Role and industry
VP Finance, Venture-Backed SaaS (first finance leader) Recruiters
Financial Headhunters: You need a person who builds financial infrastructure rather than an accountant who only maintains existing books.
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?
Your first VP Finance may inherit books that close but do not answer the board’s questions. We ask what the owner still builds in spreadsheets and which decisions are waiting for a usable forecast. A leader from a larger software company may expect accounting support you do not have. We define the hands-on close work alongside the planning responsibilities so candidates know which parts they will build and which they will run themselves.
Ask if your candidate wrote the original financial model or just updated the assumptions left by a predecessor. A finance lead who builds models asks how to reconcile actuals against the original forecast. If they cannot explain why the burn rate deviates from the plan, they will fail to provide the board with the data required for capital decisions. We check if they actually own the model or just manage the spreadsheet.
Moving from manual tracking to a software platform like NetSuite requires a specific sequence of data migration. Ask what happens when the legacy data does not align with the new system chart of accounts. If the candidate relies on outside consultants to fix mapping errors rather than performing the cleanup themselves, they will cause delays in your month-end closing process.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
- 01We ask how they handled ASC 606 implementation when subscription contracts changed mid-term. This reveals if they know how to adjust revenue recognition schedules without breaking the underlying ledger.
- 02We verify if they personally configured the ERP environment during a migration or if they delegated the task. This confirms if they understand the data structure behind the dashboard.
- 03We confirm their experience with ASC 718 by asking how they handled a secondary sale of employee shares. This shows if they can track equity caps accurately as headcount increases.
- 04We ask for an example of a time they told a bank representative that a covenant was at risk. This tests if they initiate honest conversations before a breach happens.
- 05We query how they used LTV and CAC data to recommend a specific product price change. We look for a link between their financial reports and the business pricing strategy.
- 06We require proof they managed an external audit and fixed the internal controls flagged in the management letter. This proves they know how to satisfy investors.
03
Where do we find them?
We identify leads at software firms who currently manage finance functions but lack executive decision-making power. These people move jobs because they hit a wall where current leadership refuses to adopt new reporting systems or update outdated financial models.
We find candidates who have seen at least one startup survive a round of layoffs or a pivot. These individuals know how to cut costs during a downturn because they have had to answer to investors regarding actual cash runway.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring a candidate who only reports past financial results rather than building models that predict future cash positions.
- 02Selecting someone who spent their career in large firms and lacks the ability to handle payroll or tax filings when the software malfunctions.
- 03Overlooking a candidate who cannot explain their specific role in a system implementation, resulting in a hire who is purely reliant on external accounting firms.
05
The search in three steps
- 01First, we define your specific financial reporting gaps based on your current burn rate and the complexity of your current software stack.
- 02Second, we interview candidates from firms of similar scale, asking how they managed the transition from spreadsheets to automated systems.
- 03Third, we provide a list of candidates who have built these systems before, allowing you to focus on whether they can communicate data to your specific investor group.
06
Which related hiring decisions are worth comparing?
How your VP 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
How quickly can you present a shortlist?
We provide a candidate list once we finish verifying their direct experience with your specific financial systems. We do not promise artificial dates because accurate vetting of their prior work takes time.
How do we identify if a candidate adapts to your specific decision-making culture? Ask them to describe how they handled a situation where their financial advice conflicted with the owner's growth strategy.
We ask how they managed disagreements with owners over spending priorities. Their answers reveal if they provide objective financial advice or just agree with the executive team.
What if they receive a counteroffer?
We ask candidates during initial calls why they are interviewing and what would make them stay at their current firm. We keep candidates focused on the reasons they wanted to leave in the first place.
Is this search strictly confidential?
We do not disclose your company identity to a candidate until we confirm you want to proceed with their profile. We keep your internal leadership changes private until you choose to interview.
What are your search fees?
We bill a flat contingency fee only when a candidate accepts your offer and starts work. All costs are written into our contract before we begin outreach.
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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