Senior Researcher CFO Practice | London | Odgers Executive Search

Odgers; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global executive search firm in London is seeking a Senior Researcher for its CFO Practice. This pivotal role focuses on identifying top talent for senior-level positions in financial leadership. The ideal candidate should possess strong research experience, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple assignments. This opportunity supports professional development within the financial services sector and offers a hybrid working model, allowing flexibility while collaborating closely with colleagues.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

Group company pension

Cycle to Work scheme

Wellbeing programmes

Qualifications

• Strong experience in research and managing multiple assignments.
• Ability to engage with senior candidates and clients.
• Commitment to maintaining high quality information.

Responsibilities

• Identify and attract exceptional talent for CFO searches.
• Manage timelines and expectations on projects.
• Support and mentor junior team members as needed.

Skills

Research and process management

Excellent communication

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Job description

About the role

Senior Researcher Financial Leadership (CFO) Practice – London.

About the Practice

At Odgers every search marks the beginning of a long‑term partnership.

We don’t just fill roles; we build relationships that last throughout the careers of the clients and candidates we support. Our commitment extends well beyond the placement, offering ongoing advice and guidance as careers and businesses evolve.

Led by Mark Freebairn our Financial Management Practice has developed a market‑leading understanding of financial leadership – particularly the evolving role of the CFO and the strategic functions they lead. By deeply embedding ourselves in our clients’ organisations we bring insight and perspective that goes far beyond the brief.

From FTSE 100 companies to high‑growth start‑ups and across public‑private‑equity‑backed government and not‑for‑profit sectors, we’ve built trusted partnerships with some of the world’s most influential organisations.

Our dedication to understanding our clients and championing the next generation of financial leaders has firmly established Odgers as the leading executive search team in the financial space.

The Opportunity

Research is at the heart of everything we do at Odgers. Our Researchers play a pivotal role in identifying and attracting exceptional talent for senior‑level positions underpinning the success of every search assignment.

As a Senior Researcher in the CFO Practice you will play a pivotal role in the successful delivery of complex and high‑profile CFO and Finance Director searches specifically in the Financial Services sector. Working closely with Partners and Consultants you will contribute deep market insight, rigorous research and operational excellence.

You will be confident and capable of managing multiple assignments simultaneously, often under tight timelines, and will bring an interest – and ideally an understanding – in either financial leadership roles or the Financial Services sectors. Your ability to engage credibly with senior candidates and clients, assess talent effectively and navigate complex search landscapes will be critical to your success.

This is a role for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced intellectually demanding environment and is passionate about identifying and supporting the next generation of financial leaders.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to deepen knowledge of both the financial services industry and the CFO function. Prior experience working with financial services clients is not required, though previous exposure to hiring financial officers is preferred. The team is committed to supporting your learning in both areas – sector and function.

At Odgers we’re committed to investing in our people. If you’re looking for a role that offers development support and the opportunity to grow, we would love to hear from you.

About you

Candidates should bring strong experience in research and process management and the ability to liaise with candidates and clients across a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. Critical attributes for this role include excellent communication and report writing skills, meticulous documentation management, a transparent communication approach and the ability to work at pace.

• Strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail, flexibility and rigour.
• Intellectually curious with a desire to learn a broad outlook, bringing creative thinking and common sense.
• Ability to communicate with authority and clarity, confidently engaging and influencing senior interest in the CFO function, and an eagerness to build deep expertise in this area with the support and mentorship of the team, plus an appreciation for the CFO function and its central role in the development and growth of our clients’ businesses.
• Ability to deliver best‑in‑class research for client assignments and become a trusted advisor to internal and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to maintaining high quality information, proactively managing timelines and expectations on a project from inception to completion – requiring a good sense of timing, persistence, and patience, but most importantly communication. This includes the ability to effectively manage upwards with your practice to work autonomously in a flat non‑hierarchical company structure with a culture of unity and collaboration.
• A commitment to inclusion and diversity both during the search process and in our internal environment.

About us

Odgers is one of the world’s leading global executive search firms. Our reputation for excellence and integrity has been established over 60 years, and we are a partnership‑driven by the client‑candidate and employee experience. We function as trusted advisors to our clients and candidates and engage with a diverse range of leaders for the most influential roles across a wide variety of industries. The service we deliver is creative, insightful and most importantly in partnership; we pride ourselves on maintaining personal relationships.

At Odgers we are proud of our progressive, diverse, meritocratic and collaborative culture where you will find support, training and career development working with colleagues striving for excellence in all they do. We are UK‑headquartered with colleagues across 58 offices in 32 countries, specialising in over 50 sectors and functions.

Hybrid Working

Our hybrid working policy is based on the principles of empowerment, mutual trust and flexibility, recognising that we work best when we make choices about when, where and how we work. At the same time we are reminded that time together is so important. We are a client‑service business in which our relationships and our culture provide a significant advantage. Our offices remain critical to how we work; they are a place for collaboration, learning and support and an anchor for the culture of which we are so proud.

We operate a hybrid working model which would typically see you spending a minimum of 3 days working from the office and the rest remotely. Your work pattern will be reliant on business demands and we would expect you to manage your time accordingly.

At Odgers we are committed to fostering a work environment that is safe and respectful of all individuals. We have and will always stand with and support the inclusion and equity of our colleagues, candidates and clients and are committed to improving diversity in all its forms within Odgers.

Unlimited embodies this philosophy and our commitment to inclusion.

We have several initiatives that ensure equity is practised at all levels of our organisation, including our Allies programme, an equitable recruitment process designed to ensure opportunity, our Next Generation Council and a meritocratic promotion process.

Sustainability

Modern businesses have a duty to be environmentally responsible and operate sustainably. We believe this represents not only sound commercial sense but also recognises our ethical responsibility to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment and to leave a positive legacy for future generations.

We have committed to science‑based decarbonisation targets and have received verification of these goals from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). These targets will hold us accountable to our sustainability strategy while enabling us to measure our progress. This is complemented by us continuing to provide sustainability insight to our clients and cultivating a track record within sustainable businesses and in placing sustainability leaders.

Corporate Social Responsibility

We take charity seriously but like to have fun too. Our CSR team are always thinking up new events and activities to get involved in and raise funds for our chosen charity – British Heart Foundation.

We also have a variety of social clubs and learning opportunities to suit everyone, such as the Brunch and Learn Session, Odgers choir, the book club or one of the many sports clubs.

Whats on offer

A competitive base salary supplemented by our benefits package and discretionary bonus.

• 25 days Annual leave, 3 gift days for the Christmas closure bank holidays.
• Private Medical Insurance with Bupa and a cash plan with Simply Health.
• Group Company Pension.
• Season Ticket Loan & Cycle to Work scheme.
• Give As You Earn.
• Group Income Protection.
• Group Life Assurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Charity Day.
• Wellbeing programmes, support and speakers.
• On‑boarding induction training and ongoing professional development.
• Corporate member discounts and benefits available through Bupa and Simply Health, including gym discounts.

Applications

We are committed to ensuring everyone can access our website and application processes. This includes people with sight loss, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, need to apply in a different format or need any reasonable adjustments made for any interview, please contact our Talent Team.

For any comments or suggestions about improving access to our application processes, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Eligibility

You must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Employment Details

Employment Type: Full‑time

Vacancy: 1