Executive search
Find the right interim hire for Professional & Business Services.
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: Professional services firms operate at the intersection of billable time, project scope, and actual cash collection. A CFO or COO must reconcile the gap between tracked utilization and realized billing to prevent margin erosion during extended engagements.
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
Real engagement work in professional services
Professional services firms operate at the intersection of billable time, project scope, and actual cash collection. A CFO or COO must reconcile the gap between tracked utilization and realized billing to prevent margin erosion during extended engagements. You require an executive who monitors work in progress and understands why high utilization metrics sometimes fail to generate corresponding cash flow. We prioritize candidates who have successfully managed the nuance of partner compensation models and project-specific overhead allocations. Whether assessing technical services or agency models, the engagement focus remains on translating operational delivery into bottom-line performance. We match your firm with specialists capable of aligning delivery capacity with commercial goals while maintaining firm profitability, ensuring that every hour tracked contributes directly to organizational health and sustainability without hidden losses.
Fit beyond the standard job title
Holding a CFO or COO title at a general corporation does not equate to mastery of the professional services model. A candidate must demonstrate experience with revenue recognition patterns unique to project-led businesses where client concentration impacts operating risk. We look for individuals who have handled partner-led decision rights and understand how to manage growth planning without sacrificing project delivery quality. When we evaluate potential consultants, we ignore generic executive backgrounds and focus on their history in managing client terms, subcontractor costs, and scope creep. The objective is to identify a professional who understands that the structure of your firm demands a blend of rigorous financial discipline and operational agility, specifically when dealing with the complex, non-linear revenue streams common in service delivery firms.
Practical priorities for the first 90 days
The first thirty days center on auditing existing project margins and identifying friction in the cash collection cycle. We expect your interim executive to stabilize current financial reporting by verifying the accuracy of work in progress and examining the integrity of billing practices. Days thirty to sixty involve refining resource allocation and clarifying ownership expectations regarding delivery team capacity and budget thresholds. By day ninety, the focus shifts toward establishing a sustainable routine for lender reporting and formalizing the management of client scope disputes. These illustrative priorities are designed to create a baseline for future operational growth, ensuring that your firm maintains reliable cash flow and clear visibility into project performance metrics while simultaneously preparing the organization to handle unexpected shifts in client demand or project volume.
How we evaluate this particular specialty
Evaluating a consultant for this sector requires asking specific questions about their approach to managing unbilled work and mitigating the risks associated with major-client exposure. We do not rely on standard resume screening but instead conduct detailed discussions regarding the candidate's prior experience with invoice readiness and the escalation of aging accounts. We prompt consultants to describe how they handled professional judgment versus strict timesheet management when capacity was stretched thin. By requiring evidence of how they balanced partner autonomy with financial governance, we ensure that the consultants presented to you understand the delicate interplay between service delivery and fiscal health. We verify their capacity to address your specific operational hurdles through concrete examples of prior crisis management within similar service-heavy, sensitive environments.
Red flags during candidate assessment
A primary red flag is an executive who prioritizes a standard hierarchical command structure over the decentralized or partner-based decision rights common in professional services firms. Be wary of candidates who view project margin issues through a generic accounting lens without addressing the underlying causes of scope creep or poor utilization tracking. Another concern is a consultant who focuses solely on expense reduction while ignoring the revenue-generation and client-retention dynamics vital to service providers. If a candidate struggles to articulate how to bridge the gap between project delivery teams and the financial bottom line, they lack the specific tactical focus needed for your firm. Look for genuine experience in high-growth, service-led environments where the executive must possess both the authority to lead and the influence to drive performance.
Agreeing scope and final handover
Success hinges on clearly defining the deliverables and availability required at the start of any engagement. We guide you through the process of setting the scope for your interim CFO or COO, ensuring they are tasked with specific objectives such as improving project margin visibility or optimizing resource allocation. No upfront fees are required; you only pay once you select and engage a consultant from our vetted list of two to three qualified industry specialists. The final handover phase focuses on capturing project assumptions, outstanding collections responsibilities, and the management routines established during the assignment. This transparent structure allows you to maintain control over your executive search and operational investments throughout the entire process, ensuring that the transition concludes with a documented path forward for your permanent leadership.
Roles we fill for Find the right interim hire for Professional & Business Services.
Executive Leadership & Board
- Interim CEO
- Fractional CEO
- Interim President
- Interim General Manager
- Interim Managing Director
- Interim Division / Business Unit President
- Interim Country Manager
- Interim Deputy CEO
- Interim Chief of Staff
- Fractional Chief of Staff
- Interim Executive Chair
- Independent / Non-Executive Board Director
- Board Advisor
- Interim President & CEO
- CEO consultant
- Fractional President
- Interim Division President
- Interim Business Unit President
- Interim Site GM
- General manager consultant
- Chief of Staff to the CEO
- Strategy & Operations Lead
- Interim President or General Manager
Finance & Accounting
- Interim CFO
- Fractional CFO
- Interim VP Finance
- Interim Finance Director
- Interim Chief Accounting Officer
- Interim Controller
- Fractional Controller
- Interim Plant / Division Controller
- Interim Assistant Controller
- Interim Accounting Manager
- Interim VP of FP&A
- Fractional FP&A Lead
- Interim Treasurer
- Interim Head of Tax
- Interim Director of Internal Audit
- Interim SEC Reporting Director
- Interim Technical Accounting Lead
- SOX Program Lead
- Interim Head of Investor Relations
- Interim Credit & Collections Director
- Interim Project Accounting Manager
- Contract CFO
- CFO consultant
- Fractional Finance Director
- Interim Principal Accounting Officer
- Interim Corporate Controller
- Contract Controller
- Contract Accounting Manager
- Accounting Supervisor
- Interim Director of FP&A
- Interim Head of FP&A
- FP&A consultant
- Interim Head of Treasury
- Interim Treasury Director
- Cash management consultant
- Interim VP Tax
- Interim Tax Director
- Tax consultant
- Interim Chief Audit Executive
- Interim Head of Internal Audit
- Internal audit consultant
- Interim Director of External Reporting
- Interim Financial Reporting Manager
- SEC reporting consultant
- Technical accounting consultant
- ASC 606 consultant
- ASC 842 consultant
- Interim Director of Technical Accounting
- Interim SOX Manager
- SOX compliance consultant
- Internal controls lead
- CFO
- Outsourced CFO
- Exit-Readiness CFO
People & HR
- Interim CHRO
- Fractional CHRO
- Interim VP HR
- Interim HR Director
- Fractional HR Director
- Interim HR Business Partner
- Interim Head of Talent Acquisition
- Interim Head of Total Rewards
- Interim Head of Employee & Labor Relations
- Interim HRIS / People Systems Lead
- Interim Head of HR Operations
- Interim Head of Learning & Development
- Interim Head of Organizational Development
- Interim Chief People Officer
- Interim Head of HR
- Fractional Head of People
- Interim Head of People
- HRBP
- Senior HRBP
- Contract HRBP
- Interim Senior HR Business Partner
- Interim Director of Recruiting
- Interim TA Lead
- Recruiting process consultant
- Interim Compensation & Benefits Director
- Interim VP Total Rewards
- Compensation consultant
- Interim Labor Relations Director
- Interim Employee Relations Lead
Sales, Marketing & Revenue
- Interim CMO
- Fractional CMO
- Interim VP Marketing
- Interim Chief Revenue Officer
- Fractional Chief Revenue Officer
- Interim VP Sales
- Interim Chief Sales Officer
- Fractional VP Sales
- Interim Chief Commercial Officer
- Interim Head of Revenue Operations
- Interim Head of Business Development
- Interim Head of Pricing
- Interim Chief Growth Officer
- Interim Head of E-commerce
- Interim Head of Customer Success
- Interim Head of Communications
- Interim Head of Revenue
- Interim Chief Sales & Marketing Officer
- Part-time revenue leader
- Interim Sales Director
- Interim Head of Sales
- Fractional Sales Leader
- Part-time Sales Manager
- Interim Commercial Director
- Interim RevOps Director
- Fractional RevOps lead
- Sales operations consultant
Program, Project & PMO
- Interim PMO Director
- Interim Program Director
- Interim Project Director
- ERP Program Director
- ERP Implementation Lead
- CRM / Salesforce Implementation Lead
- Interim Change Management Lead
- Interim Delivery Director
- Interim Project Controls Director
- Interim Head of PMO
- Interim Transformation Office Lead
- PMO consultant
- Interim Programme Director (UK)
- Program management consultant
- Interim ERP Project Manager
- NetSuite / SAP / Dynamics / Oracle implementation lead
- Change management consultant
- Interim Organizational Change Lead
Popular combinations
Related
Questions
How do you confirm a consultant knows service firm finances?
We evaluate their specific history managing project margins and unbilled work. You review their experience with partner economics before deciding to interview.
Can I request an executive who knows partner-led firms?
Yes, we focus on identifying leaders who handle decentralized decision rights. We confirm their relevant experience with firm-specific governance models.
How do you assess if they manage utilization effectively?
We ask for evidence of how they link time tracking to cash flow and project scope. You verify their methodology during the interview process.
Does the interim executive handle client billing disputes?
Yes, we prioritize consultants who have directly managed scope creep and client collection issues. You define the specific scope of their responsibility during the onboarding phase.
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.