Designing Roles That Attract Leaders: A Strategic FP&A Search Success

The Brief

We were recently engaged by a global equipment manufacturer to appoint a newly created FP&A (Finance, Planning & Analysis) Manager role based in Melbourne. Reporting into regional finance in the UK, the position carried a clear mandate: establish a best-in-class FP&A function based locally  to play a key role in driving planning, performance, and decision-making right across the functions.

From the outset, it was clear this was more than a traditional search. It was a key position and an opportunity to help shape a role with genuine strategic impact, autonomy, and a clearly defined career pathway—attributes that are increasingly critical in attracting high-calibre finance talent.

Our Approach

To ensure a rigorous and well-rounded assessment, two Partners led the search. Merran contributed deep client knowledge and a long-established relationship, while Andrew provided strong technical accounting expertise. The benefit of having two perspectives was maximised through careful planning, which we were pleased to have in place.

We worked closely with the client to position the opportunity and their brand’s profile in the market, going beyond a standard job description, clearly articulating the mandate, scope, and long-term value of the role to the market. A successful approach, generating a strong and highly relevant talent pool.

An extremely strong  shortlist of five candidates was presented, with three progressing through a multi-stage interview process involving stakeholders across Australia, the UK, and the US.

Navigating Complexity

As expected with a globally connected FP&A role, the stakeholder group was broad—spanning regional leadership, local management, and international finance teams. Each brought a different perspective on what success looked like, and this, to be honest, is where things got a little ‘tricky’.

In this particular case, the client found it hard to separate the final 3 contenders. Our role extended beyond candidate delivery. We actively supported the coordination and alignment of stakeholders throughout the process, ensuring that momentum was maintained and candidate engagement remained high, even as differing views emerged and timeframes extended.

The Outcome

A successful appointment was made, with the selected candidate now firmly embedded and already contributing to the business’s financial planning capability and decision-making framework both locally and globally.

Key Takeaways for Clients

• Role design drives attraction
  The most effective way to attract top talent is not just through access to candidates, but through clearly defined roles with purpose, impact, and career progression. Move beyond traditional position descriptions. Senior leaders are attracted to autonomy, strategic influence and impact.
• Stakeholder alignment is critical
  Well-planned and coordinated hiring processes—particularly in complex, multi-stakeholder environments—are essential to securing top candidates and avoiding unnecessary delays and the risk of disengagement. Each stakeholder has to be aligned on ‘what success looks like’.
• Rigorous assessment reduces risk
  A dual-partner approach enabled a deeper, more balanced evaluation, ensuring both technical capability and cultural fit were thoroughly assessed.

Final Thought

In today’s market, successful hiring is never just about filling a role. It requires thoughtful design, clear alignment, and a structured approach to execution. When these elements come together, organisations are best positioned to secure high-impact talent that drives influence, impact  and longer-term value.