Role search
Get a Contract Accountant who can own trial balance journal entries.
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: A contract accountant handles the daily and monthly mechanics of your financial records. This role focuses on the execution of reconciliations, journal entries, and accruals that build your trial balance.
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
- Contract Accountant
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
A contract accountant handles the daily and monthly mechanics of your financial records. This role focuses on the execution of reconciliations, journal entries, and accruals that build your trial balance. While a senior accountant designs or reviews the process, this professional ensures the inputs are accurate and the underlying documentation is complete for every entry. Their work centers on ensuring the general ledger reflects actual cash movements, vendor obligations, and prepaid allocations that are essential for accurate interim financial reporting. We look for individuals who treat balance sheet integrity as a primary objective rather than a secondary administrative burden.
The difference between this level and a senior role is the scope of autonomy. You are not hiring someone to design your chart of accounts or fix broken systems. You need an operator who knows how to perform account analysis and clear balances. If your staff is overloaded with bank reconciliations, credit card matches, or invoice processing, this hire performs the repetitive, high-volume work that keeps the close on schedule.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We verify they have performed full-cycle reconciliations for key balance sheet accounts. Candidates must explain exactly how they match subledger reports to the general ledger and how they research variance items. We specifically check for their ability to distinguish between reconciling timing differences and actual accounting errors.
- We audit their ERP proficiency by asking for specific workflows in software packages that mirror yours. We confirm they know where to find audit trails and how to modify standard report templates without administrative assistance. This ensures they spend their time producing data instead of struggling with system navigation or user permissions.
- We check their comfort with PBC lists by asking for examples of support files they have produced. They must describe how they organized schedules to ensure auditors could find source documentation without asking for clarification. We look for evidence that they understand the link between a journal entry in the GL and the supporting contract or receipt.
- We evaluate their escalation process by asking how they determine when an issue requires a manager. We look for individuals who perform the initial investigation and summarize the problem before asking for help. They must provide the manager with the proposed resolution rather than just pointing out that a number is incorrect.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We look for accountants who have spent time in high-volume, multi-entity environments. These professionals are accustomed to tight deadlines and are comfortable working through a standard month-end checklist. They move into contract roles because they want to focus on technical accounting production rather than long-term team management. They understand that their value lies in the accuracy of the trial balance and the speed at which they can process transactional volume without requiring iterative cycles of correction.
We also recruit from organizations where financial reporting requires strict adherence to internal controls. These accountants understand that every journal entry requires a backup document and a clear explanation. They shift into temporary roles because they have the skills to solve immediate backlogs without needing a training period. We find them in networks where professional accountants maintain their certifications and stay informed on accounting standard changes, ensuring they bring updated knowledge to your specific transactional environment.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring someone overqualified who is bored by the repetitive nature of account reconciliations. They often look for ways to change the process or build unnecessary macros rather than focusing on completing the existing month-end task list.
- Expecting the contractor to learn your accounting policies while they perform the work. A contractor should arrive with an understanding of standard GAAP principles and apply them to your environment immediately.
- Underestimating the time required for system access. If the contractor lacks login credentials for the ERP on their first day, they cannot perform the reconciliations they were hired to execute.
The search
How the Contract Accountant search runs
- First, we define the technical scope. We identify which ERP modules you use, such as accounts payable, fixed assets, or cash management, and filter for candidates who have performed these exact functions in their previous three engagements.
- Second, we confirm their availability for your specific close period. Since many accounting demands fluctuate, we ensure the candidate can align their schedule with your peak activity days without conflict from other assignments.
- Third, we validate their documentation habits. We ask them to describe the layout of their recent reconciliations. A candidate who maintains clear, logical workbooks is ready to integrate with your existing audit file structure.
Questions
Can a contract accountant handle month-end close alone?
This role executes the tasks but usually requires a controller or senior accountant to perform final reviews. They manage the data input and reconciliation work, but they do not sign off on the final financial statements.
What software systems do you verify?
We focus on ERP platforms that manage full-cycle accounting. We look for direct experience in your specific system or a similarly structured enterprise application.
Does this role include payroll processing?
This varies by company structure. We identify if you need someone with payroll expertise or if the role remains strictly within general ledger accounting.
How quickly can a contractor start?
Once we identify a candidate with the right technical match, the primary constraint is your internal onboarding timeline. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
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.
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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.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.