CFO Search

CFO Search

Blackwaters helps Founders, CEOs and Investors to identify and secure their permanent Finance Director or CFO within a matter of weeks. Whether we are finding the first Finance Director for new investment or a tenured CFO for an established business, chemistry is key. Blackwaters is invested in the success of the businesses we support; identifying the right finance leader is critical to achieving those outcomes. 

For roles ≥£100,000 we work on a retained basis. This ensures commitment from both sides and guarantees a successful outcome for our clients.

Payments are made in three stages and we offer a nine month guarantee on all retained searches. 

We use a technology-enabled search methodology to ensure breadth of experience and diversity in our shortlists, as well as keeping up momentum though the process.  Our thorough vetting, psychometric testing and referencing process allows us to build an in-depth profile of candidates and inform the process throughout. 
 

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Our Process.

The Brief
  • Meeting with key stakeholders to fully understand the scope of the challenge; the business; financials; culture and the journey so far. 
  • Discussing remuneration and predicting key drivers of success. 
The Market
  • Completing a full analysis of the candidate market opportunity.  
  • Leveraging our extensive candidate network and assessing potential candidate targets via direct contact and advertising.
  • Assessing possible candidate pool and curating a longlist.
The Shortlist
  • Conducting skills and competency-based candidate assessments.
  • Presenting the shortlisted 6 candidates 
 
The Interview Process
  • Supporting a thorough and expedient interview process. 
  • Completing psychometric testing and personality evaluation.
The Placement
  • Conducting formal and informal referencing 
  • Providing guidance to both sides during negotiation, contract review and the resignation process
The Onboarding and beyond…
  • Support during candidate onboarding. 
  • Structured client feedback sessions through the first 90 and 180 days relating to culture fit and meeting objectives. 
  • Keeping in touch throughout the lifecycle of the placement.