About CJ White Group

Why we exist

Most recruitment agencies treat finance as one column of many, staffed by a generalist consultant who cannot tell an ACA from an ACCA finalist, a group role from a management accountant, or a corporate treasury post from a fund treasury post. The finance director receives a shortlist of near-misses, wastes two rounds of interviews explaining why the candidates are not right, and quietly starts working with a second agency in parallel.

CJ White Group was set up to do the opposite. We are a specialist finance desk. Accountancy, investment management, corporate finance, tax, wealth, broking, treasury, actuarial, risk and compliance, mortgage broking, private banking and bookkeeping. Nothing else. Every consultant on the team has either qualified in finance, worked in-house on a finance team, or spent years on a specialist finance desk. We screen on genuine sector understanding, not keywords.

What we do, plainly

We place finance talent for UK employers. Direct-hire placements for accountancy practices, corporate finance teams, asset managers, insurance and pensions actuaries, banks, brokerages, family offices and owner-managed businesses. Retained search for finance directors, heads of function and senior specialist appointments. One consultant accountable end to end, from mandate through onboarding follow-up.

How we vet

Every candidate on a CJ White shortlist has been assessed against the same standard before we introduce them:

• Qualification currency confirmed (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA, CTA, CII, IFoA, ICAEW) and any exemptions or in-flight exams noted
• Sector experience validated against your brief, not just their CV headline
• Current comp package broken down: base, bonus target and history, LTIPs, pension, benefits and any deferred compensation
• Notice period, contractual restrictions and start-date realism
• Motivation for move, current market activity and any competing processes in flight
• Reference readiness and background-check readiness before introduction
• For senior and specialist roles: sector-specific case discussions and back-channel references where useful

Every shortlist arrives with our written notes on each candidate. If we cannot articulate why a candidate meets the qualification bar, sector requirement and cultural expectations, we do not send the CV.

Who we work with

Our clients include mid-tier and top-tier accountancy practices, PE-backed portfolio businesses, mid-market corporate finance teams, insurance groups, asset managers, retail lenders and mortgage broker networks, family offices and owner-managed businesses across the United Kingdom. Finance directors, partners, heads of function and hiring committees who value a properly researched search over CV volume.

How we think about a placement

A placement is not a signed offer letter. It is the moment 12 months later when the new hire is still there, the qualification is progressing on schedule where relevant, the finance function is running better than it was, and the hiring manager has stopped thinking about backup plans. That is the only outcome that matters to us, and the only one we measure ourselves against.

Our standards

• Sector-fluent screening. If we cannot articulate why a candidate matches the qualification bar and the sector requirement, the CV does not leave our desk.
• Discretion by default. Every approach is confidential. Every mandate is confidential until you say otherwise.
• Tell the truth. If a comp band is light or a brief is unrealistic for the sector, we say so before sourcing.
• One consultant, end to end. Same person from mandate through onboarding follow-up.
• Stand behind the work. Replacement guarantee on every direct-hire placement. No clawback games.

Want to talk?

Use the contact form and we will come back within one business day. We are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm.