Services

Controller and CFO Recruiters

Finance leadership, from controller to chief financial officer.

The practice

Recruiting finance leaders.

We recruit controllers and chief financial officers (CFOs). A finance leader sets the standard for reporting, controls and planning across an organization, so the cost of a wrong hire is high and the right one is rarely looking.

That makes these quiet searches. The strongest candidates are usually employed, and sometimes so is the person being replaced. We keep both sides confidential throughout, and no resume goes to an organization without the candidate's prior knowledge.

A finance executive reviewing figures with a colleague near an office window
Roles

Finance leadership roles we recruit for.

  • Controllers

    Owning the close, reporting, controls and the accounting team.

  • Chief financial officers

    Leading finance strategy, planning and the relationship with owners, boards and lenders.

Employers

Who we recruit for.

Banks and other organizations with a finance function to lead, in Wisconsin, the Midwest and nationwide. We start with how your leadership team works today, because a finance leader has to fit the people around them as well as the role.

Assessment

What we look at in a finance leader.

  • Command of reporting, controls and the close.
  • Judgement with owners, boards, auditors and lenders.
  • How they build and lead a finance team.
  • Motivation for the move, and what would keep them.
The search

How a finance leadership search runs.

  1. 01

    We understand the mandate

    What the role must deliver in its first year, who it reports to and what is changing.

  2. 02

    We approach people discreetly

    Most strong candidates are not on the market. We reach them confidentially.

  3. 03

    You meet a considered short list

    Several qualified leaders, each with detailed and written references and our candid assessment.

  4. 04

    We manage the offer closely

    Strong finance leaders do not stay available long. We give honest feedback and respond quickly to offers.

What you can expect.

If you are hiring

A confidential process, a short list of qualified leaders with written references, and a fast, honest read on where each candidate stands at the offer.

If you are a candidate

Complete discretion with your current employer, a clear picture of the organization and its leadership before you engage, and help thinking through the long-term fit.

FAQ

Questions we hear about this search.

Will my current employer know I am talking to you?

No. Your resume never goes to an organization without your prior knowledge.

Can you run a search while our current controller or CFO is still in the seat?

Yes. Confidential replacement searches are common for finance leadership, and we handle them with discretion.

Do you work outside Wisconsin?

Yes. Most of our work is in the Midwest, and we work with clients nationwide.

What references come with a candidate?

Detailed reference information, including written references, plus our honest view of how they would fit your leadership team.

Can you help a candidate relocate?

Yes. We help candidates work through the move so it does not hold up the hire.

Planning a controller or CFO search?

Start with a confidential conversation about the role and your leadership team.