Finance Talent Behind Better Business Decisions.
Lead Search Group recruits finance and accounting talent across Toronto, the GTA and beyond. From specialized accounting and FP&A professionals to Controllers and senior finance leaders, we combine targeted research, proactive outreach and a personalized search strategy to find people with the expertise and business judgment the role demands.
Let's Talk About Your Finance HiringPrincipal | Lead Search Group
Specialized Talent Across Finance & Accounting.
Finance teams span very different disciplines, from accounting and financial reporting to planning, treasury, risk and executive leadership. Lead Search Group recruits across that landscape, matching the search strategy to the technical requirements, level of seniority and business context behind the role.
Accounting &
Financial Reporting
Accountants, financial reporting professionals and technical specialists supporting accurate reporting, controls, compliance and financial integrity.
FP&A &
Commercial Finance
FP&A, financial analysis and commercial finance talent helping organizations plan, forecast, evaluate performance and make stronger business decisions.
Controllership &
Finance Operations
Controllers and finance operations professionals strengthening reporting, processes, controls and the day to day effectiveness of the finance function.
Tax &
Treasury
Tax and treasury professionals managing increasingly complex requirements across compliance, liquidity, cash, capital and financial risk.
Audit, Risk &
Compliance
Internal audit, financial risk and compliance professionals helping organizations strengthen governance, oversight and organizational resilience.
Finance Leadership &
CFO
CFOs, Vice Presidents, Directors and senior finance leaders shaping financial strategy, building strong teams and supporting organizational growth.
The Right Finance Candidate May Never Apply.
Strong finance and accounting talent is often already trusted with important decisions, leading teams or helping another organization perform better. Finding the right person means understanding where that expertise sits, what experience truly matters and who may be open to the right opportunity.
We Know Where Specialized Finance Talent Sits.
The strongest candidate may be working inside a public company, private business, professional services firm, high growth organization or a finance team with experience directly relevant to the challenge behind your role.
We map the companies, industries, finance functions and adjacent talent pools where the right experience is most likely to exist, then build the search around the mandate, level of complexity and business outcomes behind the hire.
Corporate finance teams, public and private companies, accounting and professional services firms, high growth organizations, regulated environments, organizations undergoing transformation and finance functions with specialized technical or commercial expertise.
Find the People Others May Never See.
Many accomplished finance professionals are not actively searching for a new role. They may be trusted advisors inside their organization, leading important initiatives or simply waiting for an opportunity that offers greater scope, influence or growth.
Lead Search Group combines targeted research, direct headhunting, professional relationships and referrals to reach candidates beyond the active applicant market and start conversations that a job posting may never create.
Accounting and reporting professionals, FP&A and commercial finance talent, Controllers, tax and treasury specialists, audit and risk professionals, Finance Directors, Vice Presidents, CFOs and other senior finance leaders.
Expertise. Judgment. Relationships. Reach.
We find finance talent that fits what the organization needs to accomplish, not simply the people whose resumes match the job description.
What Does the Business Need Finance to Do Next?
Finance hiring often begins with a title, designation or list of technical requirements. Those things matter, but the strongest search starts by understanding what the organization needs finance to accomplish, the complexity of the environment and how the role will influence better business decisions.
What does success in this finance role actually need to look like?
Protect the
Numbers
What financial expertise does the organization actually need?
The right profile depends on the work behind the role, whether that means financial reporting, controllership, planning, tax, treasury, audit or another specialized finance discipline.
Turn Insight Into
Decisions
How will this person help the business make better decisions?
Strong finance professionals do more than report what happened. They interpret performance, identify opportunities, challenge assumptions and help leaders understand what the numbers mean for the business.
Match the
Environment
What kind of financial environment will this person need to navigate?
A growing private company, public organization, regulated business and complex multinational can require very different experience. The scale and complexity of the environment should help define the candidate market.
Move the Business
Forward
What will this person be expected to influence, lead or change?
Finance leadership may involve building teams, strengthening controls, improving performance, guiding investment or helping shape business strategy. The mandate should define the leader, not simply the title.
The Best Finance Candidate Is Not Always the Most Technical One.
A strong finance search looks beyond designations, systems and job titles to understand the combination of expertise, business insight, complexity and leadership the organization actually needs. Defining those things clearly can dramatically change where the search should begin.
Let's Talk About Your
Finance Hiring.
Tell us what the organization needs finance to accomplish. We can help shape the search around the mandate, candidate market and experience the role actually requires.
Discuss a Finance Search
Expertise. Insight.
Judgment. Leadership.
A practical guide to defining what your organization really needs from a finance hire before the search begins.
Get the Finance Hiring PlaybookPractical guidance for organizations preparing to make an important finance hire.
Finance Search With More Judgment Behind It.
Finance recruitment is not simply about matching designations, systems or years of experience to a job description. The strongest search considers the mandate, the complexity of the business and the combination of technical expertise, judgment and commercial perspective the role actually requires.
Finance
Judgment
We look beyond titles and designations to understand the complexity candidates have managed, the decisions they have influenced and the impact they have made.
Principal
Led
Your search stays close to experienced recruitment leadership, from defining the mandate through research, outreach, assessment and the final hire.
Search Strategy
Built for You
Your finance structure, business environment, level of complexity and hiring priorities determine where we search and which candidates we approach.
Relationships
Expand the Search
Targeted research, direct headhunting, referrals and professional relationships help us reach finance talent that may never enter the active candidate market.
Relationships That Speak for Themselves.
Our reputation has been built one relationship at a time. Clients and candidates trust Lead Search Group with important hiring and career decisions, and their experiences say more about our approach than we ever could.
Jackie Sparking
Leslie Proulx
Magdalena is more than a recruiter – she takes the time to develop a close relationship with her clients. I had the pleasure of working with Magdalena when I was looking for a new HR role. Living in Calgary at the time, I was eager to move back to Ontario. The idea of finding a new job across the country was daunting. Magdalena and I connected and I immediately knew that I had her full support in my job search. She took the time to understand my interests and my career goals, ultimately leading to securing a position in a few weeks. Since that first initial contact with Magdalena more than two years ago, we have maintained a close relationship, both professionally and personally.
Victoria Almeida
It has been an absolute pleasure working with Magdalena. It’s very clear that she has a sincere interest in her clients’ success and she works so hard to ensure that they find the perfect role. She is always in touch every step of the way and makes sure you are confident and comfortable before going into an interview or putting you forth for a position. I love working with her and recommend any contact who is searching for a new role to her as a recruiter but more so as an advisor and confidant. She placed me in my current role (before providing me with quite a few amazing opportunities) and its been a great opportunity for me. I look forward to working with Magdalena in the future.
Questions Worth Asking Before a Finance Search.
Finance hiring can look straightforward on paper, but titles and designations rarely tell the whole story. The mandate, level of complexity, business environment, candidate market and degree of influence the role requires can all shape who the right candidate actually is.
Many accomplished finance professionals are already established inside organizations where they are trusted, progressing and not actively applying for roles. We use targeted research, market mapping, direct headhunting, referrals and professional relationships to identify and approach candidates who may only consider moving for the right mandate.
It depends on the role. A CPA or other professional designation may be essential for positions involving technical accounting, financial reporting, controllership or specific regulatory responsibilities. In other roles, commercial judgment, planning experience, leadership capability or industry knowledge may matter more. We define what is truly required before narrowing the candidate market.
We look at the complexity candidates have managed, how they interpret financial information, the decisions they have influenced and how effectively they work with leaders outside finance. For many roles, the ability to turn financial insight into better business decisions is just as important as technical proficiency.
Not always. Some mandates require specific regulatory, reporting, transaction or sector experience. In others, the strongest candidate may come from an adjacent industry where they have operated in a similar business model, scale or level of complexity. We separate genuinely essential experience from requirements that may unnecessarily restrict the search.
Searches can include accounting and financial reporting professionals, FP&A and commercial finance talent, Controllers, tax and treasury specialists, audit and risk professionals, Finance Directors, Vice Presidents, CFOs and other senior finance leaders. The scope is shaped by the mandate rather than limited to a fixed list of titles.
Yes. Finance roles often change as organizations clarify whether they need stronger technical accounting, better planning, greater commercial insight, improved controls or broader financial leadership. We can help work through the mandate, candidate profile and talent market before outreach begins so the search reflects what the business actually needs.
Yes. While Lead Search Group is based in Toronto, finance and accounting searches can extend across Canada and into the United States when the mandate requires a broader candidate market. The geography of the search should reflect where the right expertise is most likely to be found.
Have a Finance Role That Is Hard to Define?
Start with what the business needs finance to accomplish. Tell us where the gap is, and we can help determine what the role and search should look like.
Discuss a Finance Search
More Confidence in Every Hire.
Hiring is a significant investment. Lead Search Group provides a six month replacement guarantee on qualifying permanent placements, giving clients added protection and confidence that our commitment continues beyond the placement.
Let's Talk About Your SearchExecutive Search Expertise Beyond the Search
Magdalena Duleba-Lapensee brings more than 25 years of recruitment experience and shares her perspective on personalized recruitment, leadership hiring and building stronger organizations.
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