How to Identify and Recruit Top Financial Leaders for Your Company

There are many skills and attributes that top financial leaders possess. A one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment is rarely successful however, because the skills required are subjective to the needs of your organisation.

How do you identify and recruit top tier financial leaders who have the capabilities to serve the unique needs of your business?

Identify the needs of your business

Before you even begin the recruitment process, think critically about the skills and attributes your company needs in order to reach its goals.

If you’ve been slow to adopt modern working practices for example, you need a financial leader who’s adept at embracing and implementing advanced technologies and digitalisation.

If you’re trying to move the business in a new direction, you need someone who’s strategic, can understand long-term goals and successfully identify and evaluate potential financial risks.

A skills audit can help you to better understand the skills of your current employees and where there are gaps. An assessment tool like The Acuity Measure will help you to identify this as well as determine how a new hire will fit in with your organisation.

Look beyond qualifications

While candidates with impressive qualifications and vast experience look great on paper, how does this translate to the needs of your business? Understanding a candidate’s skills and how they fit within the broader senior team, is where you truly add value to the hiring process.

Capability hiring is an innovative recruitment strategy which focuses on identifying candidates who have the ability and willingness to learn and develop the skills necessary for the job.

By hiring individuals who have the potential to learn and grow, while tackling new challenges and adapting to changing markets, companies can gain a competitive advantage over other organisations who are relying on employees with specific, pre-existing skills.

By bringing in people from different backgrounds, companies can build diverse teams who have a growth mindset and will therefore excel in their jobs.

Make your organisation an attractive prospect

Attracting top financial leaders requires more than a competitive salary. A great leader wants strategic influence, a strong organisational culture and opportunities for growth.

A Financial Infrastructure Review enables you to analyse your existing financial structure while creating a roadmap for improvements. You can understand more about how your finance operations are currently running, how to implement a best-in-class structure and how to get your business from where it is, to where you want it to be.

Armed with this information, you can articulate a clear vision for the role of your new financial leader, showcase a positive workplace culture and offer a compelling package which includes professional development opportunities.

To find your next top financial leader, get in touch with Acuity Associates to find out how we can help.