Willmott & Associates

What Willmott & Associates does

Willmott & Associates is a privately held, Acton, Massachusetts-based recruiting and staffing agency founded in September 1982 by Clark Willmott. The firm specializes in placing Human Resources and Accounting/Finance professionals across all levels and sub-disciplines (Benefits, Compensation, HRIS, Talent Acquisition, OD/L&D, HRBP, etc.) and across all U.S. industries, including life sciences, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology. Its customer base spans enterprises (Merck KGaA, Merck Millipore Sigma, Timberland, Mass General Brigham, Bose, AAA, SNHU, IDC, Drager, Boston Beer Company, Algorand) and mid-market firms (WaveForm Diabetes).

The company's revenue model is organized around three core service streams. Direct Hire Placement offers executive retained and contingency search on a one-time placement-fee basis. Contract Placement delivers short-term and long-term temporary and consulting assignments for HR/Accounting-Finance roles, billed as professional services. Payroll Services, a managed offering, handles tax, unemployment, workers' compensation, and compliance for interim candidates in exchange for an administrative fee. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; client engagement is conducted via a consultative, values-driven sales motion led by senior consultants rather than digital self-serve.

On the technology layer, Willmott operates a basic WordPress-based job portal (with WP Job Manager functionality) and an HR Contractors Registry for real-time consultant availability, alongside standard social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X), newsletters, and HR-association involvement (NEHRA, HRLF, SHRM, MAHRA, World at Work). The firm is family-influenced (Jeff Willmott, son of the founder, serves as Senior Vice President), independently owned with no outside institutional capital, and currently led by President Dan Hill following the 2024 passing of founder Clark Willmott and the 2022 retirement of Managing Partner Dave Zito.

Name

Willmott & Associates

Legal name

Willmott & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://willmott.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Willmott & Associates is a privately held, Acton, Massachusetts-based recruiting and staffing agency founded in 1982 that places Human Resources and Accounting/Finance professionals for direct hire, contract, and payroll engagements across all U.S. industries and all seniority levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR and Accounting/Finance Staffing Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC), Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)

Keywords

• HR staffing services
• Direct hire placement
• Contract staffing
• Executive search
• Payroll services

Headquarters

HQ city

Acton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Hire Placement: Retained search at executive level and contingency placement at all levels for HR and Accounting/Finance professionals. Fee-based placement services where clients pay upon successful placement.
2. Contract Placement: Short-term and long-term temporary/consulting assignments for HR and Accounting/Finance needs. Provides customized solutions for immediate openings, strategic projects, and ongoing staffing needs.
3. Payroll Services: Payroll services for interim candidates in any functional area. Handles all associated costs including taxes, unemployment, workers compensation, and compliance, charging for the administrative service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Willmott & Associates is a recruiting and staffing agency that places Human Resources and Accounting/Finance professionals for client organizations. Core offerings include Direct Hire Placement (executive retained and contingency search at all levels across all industries), Contract Placement (short- and long-term temporary/consulting assignments), and Payroll Services (handling all employment costs for interim candidates including taxes, unemployment, workers' compensation, and compliance).

Product overview

Willmott & Associates is a staffing and recruiting agency, not a software platform company. The company offers a portfolio of staffing services rather than a unified software product. Its core service offerings consist of Direct Hire Placement (executive retained and contingency search), Contract Placement (temporary and consulting assignments), and Payroll Services. These services are supported by a Job Search Portal and HR Contractors Registry, which function as internal tools for candidate sourcing and job matching rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct Hire Placement

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully placed thousands of HR professionals over 40+ years in business
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Robert Half International: Largest specialized staffing firm in accounting/finance and the dominant direct competitor in Willmott's expanded Accounting/Finance placement vertical; also operates HR contract staffing and competes in mid-to-senior HR placements with similar fee-based models.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with deep HR Officers & HR Practice expertise; directly competes for retained executive HR search engagements with similar candidate-driven, fee-based model.
• Spencer Stuart: Privately held executive search firm with one of the strongest HR practice groups globally; competes for board, CEO, and CHRO-level HR search mandates where Willmott also offers retained search.
• Beacon Hill Staffing Group: Boston-based staffing firm operating across accounting/finance, HR, and technology with direct hire, contract, and managed services—overlapping with Willmott's geography (New England), service mix, and target client size.
• Accountemps (Robert Half division): Temp-to-hire and contract accounting/finance staffing arm of Robert Half; directly competes with Willmott's Contract Placement and Payroll Services for interim finance professionals in the Northeast.
• MRI Network (Management Recruiters International): Franchise-based network of specialized direct hire recruiters, including a strong HR practice; competes with Willmott for mid-to-senior HR and accounting/finance direct hire placements with similar contingency fee model.
• The Intersect Group: Specialized staffing firm focused on finance/accounting, HR, and IT contract and direct hire placements; directly comparable service mix and similar SMB-to-mid-market enterprise client orientation.
• Solomon Page Group: Mid-sized New York-based staffing firm with HR, accounting/finance, and creative search practices; competes with Willmott on direct hire and contract HR placements with a similar fee structure and boutique service model.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with executive search, RPO, and HR advisory practices; competes with Willmott on retained executive HR search and increasingly on HR consulting mandates for enterprise clients.
• Adecco: Global staffing leader with HR and accounting/finance divisions; Dan Hill (Willmott's President) previously worked at Adecco Staffing Services, and the firm represents a structural competitor and potential acquirer profile for niche US recruiters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/willmotthrjobs
• Facebookfacebook.com/willmottassoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/24966
• Instagraminstagram.com/willmottassociatesinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Willmott & Associates