Finance Search Partners, LLC

What Finance Search Partners, LLC does

Finance Search Partners, LLC is a boutique executive search and talent advisory firm founded in 2025 by Ray Nuñez, a former CFO/COO, and Nadica Dunkhase, an executive recruiter with 30+ years of experience. The firm recruits finance and accounting leaders (CFO, Controller, VP of Finance, Director of Accounting, Internal Audit, Tax and Treasury roles) for middle-market companies in Northern California, with a stated positioning of bringing Fortune 500-grade recruiting capability to non-Fortune 500 buyers. Customer segments include private, VC-backed, PE-backed, and high-growth startup companies operating across the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento region.

The firm offers four service lines: Retained Search (board and CEO-level finance executive placements), Direct Hire (Controller and VP of Finance placements for time-sensitive mandates such as post-funding or post-retirement hires), CFO and Talent Acquisition Consulting (interim and part-time CFO solutions plus recruitment-process advisory), and CFO Coaching (confidential personal and professional development led by co-founder Ray Nuñez). There is no proprietary technology platform — the firm's assets are the founders' combined 50+ years of operating and recruiting experience and a curated network of finance professionals. A four-person core team (two co-founders, a Senior Director of Talent, a Director of Business Consulting) executes all engagements.

The business model is professional services fee-for-engagement: placement fees on individual executive hires (typically a percentage of first-year compensation under retained or contingency terms), project fees for interim CFO and talent-acquisition consulting work, and individual fees for CFO coaching engagements. Distribution is direct enterprise sales — partnerships with boards, CEOs, and CFOs established through founder-led outreach and website-driven inbound — concentrated in Northern California with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Finance Search Partners, LLC

Legal name

Finance Search Partners, LLC

Website

https://financesearchpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Finance Search Partners is a boutique executive search firm founded in 2025 that recruits finance and accounting leaders (CFO, Controller, VP of Finance) for middle-market companies in Northern California, delivered through retained search, direct hire, CFO consulting, and coaching engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Executive search
• Finance recruiting
• Talent acquisition
• CFO consulting
• Accounting recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Retained Search: Partnership with boards and CEOs to find finance executives. Given the executive-level nature of placements, likely operates on a retained or contingency fee basis typical of executive search.
2. Direct Hire: Placement of finance leaders including Controllers, VP of Finance, and similar roles for clients who have immediate hiring needs such as post-funding or retirement replacements.
3. CFO and Talent Acquisition Consulting: Interim and part-time CFO solutions plus consultation on internal recruitment processes and leadership development.
4. CFO Coaching: Confidential coaching for CFOs and finance leaders on personal and professional development, leadership journey, and career advancement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Finance Search Partners is a boutique executive search firm specializing in finance and accounting recruiting for middle market companies. The firm offers retained search, direct hire, CFO and talent acquisition consulting, and CFO coaching services delivered through a four-person core team based in Palo Alto and Roseville, California.

Product overview

Finance Search Partners offers a unified suite of finance recruiting and talent advisory services comprising four core offerings: Retained Search (executive search for finance leadership), Direct Hire (permanent placement for finance roles), CFO and Talent Acquisition Consulting (interim CFO solutions and recruitment process consulting), and CFO Coaching (personal development coaching for finance leaders). The company leverages over 50 years of combined recruiting and C-suite finance experience to serve middle-market companies seeking Fortune 500-level recruiting capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retained Search Executive retained search service focused on placing senior finance and accounting professionals (such as CFOs, VPs of Finance, and Controllers) at middle market companies.
• Direct Hire Direct hire placement service for finance and accounting positions at middle market companies, providing end-to-end candidate sourcing, screening, and placement.
• CFO and Talent Acquisition Consulting Advisory consulting service providing CFO-level strategic guidance and talent acquisition support to middle market companies building or strengthening their finance organizations.
• CFO Coaching Coaching service for sitting CFOs and senior finance leaders, focused on leadership development, performance, and transition support.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Robert Half International: Largest publicly traded staffing and executive search firm with a dedicated finance and accounting practice, including finance leadership placement. Directly comparable business model (search + direct hire + consulting) and customer overlap with FSP's middle-market finance executive clients.
• Parker + Lynch (part of Adecco): National search and direct-hire firm dedicated to accounting and finance roles, including executive-level finance placements. Comparable service mix and target buyer (CFOs, Controllers, senior accounting/finance leaders) to FSP.
• FLG Partners: Boutique firm specializing in interim and fractional CFO services plus finance leadership advisory for technology and growth companies. Overlaps with FSP's consulting/coaching arm and CFO-focused value proposition.
• Burkland Associates: Boutique provider of fractional CFO, finance executive recruiting, and HR services to venture-backed startups and growth-stage companies. Highly comparable to FSP's middle-market VC/PE-backed client focus and bundled search-plus-consulting model.
• Crist Kolder Associates: Boutique executive search firm focused exclusively on finance officer placements (CFOs, VPs Finance, Controllers). Closest direct comparable to FSP in service specialization, boutique scale, and finance-only mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a deep CFO and finance officer practice serving boards and CEOs. Comparable in target buyer (boards and CEOs) and search methodology, though operating at a much larger scale.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice including CFO and finance officer placement. Overlaps with FSP on retained CFO searches while also offering broader talent and organizational advisory services.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Financial Officers Practice that places CFOs and senior finance leaders. Comparable retained-search methodology and board/CEO buyer profile, though at larger scale and global reach.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Financial Services Practice placing CFOs and finance leaders. Competes for the same retained CFO mandates FSP targets, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Alliance Search Partners: Boutique executive search firm specializing in finance and accounting leadership placements. Closely mirrors FSP's service specialization and boutique scale with similar retained-search and direct-hire offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finance-search-partners-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Finance Search Partners, LLC