Principal, Executive Search, Altima
CFO search firm for high-growth tech
Be an early applicant
CFO search firm for high-growth tech
21-100 employees
Be an early applicant
21-100 employees
Company mission
To help the world’s leading tech companies scale, by finding their game-changing CFO.
Role
Who you are
- Strong command of search processes from calibration to close
- Skilled in candidate engagement and negotiation
- Ability to generate and communicate clear market insights
- Commercial literacy in reporting and forecasting
- Strong ecosystem knowledge (CFO archetypes, VC/PE, high-growth tech)
- Clear communicator, confident in client and candidate interactions
- Highly proactive, works at pace with strong ownership of deliverables
- Effective at project managing multiple searches, priorities and deadlines
- Skilled stakeholder manager, able to balance internal and external relationships with sound judgement
- Collaborative, supportive mentor and adaptable team player
- Adaptable and resilient, able to pivot strategies based on feedback
- Values-driven, linking personal contribution to Altima’s mission
What the job involves
- Principals act as the senior second on searches, and will independently lead some Level 2/3 and CFO-1 searches. They blend search design, calibration, and candidate engagement with growing client credibility, while taking increasing responsibility for mentoring, pitch opportunities, commercial outcomes, and stakeholder management
- Support Partners on searches; lead end-to-end delivery of some Level 2/3 searches
- Translate discovery insights into a clear search strategy, accurately defining the client’s CFO requirements (“decoding the CFO need”)
- Ability to pivot search strategy based on client and market feedback. search strategies
- Build and manage realistic search timelines, providing accurate forecasting and delivering to agreed milestone
- Accurately assess a candidate’s capability and fit against set criteria
- Run calibration calls and present candidates with clear guidance and recommendations
- Manage candidate pipelines, ensuring timely, high-quality execution
- Provide market intelligence that drives client decision-making
- Report on progress, timelines, risks, and mitigation plans
- Lead the research effort and approach to ensure effective search execution
- Collaborate with team members to ensure candidates progress through the process in a timely manner
- Mentor and train junior team members to build overall team capability
- Qualify and approve fund mapping completed by Analysts
- Lead on relevant CFO -1 outreach for CFOs who they know well/searches they have led
- Support Growth and Partners with pitch materials, as well as overseeing and approving output from Associates
- Leverage CFO network to generate BD leads for CFO-1 retainers
- The role is measured by: Search delivery pace and quality, quality of candidate assessment and screening, search strategy input, and pipeline health across mandates
Salary benchmarks
Our take
CFOs are the unsung heroes of the business world, and their expertise is especially crucial at a company’s early stages. The right CFO can bring strategy, financial knowledge and the power for growth, yet many hiring teams lack the understanding of the role and the network to make the right hire. Moreover, it’s not uncommon to find the same batch of financial leaders taking work from CFO up-and-comers.
It’s for these reasons that Altima specialises in CFO search and advisory. Combining executive search with consultancy, Altima uses its extensive networks, rigorous research skills and data-driven approach to advise on the perfect match between a company and its CFO.
What started as an early-stage start-up partner has grown into a firm that operates across the entire growth cycle, from Series A to private equity. It’s the specificity that helps Altima stand out, and in its over two decades of operating, it’s expanded its reach across Europe to become a leader in its field. With clients including Bolt, Personio, Tide, Octopus EV and many other startup success stories.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Company benefits
- Enhanced Holiday Offering
- Private Healthcare
- Classpass Gym Membership
- Weekly Team Lunch
- Headspace Membership
- £500 L&D Budget
- Regular External Training Opportunities (most recently AI and Business Development)
Company values
- We will be unwavering in our focus to deliver excellent results
- We will work at pace, with precision and positivity
- We will value diversity, treating candidates fairly and providing balanced recommendations
- We will be honest and act with integrity
- We will root our decisions in data and real-time market insights
Company HQ
Westminster, London, UK
Leadership
John Watkins
(Founder & CEO)John founded Altima in 2000 and has served as the company's CEO since.
Ann-Marie Rossiter
(Head of Growth)Ann-Marie joined Altima in 2024 as the Head of Marketing and moved into the role of Head of Growth in 2025.
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