. If they blame the ledger or the software, they lack the ownership required for senior work.