Executive search
Get the right person for Year-End Audit & Tax Season Support.
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: Year end brings audit requests, schedule preparation, tax filings and the normal work of the business, all at once. A small finance team can cope with any one of these and not all of them.
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
A seasonal strain on a team that is also running the business
Year end brings audit requests, schedule preparation, tax filings and the normal work of the business, all at once. A small finance team can cope with any one of these and not all of them. The aim of outside support is to protect the people who keep operations running while someone else carries the extra load.
The strain is specific. Auditors send lists of requested items with dates. Tax preparers need adjusted trial balances, fixed asset records and detail on certain accounts. Lenders want audited statements by a date. Each request lands on the same few people.
Map the requests first. Which are known, which are likely and who owns each? That map decides the kind of help you need.
The work
Audit support means preparing the schedules auditors ask for, tying them to the ledger, answering questions and tracking open items. It requires an understanding of what auditors test and why, plus the patience to deal with repeated requests.
Tax support covers gathering data, preparing workpapers, computing estimates and supporting returns. Work differs for income tax, sales and use tax and provision calculations. Fund accounting adds reporting requirements for pooled structures.
Internal audit support may be a separate need, such as testing controls or preparing documentation for an assessment. Name which.
Risks to manage
The first risk is an auditor finding that arrives late. A person who knows the common friction points can prepare for them. The second is data that has not been reconciled before it reaches the audit. Preparing schedules on unreliable balances wastes time.
The third is confidentiality. Outside support sees draft numbers and sensitive matters. The fourth is overreliance: if the contractor holds all the knowledge, the team learns nothing and the same strain returns next year.
The fifth is independence. A person preparing a schedule should not also be the person reviewing it for the auditor.
Which role fits
A contract senior accountant fits for schedule preparation and audit support. A contract internal auditor fits when the need is control testing or documentation for an assessment. A contract tax accountant fits for filings, provisions and notices. A contract fund accountant fits when a fund or pooled entity needs statements and investor reporting.
Often two or three of these overlap, and a person with a strong ledger background can cover some of the tax and audit preparation. Say which pieces you expect from one person.
If the need is wider, such as reporting under a regulator or a securities filing, tell us. That calls for different profiles.
How we screen
We ask candidates to describe a year end they supported. What did the auditors request? What was the hardest schedule? What did they find wrong and how did they handle it? We look for experience with your kind of entity and your framework.
We check tools: your accounting system, spreadsheet practice and any audit portal. We also ask about writing and communication, because answering auditor queries clearly saves a great deal of time.
You see several profiles and choose.
Dependencies
Year end support depends on a closed and reconciled ledger. If the close is behind, the work starts with cleanup, and a different situation page applies. It depends on the business owners explaining unusual transactions, on payroll providing summaries and on treasury providing bank confirmations.
Tax work depends on fixed asset records, entity charts and prior returns. Missing prior returns are a frequent snag, and locating them takes time.
Tell us who owns each input and where the files are.
Mistakes in the brief
Common mistakes include asking for extra hands without naming audit, tax or both, leaving out the entity structure and failing to give the auditor's expected request list. Another is not saying whether anyone on the team can review the contractor's work.
Briefs also forget to mention the framework and the reporting deadline holders, such as a lender or investor. Candidates must understand who the audience is.
Finally, ask for a handover. A short written note on what was prepared, how and where it is stored makes next year easier and reduces dependence on one person.
Also say whether prior year workpapers are available. A person who can start from last year's schedules works far more effectively than one who must rebuild them, and candidates will ask. If the files are incomplete, tell us which parts are missing so we can look for someone who is comfortable reconstructing them.
Roles we fill for Get the right person for Year-End Audit & Tax Season Support.
Accounting Operations
FP&A, Audit & Tax Professionals
Related
Questions
How do you identify professionals for seasonal finance support?
We focus on prior year-end experience and specific audit or tax filing background. We evaluate candidates against your current ledger and reporting requirements.
Can I request support for both audit and tax needs simultaneously?
Yes, we identify candidates who can handle cross-functional schedule preparation and filings. You specify which parts of the work the individual should prioritize.
How do you verify if a candidate is technically capable?
We ask about their experience with specific accounting systems and past audit challenges. We also assess their ability to communicate technical data to auditors clearly.
What is required from my team to start the assignment?
You must provide the auditor's request list and identify who manages specific inputs like payroll or treasury. A reconciled ledger is essential before external support can begin.
How can I ensure the temporary support improves my next year-end process?
We encourage you to ask for a formal handover document detailing the prepared work and storage location. This practice reduces team dependence and aids future audit cycles.
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.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
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.