Our client is a multi-billion-dollar, global professional services firm with more than 10,000 employees and thousands of lawyers across the U.S. and abroad. Known for its award-winning culture of collaboration and inclusion, the firm continues to rank among the world’s most respected organizations in its industry.
With an extensive finance team of over 130 professionals spanning treasury, collections, FP&A, and general ledger, the firm maintains a high-performing culture but identifies critical needs for stronger financial planning and collections oversight.
The Challenge
The organization required a confidential executive search for a newly created Director of Finance role. The position was designed to:
- Relieve pressure from the CFO and senior leadership team
- Provide hands-on leadership across multiple finance functions
- Oversee FP&A, collections, and general ledger team
- Deliver timely accurate reporting and financial analysis for senior executives and the Board
- Act as a deputy to the CFO, contributing both operational execution and strategic insights
The challenge was twofold:
- The firm needed a seasoned finance leader with deep experience in large, complex, multi-site organizations — ideally professional services.
- Because this was a confidential search, it required extreme discretion while navigating the candidate market and presenting opportunities.
Why Naviga
The firm partnered with Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search due to our proven track record in conducting confidential senior-level searches with speed, precision, and discretion.
Naviga understood the high bar for this role:
- A CPA with at least 10 years of senior-level finance experience
- Background in professional services or Big Four accounting firms
- Strong leadership and mentoring skills to develop high-performing teams
- Exceptional communication and writing skills to produce board-level reports and translate complex financial issues concisely
The Solution
Naviga launched a targeted executive search across the U.S., focusing on candidates from:
- Major professional services firms (law, accounting, consulting)
Fortune 500 financial leadership roles
- Big Four accounting backgrounds with proven progression into corporate finance leadership
Our approach included:
- A highly confidential outreach strategy to protect the client’s anonymity
- Rigorous vetting of technical finance skills and regulatory expertise
- Evaluation of leadership style and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-standard environment
Structured alignment with key decision-makers including the Senior Director of Finance, CFO, and COO
The Result
Naviga successfully secured a Director of Finance who brought:
- Extensive experience in multi-billion-dollar, multi-site professional services organizations
- CPA credentials and Big Four accounting foundation
- Hands-on expertise in financial planning and analysis, collections oversight, and general ledger management
- A strong leadership presence with a proven ability to mentor, develop, and scale finance teams
Within the first months, the new leader began:
- Driving improvements in collections analytics and oversight
- Providing sharper direction for the FP&A function to support strategic initiatives
- Serving as a trusted advisor and deputy to the CFO while building credibility with executive leadership and the Board
Impact
With Naviga’s support, the client was able to:
- Execute a highly confidential executive search with discretion and efficiency
- Fill a newly created leadership role designed to strengthen financial operations
- Position the finance team to deliver greater strategic insights and long-term planning
- Empower senior leadership by offloading critical responsibilities to a trusted new executive
Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search is a leading provider of Executive Search, Contingent Workforce Solutions, Leadership and Individual Contributor hiring, empowering businesses to achieve their strategic objectives through expert talent acquisition. With a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of market trends, Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search helps organizations build high-performing teams and navigate complex workforce challenges.