Private Client · Family Office CFO
Family Office CFO and Head of Finance search.
The functional finance leader for a single or multi family office. Retained, discreet, senior-partner-led.
What the role is
A short definition.
A Family Office CFO leads the finance function for a UHNW principal’s office — consolidated reporting across investment vehicles, trusts and holding companies; tax and treasury coordination with external advisors; cash management across jurisdictions; and, in many offices, the operational finance leadership for the family’s private investment platform. In smaller offices the CFO also holds Head of Legal or Head of Operations responsibilities; in larger ones, those roles sit separately.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Consolidated financial reporting across the family’s investment vehicles, trusts and holding structures
- Coordination with external tax, legal and audit advisors across jurisdictions
- Cash management, treasury and FX for the principal and the office
- Operational finance leadership for the family’s private investment platform where relevant
- Governance and controls, particularly around related-party transactions and principal-directed activity
- Support on the office’s technology, risk and cybersecurity where a dedicated COO or CIO is not in seat
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
When the office’s asset base or complexity outgrows the current finance capability; when a principal-led office moves toward a governance-led model with a formal investment committee; when a generational transition prompts a rethink of controls, reporting and consolidated visibility; when an existing CFO moves on. Every mandate we run is retained.
How we search for this role
The specific approach we take.
The strongest candidates typically have prior CFO or Deputy CFO experience in a family office, a private investment platform or a comparable single-mandate corporate development function. In some offices the profile also draws from Big Four private client tax partnership or from senior audit / assurance leadership. We assess against the specific governance archetype of the office — principal-led, governance-led or enterprise-adjacent — because the temperament fit differs sharply between the three.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Family Office CFO and a Head of Finance?
In most single family offices the two are interchangeable, and we use “Family Office CFO” as the standard title in our mandates. In larger multi-family offices, “Head of Finance” tends to refer to the internal finance-team lead reporting to a Chief Investment Officer or Family Office CEO, while “CFO” is the governance-facing role.
Do you recruit for single family offices or multi-family offices?
Both. The retained mandate model, the on/off-limits agreements and the governance context we run every search under are the same. What differs is the target profile — single family office CFOs are typically closer to the principal; multi-family CFOs run a more institutional finance function.
How long does the search take?
Ten to fourteen weeks is typical, brief to accepted offer. The market for family-office-experienced CFOs is small and largely off-limits, so market mapping is the longest phase.
Is family-office experience essential, or can a corporate CFO make the move?
Family-office experience is preferred but not always essential. Corporate CFOs from mid-market private companies, particularly founder-led businesses, can make the transition if they demonstrate the temperament to operate in an environment where the principal is the ultimate decision-maker on every material question. We calibrate against the specific office in the brief.
How is compensation typically structured?
Base salary, discretionary bonus, and in many offices a long-term component linked to the family’s investment performance or a co-investment sleeve. Compensation is typically at or above the corporate-equivalent CFO benchmark for the same scale, reflecting the demands on discretion and personal fit.
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