Case Study | PE Backed Business
Finding the perfect hire through a candidate they almost never met
We partnered with this fast-growing, PE-backed business to scale their finance team as the business went from strength to strength.
The Challenge
Founded in 2015, this business has grown quickly in the decade it's been established, and they needed a recruitment partner to support that. We placed a Finance Director with them in 2021, and the rest, as they say, is history.
We followed the FD placement up with 4 more hires into that team, and to date, we've made more than a dozen placements, helping them build a finance team to support the rapid growth they've experienced and continue to do so - our most recent placement was in July 2026.
What began as a single hire into a small business with big plans to scale has grown into an ongoing partnership across the whole finance function.
Our Approach
Due to the hiring team not being sure if what they wanted could be found, the first step was an informal meeting over lunch. We laid out all available solutions, rather than jumping straight to the brief. The wide approach was appreciated, as there were options we outlined that the team hadn't previously considered:
- Part-time and full-time candidates considered: This worked well, as the business wasn't 100% sure they needed a full-time placement - it was more important they got the right person - and it meant nobody was missed during the search
- First-movers from practice: We advised looking at practice candidates as it meant we could target accountants with charity client experience gained in practice, who were ready to make their first move in-house - this covered the technical skills needed as well as the sector experience.
- Self-employed/freelance candidates: Suggesting this as an option meant opening up a wider pool of technical talent who weren't tied to permanent roles, and could work more flexibly than a typical full-time placement.
Following that first meeting, the client came back with a much clearer picture of what they wanted, meaning the brief they gave us was considered and thought through. While we'd waited, we'd begun a broader search, so we were ready to go as soon as we received the brief.
The Outcome
Our shortlist was sent to the client within 3 days of receiving the full brief, and 3 candidates were chosen for interview, a two-stage process covering both technical ability and commercial skills.
The successful candidate was an ICAEW qualified accountant, experienced in the charity sector, who had previously helped another local third-sector organisation grow their commercial scope.
She's settled in her new role, and the charity is happy with her performance.
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