Executive search
Get the right person for Cash crunch: get an executive in the seat.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: When your organization faces a severe cash crunch, the primary focus is on establishing immediate visibility into daily liquidity. Our consultants engage by constructing a rigorous short-term cash flow forecast that separates truly available funds from uncertain future receipts.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
What should the brief say about Real engagement work?
When your organization faces a severe cash crunch, the primary focus is on establishing immediate visibility into daily liquidity. Our consultants engage by constructing a rigorous short-term cash flow forecast that separates truly available funds from uncertain future receipts. This process requires a granular assessment of vendor payment terms, payroll timing, and current borrowing capacity.
When your organization faces a severe cash crunch, the primary focus is on establishing immediate visibility into daily liquidity. Our consultants engage by constructing a rigorous short-term cash flow forecast that separates truly available funds from uncertain future receipts. This process requires a granular assessment of vendor payment terms, payroll timing, and current borrowing capacity. An interim executive steps in to manage these competing demands, ensuring that leadership decisions are based on data rather than optimism.
The work is inherently practical and requires direct access to bank accounts and ledger data. A consultant will first verify that the current balance sheet actually reflects the cash position reported in internal records. This involves checking if old invoices are still counted as current assets or if payroll taxes are correctly accrued. By building a week-by-week model, the consultant maps out every dollar expected to leave the account. They prioritize payments to keep the business operational, negotiating with vendors for extensions when cash is low.
What should the brief say about Fit beyond job title?
Identifying the right professional requires looking beyond a resume title to find an executive who understands the tactical nuances of high-pressure finance. During a liquidity crisis, the ideal candidate has direct experience translating technical financial constraints into actionable operational adjustments.
Identifying the right professional requires looking beyond a resume title to find an executive who understands the tactical nuances of high-pressure finance. During a liquidity crisis, the ideal candidate has direct experience translating technical financial constraints into actionable operational adjustments. Whether involving the COO to shift inventory strategy or managing delicate lender updates, the consultant must demonstrate an ability to communicate under pressure. We assess whether the candidate possesses the composure to handle incomplete information while maintaining transparency with internal stakeholders.
What makes these individuals move is the chance to solve immediate, complex problems. They are professionals who prefer the front lines of a turnaround rather than long-term strategic planning. They do not get rattled when a major collection is delayed or when a lender requests an urgent ad-hoc report. We find that the best candidates are those who have seen multiple cycles of growth and retraction, meaning they know exactly which levers to pull to conserve cash immediately. They do not require extensive onboarding because they have built similar models in their past assignments.
What should the brief say about Practical first 90 days?
The first 90 days are structured around stabilizing the firm and building a defensible path forward. In the first thirty days, the consultant establishes the daily cash rhythm, verifying current balances and reconciling vendor commitments against available liquidity. Days thirty through sixty focus on operational improvements, such as refining collection processes and renegotiating payment terms to preserve core business functions.
The first 90 days are structured around stabilizing the firm and building a defensible path forward. In the first thirty days, the consultant establishes the daily cash rhythm, verifying current balances and reconciling vendor commitments against available liquidity. Days thirty through sixty focus on operational improvements, such as refining collection processes and renegotiating payment terms to preserve core business functions. By the final thirty days, the consultant works to institutionalize these practices, ensuring the management team can maintain the cash forecast independently.
During this time, the consultant also serves as the primary contact for banks and lenders. They prepare weekly updates that explain the current cash position and outline the specific actions taken to manage the deficit. By providing consistent, accurate, and transparent data, they help maintain lender confidence. If the business is in breach of covenants, the interim executive helps explain the reality of the situation and the steps underway to fix it. This transparent communication is often the difference between a lender maintaining support and a lender contacting in a loan.
What should the brief say about Evaluating specialists?
Evaluating a specialist for a cash crunch requires verifying their methodology for handling uncertainty and their experience in managing lender relations. We examine how they incorporate risk into their forecasts. Rather than accepting every expected receipt as a certainty, the consultant must demonstrate how they reflect potential delays and assume worst-case scenarios in their models.
Evaluating a specialist for a cash crunch requires verifying their methodology for handling uncertainty and their experience in managing lender relations. We examine how they incorporate risk into their forecasts. Rather than accepting every expected receipt as a certainty, the consultant must demonstrate how they reflect potential delays and assume worst-case scenarios in their models. We look for evidence of past work where they handled complex creditor relationships without overstepping into legal or insolvency territory. Effective specialists are those who have successfully coordinated with existing financial advisers, provided clear data to creditors, and maintained rigorous control over daily spending to preserve the continuity of critical operations.
We ask candidates specifically how they handle a situation where a key customer fails to pay on time. A strong answer describes a sequence of actions: informing the bank, reducing discretionary spend, and communicating clearly with affected vendors. We look for those who have a pre-existing toolkit of templates and procedures they can implement immediately upon arrival. Their experience should reflect a pattern of managing cash for companies that were under significant financial pressure. They know how to identify 'leaks' in the cash flow, such as excessive credit terms offered to customers or redundant subscriptions.
What should the brief say about Red flags?
When interviewing candidates for a cash-strapped environment, be wary of individuals who promise results they cannot control, such as guaranteed financing or instant access to credit facilities. Another red flag is a consultant who ignores the operational implications of financial decisions, such as failing to account for how delaying vendor payments might disrupt your supply chain.
When interviewing candidates for a cash-strapped environment, be wary of individuals who promise results they cannot control, such as guaranteed financing or instant access to credit facilities. Another red flag is a consultant who ignores the operational implications of financial decisions, such as failing to account for how delaying vendor payments might disrupt your supply chain. Candidates who lack a clear process for handling uncertain receipts or who fail to disclose their assumptions regarding lender updates are also concerning. A professional should always distinguish between their technical forecast and the actual performance of the business.
Watch for consultants who focus too heavily on high-level strategy while the basics of daily cash reconciliation are ignored. A CFO who wants to spend weeks building a long-term model while the company is struggling to make payroll is a poor match. The urgency of a cash crunch demands immediate attention to detail. You want someone who is comfortable working in the spreadsheets and talking to the accounts receivable team directly.
What we cover
- Daily cash view
- Collections push
- Vendor terms
- Payroll planning
- Short-term borrowing
- Lender updates
Related
Questions
Can a CFO build a short-term cash forecast?
Yes. Inputs, assumptions, update frequency, and ownership should be agreed upon in the engagement scope.
Should the COO be involved?
Yes. Operating decisions about stock, staffing, and delivery directly affect cash flow.
What if expected receipts are uncertain?
The forecast must show the uncertainty rather than treating every expected payment as available cash.
Does this replace legal advice?
No. You should seek relevant legal and specialist counsel whenever your specific circumstances require it.
What replacement terms apply?
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.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
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.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.