Finding the Leaders Who Define What Your Company Becomes
The Leaders Others Can't Find — Most firms search the market. We move beneath it.
Our Methodology
Most Search Firms Focus on Filling Roles
SIG focuses on understanding the full picture — from investment thesis to operating environment — before recommending a single candidate.
Our process is consultative, immersive, and relationship-driven.
A résumé does not tell you who can scale a portfolio company. Relationships and pattern recognition do.
Investment Thesis
We align every search to your value creation strategy and exit horizon.
Operating Environment
We assess stage, culture, and the specific pressures the executive will face.
Leadership Gap Analysis
We identify the precise gaps impacting growth, not just open headcount.
PE-Ready Profile
We define the archetype required to execute under private equity ownership.
Who We Serve
SIG works with organizations navigating critical leadership transitions and high-growth inflection points.
Private Equity Firms
Portfolio company leadership placements that protect and accelerate investment value. We understand the operating cadence and urgency of PE-backed environments.
Growth-Stage Companies
Series B through pre-IPO companies that need seasoned operators to professionalize finance, HR, and technology functions for the next stage of scale.
Mid-Market Operating Companies
Established companies seeking transformational leaders who can modernize operations, drive culture change, and deliver measurable business outcomes.
Boards & Investors
Advisory support for board-level searches and investor-driven leadership transitions where the stakes are highest and discretion is essential.
Where We Go Deep
Four high-demand verticals where domain expertise and relationships define outcomes.
HR & People Leadership
- Chief People Officer
- VP of Human Resources
- Head of Talent Acquisition
- Director of Total Rewards
- SVP, People & Culture
Finance & Accounting
- Chief Financial Officer
- VP of Finance
- Controller / CAO
- Director of FP&A
- Head of Internal Audit
Technology
- Chief Technology Officer
- VP of Engineering
- CISO / Head of Security
- Director of Data & Analytics
- Head of Product
Marketing
- Chief Marketing Officer
- VP of Marketing
- Head of Demand Generation
- Director of Brand & Communications
- VP of Growth & Digital
When You Need an Exceptional Leader Now — Without the Full-Time Commitment
Direct hire isn't always the right answer. SIG places senior fractional and interim executives who step in immediately, deliver impact, and help you make the right permanent decision — on your terms.
The Same Caliber. A Different Structure.
Our fractional executives are seasoned C-Suite and VP-level operators who have done the job — often multiple times across PE-backed environments, growth-stage companies, and enterprise transformations.
Whether you need a CFO to guide an exit process, a CHRO to lead a post-acquisition integration, or a CTO to stabilize a platform before a permanent hire, SIG connects you with leaders who are available, aligned, and ready to move.
Direct Hire vs. Fractional — At a Glance
Many fractional engagements convert to permanent hires — giving both sides a proven track record before committing.
Pre-Exit CFO Support
A fractional CFO can clean up the books, prepare quality of earnings, and represent your story to buyers — without a lengthy search.
Post-Acquisition Integration
A fractional CHRO or COO can lead cultural integration and align reporting structures while you run the permanent search in parallel.
Leadership Gap During Transition
SIG places interim leaders who preserve institutional knowledge and maintain team confidence while the right permanent successor is identified.
Scaling Before You're Ready to Commit
A fractional VP of Finance or Head of People can help you build the function — and define exactly what you need to hire permanently.
Technology & Transformation Projects
A fractional CTO or CISO can lead a defined initiative — ERP implementation, cybersecurity overhaul, or platform migration — without full-time overhead.
Why Clients Choose SIG
We're not a database with a subscription fee. We're a partner who stakes our reputation on every placement.
Specialist Recruiters
Each search is led by a recruiter with 10–20 years of experience in the exact function they fill. Not generalists. Domain experts.
Speed Without Shortcuts
Average 38-day time-to-shortlist vs. 60+ industry average. Because our recruiters already know the market and the candidates.
Curated, Not Crowded
3–5 rigorously vetted candidates per search. We present leaders, not lists. Every candidate is a conversation we'd stake our name on.
Market Intelligence
Real-time data on compensation benchmarks, talent availability, and competitive dynamics in the verticals we cover.
Consultative Partnership
We co-design role profiles, challenge assumptions, and advise on organizational structure — not just fill requisitions.
Discretion & Trust
PE-grade confidentiality for sensitive leadership transitions. We understand what's at stake when the wrong hire costs millions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most from PE operating partners, portfolio company CEOs, and growth-stage founders.
SIG's average time from search kickoff to a curated shortlist of 3–5 candidates is 38 days — significantly faster than the industry average of 60+ days. This is possible because our recruiters maintain active relationships with senior executives in their specific function, rather than starting from scratch each search.
SIG focuses exclusively on VP and C-Suite placements across four functions: HR & People Leadership (CPO, CHRO, VP HR), Finance & Accounting (CFO, VP Finance, Controller), Technology (CTO, VP Engineering, CISO), and Marketing (CMO, VP Marketing). We also place fractional and interim executives across all four functions. We do not do junior-level or generalist recruiting.
In a retained search, the client engages SIG exclusively and pays a portion of the fee upfront, with the remainder due at placement. Retained searches allow us to dedicate focused resources to the assignment, run a more thorough process, and present a curated shortlist rather than a wide slate. SIG operates on a retained basis for all searches.
A fractional executive is a senior leader who works with your company on a part-time or project basis rather than as a full-time employee. This makes sense when you need immediate senior leadership (SIG can deploy in days), when you're not yet ready to commit to a full-time hire, or when you need specific expertise for a defined period — such as a CFO for a transaction process or a CHRO to lead a post-acquisition integration.
SIG presents 3–5 rigorously vetted candidates per search. We believe in quality over quantity — every candidate presented has been interviewed, assessed against your specific operating environment and investment thesis, and confirmed to be genuinely interested in the role.
SIG serves clients nationally, with particular depth in California and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. We have placed executives across major US markets including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and the Pacific Northwest. For private equity clients, we follow the portfolio — wherever the company is located.
SIG doesn't just fill roles — they understand the business context behind every search. That's what makes them indispensable.
SIG approached our CFO search as true strategic partners. They pushed us to think harder about the profile we actually needed for our next stage. The result was a hire that's already reshaping how we think about capital allocation.
We were scaling fast and our operations couldn't keep up. SIG brought us a leader who immediately identified the gaps and built the infrastructure we needed. Within six months, our business operations went from a liability to a genuine competitive advantage.
Meet the Team
The practitioners, partners, and advisors behind every SIG engagement.
Marie Bernardino
Decades of executive search expertise leading SIG's client relationships and recruiter network.
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Chi Song
Runs day-to-day operations, accounting, FP&A, and client management — the engine that keeps SIG moving.
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Andy Crewell
Manages day-to-day operations, legal infrastructure, and the administrative backbone that keeps SIG running seamlessly.
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Andrew Altholz
Strategic advisor on finance, growth strategy, and the economic model that underpins SIG's platform and expansion.
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Jennifer Trafficanda
Seasoned recruiter specializing in senior-level placements, known for building lasting relationships with clients and candidates.
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Jennifer Ellis, CFE
Accounting & Finance executive search specialist placing senior finance leaders across California and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
in— The section below is for senior recruiters exploring the SIG platform —
Tell Us About Your Practice
This helps us tailor the conversation. All information is confidential.
Your information is confidential and used solely for our initial conversation.
What the Traditional Model Really Costs You
Here's the math most firms hope you never run.
Your Take-Home on $500K in Billings
That's an extra $200,000+ per year back in your pocket. Million-plus producers keep up to 90%.
What SIG Handles So You Don't Have To
Focus on relationships and placements. We take care of everything else.
Portfolio Transition & BD
Move your clients seamlessly. Warm deal flow and shared introductions from day one.
Legal & Compliance
Entity setup, contract review, engagement letters, compliance monitoring, ongoing legal support.
Accounting & Finance
Bookkeeping, invoicing, collections, and financial reporting — handled professionally.
Healthcare Solutions
Quality coverage at a fraction of what you're subsidizing through high desk fees.
Technology & ATS
Loxo ATS included. Plus the tech stack to operate at the level of firms ten times your size.
Consulting Practice
Expand into consultant placement for recurring revenue that builds enterprise value.
The Three Options — Honestly
Every experienced recruiter faces the same crossroads.
Big Firm
Brand recognition, but at a steep personal cost.
- Recognized brand name
- Benefits and training included
- Keep only 20–30% of billings
- Meetings, reports, politics
- Benefits cost you 40%+ of income
SIG
Independence with infrastructure.
- Nationally recognized brand
- Keep 80–90% of billings
- Legal, accounting, compliance — handled
- Peer network and warm deal flow
- Healthcare at a fraction of the cost
- Build equity in your own practice
Going Solo
Total freedom, heavy burden.
- Complete autonomy
- Keep 100% (before costs)
- No brand recognition
- Legal, banking, accounting on you
- No deal flow — 12–24 mo. to ramp
Ready to Have the Conversation?
The best time to evaluate your options is when you're successful and in demand — not when you're desperate for change.
Schedule a Confidential Call →Or reach out directly: (805) 774-1900 · info@joinsig.com
Let's Find Your Next Leader
Whether you need a CFO for a portfolio company or a CTO to scale your engineering org, SIG has the relationships and expertise to deliver.
Prefer to talk first?
(805) 774-1900info@joinsig.com
Confidential conversations welcome.
Or send us the details
All inquiries are handled confidentially.