Finance role
Head of Finance Recruiters
Financial Headhunters: Assessing a finance head who lacks the hands on ability to reconcile accounts.
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 954-280-9139.
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
01
What does this hire really come down to?
This role requires manual management of the general ledger and the monthly close cycle. You need someone who converts raw data into accurate budgets and actuals. If they cannot fix a broken spreadsheet or reconcile a bank account, they will fail here.
Expect them to lead a team of up to ten people while maintaining system integrity. They must handle the day to day configuration of your ERP platform. They provide the financial visibility needed for cash flow and headcount decisions.
Ask them to walk through their last month end close process in detail. Question their approach to identifying variances in budget versus actuals. Challenge them to explain exactly how they handle discrepancies when a department head disputes a line item.
Require them to explain their workflow for managing the accounts payable and accounts receivable cycles. Ask how they reconcile intercompany accounts or manage bank debt covenants during a tight reporting window. Test their ability to explain specific technical hurdles they encountered in their last implementation of NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Dynamics 365.
Gauge their ability to act as the finance lead when interacting with external auditors or tax preparers. A capable Head of Finance must own the audit schedule and explain every significant fluctuation in the financial statements without needing external guidance.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
We verify technical proficiency in ERP systems like NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Dynamics 365 through targeted questions. We confirm their history of leading the full monthly close independently. We check their experience in managing staff, specifically how they handle performance issues or delegation. We screen for clear communication of financial concepts to non-finance stakeholders. We validate their background in building and updating forecasting models. We verify their experience aligns with the specific scale of your operations.
We ask candidates for their configuration work within an ERP. We look for evidence of how they increased report accuracy. We verify they owned the reconciliation process for balance sheet accounts. We check that they supervised payroll operations and corrected entry errors for direct reports.
We begin by mapping your specific reporting requirements to the candidate current ledger structure to determine if they can operate without external support. We ask every candidate to detail the exact sequence they use to identify errors within their current general ledger and how they manage the handoff between their staff and tax preparers. We push them to describe a time they had to choose between a faster close cycle and a more accurate reporting result and why they chose that specific path. This reveals if they prioritize speed at the cost of data integrity or if they accept slower operations to fix root causes. We confirm they have personally performed the bank reconciliations for their previous employer rather than just approving work done by junior staff.
03
Where do we find them?
We source from accounting departments within mid-market businesses. We look at candidates in controllership or senior accounting roles who seek more influence on planning. People move because their current employer lacks the specific ERP stack they want to manage or because they are ready to step up from a rigid corporate hierarchy into a role with broader authority.
We avoid candidates who only delegate and lack the ability to perform tactical accounting work. We seek those who have outgrown their current responsibilities and want to own the entire finance function. They are often looking to leave environments where they are sidelined by layers of management or where the financial systems are outdated and slow.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring a candidate who only understands high level strategy but cannot perform the monthly close.
- 02Overlooking a candidate's lack of hands-on experience with the specific ERP software your company uses.
- 03Prioritizing industry sector experience over the required technical depth in accounting operations.
- 04Ignoring poor results on technical test questions regarding balance sheet reconciliations or cash flow statements.
- 05Assuming a candidate who managed a huge team in a massive firm can function in a leaner mid-market environment.
05
What should we discuss first?
- 01We identify candidates through direct reach-outs and database screening based on your specific ERP and reporting requirements.
- 02We conduct screen calls to verify their technical capability, management style, and reasons for looking for a new role.
- 03We present you with a shortlist of candidates for interviews and manage all logistics until an offer is extended.
How your Head of Finance search runs
From the opening to the start
Tell us who you need
Tell us about the job, your team and the experience you need.
We find and contact people
We research suitable people and speak with them about the job and their interest.
You meet the strongest candidates
We introduce candidates with relevant experience and explain why each could fit.
We help you complete the hire
We help with interview feedback, the offer and arrangements for the start.
Questions people ask
What is the policy if the placement is unsuccessful?
We provide a replacement candidate if the initial hire does not remain in the role for a defined period as set out in our written agreement.
Is an upfront fee required to find someone who can fix our broken financial spreadsheets?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How long will this search take?
The timeline depends on the specific requirements of the role and candidate availability. We focus on identifying the right fit rather than hitting a specific date.
Do you offer contract or interim placements?
We handle permanent contingency placements by default. We can accommodate contract or interim needs on request once we agree on specific terms.
How does this role differ from a CFO?
The Head of Finance focuses on the daily close, systems, and accounting operations. A CFO typically holds higher-level authority regarding capital structure, investor relations, and long-term financial strategy.
How do you handle counteroffers?
We discuss why candidates want to move and what might make them stay. If a counteroffer comes up, we help both sides work through the decision without making promises for either party.
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.
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.
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What does the published pay data show?
$166,570 national annual median. SOC 11-3031: Financial Managers.
BLS reports Head of Finance within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released 2026-05-15. This is not a separately measured salary for this exact title.
Read the full salary guide