Executive Search Services
CFO Executive Search — Powered by True Headhunting
Hiring a Chief Financial Officer is one of the most consequential decisions a company makes. The wrong hire costs time, credibility with investors, and momentum. Pacific Executive Search delivers CFO candidates through proactive headhunting — we identify and engage proven finance leaders who aren't browsing job boards or working with staffing agencies.
When Companies Engage Us for CFO Search
PE-Backed Companies
Post-acquisition, you need a CFO who understands sponsor reporting, cash discipline, and value creation on a defined timeline.
Growth-Stage Companies
Your Controller or VP of Finance has hit their ceiling. You need a strategic CFO to lead the next chapter — fundraise, M&A, or IPO readiness.
Public Companies
SEC reporting, SOX compliance, investor relations — you need a CFO who has scaled these functions before.
Succession Planning
Your long-tenured CFO is retiring. You need a seamless transition with minimal disruption to operations or stakeholder confidence.
How Our CFO Executive Search Works
Most CFO searches fail because they rely on who happens to be looking. Our headhunting approach inverts that model — we start by mapping who should be in the role, then engage them directly.
- 1
Strategic Scoping
We define the CFO profile with your leadership — industry, ownership structure, growth phase, compensation, and the specific challenges this person must solve in the first 12 months.
- 2
Market Mapping
We identify every qualified CFO and VP of Finance in the relevant geography and industry vertical — whether they're active job seekers or not.
- 3
Direct Headhunting
Senior headhunters reach out personally to top targets. No mass InMails. No junior researchers. Direct, confidential conversations that respect the candidate's position.
- 4
Assessment & Presentation
We deliver a vetted shortlist with detailed candidate profiles — background, motivations, compensation expectations, and our assessment of strategic fit.
- 5
Close & Transition
We manage the offer process, negotiate terms, and ensure a smooth transition through day one and beyond.
Why Headhunting Outperforms Other CFO Search Models
Job Boards & Internal Recruiting
- • Post and hope
- • Limited to active seekers
- • High volume, low signal
- • No confidentiality
Retained Search Firms
- • Large upfront retainer
- • Slow, committee-driven process
- • Handoff to junior researchers
- • Long timelines
Pacific Executive Search
- • Proactive headhunting
- • Reaches passive candidates
- • Senior-led, start to finish
- • Pay when you hire
Industries Where We Place CFOs
CFO Executive Search
Start Your CFO Search
Tell us about the role and your company. A senior headhunter will respond within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions — CFO Executive Search
- How is your CFO search different from a retained search firm?Retained firms charge large upfront fees and often hand off to junior researchers. We operate on a performance model — you pay when you hire. Senior headhunters run your CFO search from scoping to close, with no handoffs. Learn more about our process.
- What types of companies hire CFOs through Pacific Executive Search?PE-backed portfolio companies, growth-stage businesses approaching IPO, public companies needing succession planning, and family-owned enterprises upgrading finance leadership. We tailor every CFO search to your ownership structure, industry, and growth stage.
- How long does a CFO executive search typically take?We typically present a vetted CFO shortlist within 2-4 weeks. The full process — from strategic scoping through accepted offer — usually takes 6-10 weeks depending on role complexity, compensation negotiations, and notice periods.
- Do you search for fractional or interim CFOs?Our primary focus is permanent CFO placements, but we can support interim or fractional searches when the business case calls for it — especially during transitions, post-acquisition, or pre-IPO preparedness.
- What markets do you cover for CFO searches?We conduct CFO searches across California, Colorado, Oregon, and Austin, TX. Our deep local relationships in each market give us access to proven CFOs who aren't visible through traditional recruiting channels.
