CLIENT: A Social Emotional Learning K-12 EdTech Company

EXECUTIVES: Full Leadership team

BUSINESS UNIT: C-Suite

Executive Search Recruiting Challenge: PE-Backed K-12 EdTech Company Seeks First Chief Financial Officer

Looking For Their First Full-Time Chief Financial Officer Creates an Urgent Need to Fill the Role

A growing K-12 edtech company specializing in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) partnered with Rice Cohen International to find their first Chief Financial Officer. Rice Cohen had previously placed the firm's current Chief Executive Officer and so the private equity investor knew we were equipped with the tools and experience to execute and complete this search. The firm had recently received institutional capital and was looking for a financial leader to bolster their FP&A capabilities and other major financial functions.

Searching For an Experienced Financial Leader Capable of Growing a $20 Million EdTech Company

Assessing our client's needs allowed the team at Rice Cohen to gather the precise skills, qualifications, and experience fitting their profile of an ideal CFO. It was clear that a successful candidate would need significant experience dealing with financial functions, display a proven capability to bolster FP&A capabilities, and have a deep understanding of working in a software-as-a-service (SAAS) environment. Partnering closely with the internal hiring team, we were able to compose a list of target companies that may have candidates with the right experience. This list consisted of our client's competitors and similar SAAS organizations.

Following RCI's Search Process, Our Client Was Given the Opportunity to Interview Several Accomplished Candidates

Constant communication with the client is crucial to execute a successful executive search. We were able to accomplish this by setting up a weekly meeting to discuss the search progress. After connecting with over 300 potential candidates, Rice Cohen interviewed and screened a total of 50 candidates. Following the release of those who were not qualified it was time for the client to begin to interview the short list of candidates. Rice Cohen did the first round of screening, and we presented a list of 11 highly qualified candidates to our client. After interviewing a total of 10 vetted candidates our client narrowed down the slate to 3 final candidates. They ultimately settled on a diverse candidate who not only had excellent experience working with financial functions and a deep understanding of SAAS, but she also was extremely passionate about the firm's mission which is to help students and people throughout the world.