Who Are The Top Recruiters for Controllers in Chicago? 2025 Rankings

Chicago remains one of the most dynamic hiring markets for finance and accounting talent. For organizations seeking to hire Controllers, a critical role that drives financial accuracy, compliance, and strategic insight, it is essential to partner with a recruiter who knows the local market inside and out.

To help companies identify the best recruitment partners, Talentfoot produced a study to evaluate the top executive search firms in Chicago with a proven track record of placing Controllers across industries.

Each firm was reviewed based on measurable criteria, including depth of their accounting and finance practice, successful Controller placements, and regional market expertise. These factors were combined into a total score out of 100 to spotlight the top recruiters in Chicago for hiring Controllers.

Ranking Criteria & Scoring System

• Chicago Market Expertise (25 pts) – Evidence of a dedicated local presence, client base, or practice specialization within the Chicago area. (Verified through firm headquarters, regional pages, and placement examples.)
• Documented Executive Placements (20 pts) – Public case studies, press releases, or LinkedIn evidence of executive placements across key industries within the past three years.
• Controller-Level Focus (15 pts) – Demonstrated emphasis on Controllers and senior Accounting & Finance roles (Ie. Corporate Controller, Divisional Controller, Financial Analyst, Accounting Manager, Director of Finance)
• Practice Breadth (15 pts) – Depth of services across the Accounting & Finance function including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Manager FP&A, etc. (Evaluated through published practice areas and team bios.)
• Review Quality & Volume (15 pts) – Average client review score and total verified review count from Google, Glassdoor, and Clutch as of October 2025.
• Online Visibility & Reputation (10 pts) – Strength of online presence and thought leadership relating to Accounting & Finance hiring, including blog activity, media features, and firm credibility across digital channels.

2025 Rankings: Top Controller Recruiters in Chicago

Firm Overviews

1. Talentfoot Executive Search

Talentfoot is a boutique recruitment and executive search firm with a specialized Accounting and Finance practice that helps companies quickly and confidently hire proven Controllers. From bootstrapped and series A-funded startups to Fortune 500 companies, their primary clients include companies with less than 250 employees who can’t afford to make a hiring mistake and who are focused on only hiring proven controller talent. Visit and learn more about Talentfoot’s Accounting & Finance Practice here.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 2010
• Headquarters: Chicago, IL
• Locations Served: Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Seattle, Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Nashville, Washington D.C, Louisville, and more.
• Company size: 30 employees
• Key roles they hire for: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, VP Finance, VP Tax, Manager FP&A, Controller, Director of Finace
• Client benefits:
  • Unrivaled 98% success rate
  • Specialized focus
  • Structured and methodical process
  • Consulting-first approach
  • Complimentary psychometric testing and coaching sessions
  • Deep and diverse talent network
  • Talentfoot-certified candidates
  • Customized pricing
  • Flexible search and talent planning solutions
  • Innovative functional and industry expertise
  • Rapid candidate delivery
  • Boutique firm commitment
• Google reviews: 4.8 average rating
• Glassdoor reviews: 4.0 average rating
• Customer testimonial: “Talentfoot was able to generate great talent quickly for a critical role at Epsilon. I appreciated your proactive communication style and truly taking the time to understand the profile we were looking to hire, leading to strong candidate pipeline and a quick time to fill.” – Daryl Rappe, Senior Director, Talent Acquisiton, Epsilon

2. Skywater Search Partners

SkyWater Search Partners is a Chicago-based executive recruiting firm that partners with companies to strategically fill critical roles in accounting, finance, HR, engineering, operations, IT and sales. They employ a multi-level matching process that evaluates not just resumes but also candidates’ career goals, work styles and cultural fit, helping you hire senior leaders such as CFOs, VPs of Finance and Controllers, as well as key finance and accounting professionals (FP&A managers, tax leads, audit managers, accounting managers and more). Their goal: to deliver talent capable of making a long-term positive impact.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 2013
• Headquarters: Minnetonka, MN
• Locations Served: Primarily Chicago and the broader Midwest region
• Company size: 50+ employees
• Key roles they hire for: CFO, VP of Finance, Controller, Treasurer, Directors of Finance/Accounting/FP&A/Tax/Internal Audit, Finance Managers, Senior & Staff Accountants, Tax professionals, Treasury roles, Audit roles
• Client benefits:
  • A multi-level matching process that goes beyond resumes to evaluate candidates’ goals, work styles, and cultural fit, ensuring long-term positive impact and reducing hiring risk
• Google reviews: 4.8 average rating
• Glassdoor reviews: 4.5 average rating
• Customer testimonial: “”Teige was excellent to work with. He had a great pipeline of candidates and was not deterred by our numerous requirements. We were all very impressed with each candidate he presented and he was persistent to ensure he received timely follow-up but also super patient. I would definitely work with him again if we have the need in the future.” – VP of Human Resources, Company Unknown

3. Michael Page

Michael Page’s Accounting & Finance team is a specialist recruitment partner that provides end to end hiring solutions for finance and accounting roles across industries including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and real estate. With deep expertise, a vast candidate network, and a customized recruitment approach, they focus on delivering quality hires ranging from Controllers and Finance Managers to CFOs and VPs of Finance while helping clients avoid the costly impact of a bad hire. Their services also include market insight and salary benchmarking, enabling organizations to move swiftly and strategically in today’s competitive talent market.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 1976
• Headquarters: United Kingdom
• Locations Served: Over 150 offices across 37 countries
• Company size: 5000+ employees
• Key roles they hire for: CFO, VP of Finance, Controller, Accounting Manager, FP&A Manager, Senior Accountant, Tax Manager, Treasury, and Internal Audit positions
• Client benefits:
  • Access to industry-specialist consultants with accounting and finance backgrounds, a global and local candidate network, strategic market insights and salary benchmarking, tailored recruitment for permanent, contract, and temporary roles, and a consultative approach that supports the build-out of high-performing finance teams
• Google reviews: 4.8 average rating
• Glassdoor reviews: 3.6 average rating
• Customer testimonial: “Teach For America has used Michael Page’s temporary recruitment services for a number of accounting and finance positions, at varying levels, over the past few years. Based on how competitive it is to work at Teach For America, I think the fact that we offered full-time positions to both of the candidates we got through Michael Page this past year is testament to the caliber of their people and their internal screening processes.” – VP of Finance, Teach For America

4. Harmer Associates

Harmer is a Chicago-based executive search and recruiting firm specializing in accounting and finance talent. Founded in 1986, the firm has built a reputation as a trusted partner for organizations that need proven leaders in roles such as CFO, Controller, Treasurer, and FP&A. With a team comprised of former Big 4 accountants and consultants, Harmer brings both technical expertise and a deep candidate network to every search.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: Chicago, IL
• Locations Served: Over 150 offices across 37 countries
• Company size: 97 employees
• Key roles they hire for: Senior leadership and management roles in Accounting & Finance such as CFO, Controller, Treasurer, Head of FP&A, Tax leadership, Internal Audit leadership.
• Client benefits:
  • Specialized recruiting team with deep technical background (many former Big 4 auditors/consultants), significant placement volume (200+ accounting/finance professionals annually), strong networks, and ability to handle retained, contingency and project-based assignments.
• Google reviews: 3.7 average rating
• Glassdoor reviews: 4.7 average rating
• Customer testimonial: “I have known Harmer Associates for over 25 years. It is great to see that my old contacts still lead and manage the search process. They were highly effective when conducting searches for the Financial Analyst and Senior Accountant positions I needed to fill.” – SVP of Finance, Unknown Company

5. Torrey & Gray

Torrey & Gray is a Chicago-area recruiting and staffing firm that specializes in accounting and finance talent, with particular strength in serving private equity portfolio companies across North America. Using a consultative search process, they match candidates who combine technical acumen, upward mobility and cultural fit, helping clients fill roles such as Controllers, CFOs, Finance Directors, and interim project leadership.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: Hoffman Estates, IL
• Locations Served: Chicago and greater midwest region
• Company size: 6 employees
• Key roles they hire for: Chief Financial Officers, Controllers, Treasury Professionals, Payroll Professionals, Internal Controls placements, General Manager, and President
• Client benefits:
  • Through their consultative search approach ensures that they find clients the best candidates by pairing technical expertise, employee intangibles and upward mobility.
• Google reviews: Unknown
• Glassdoor reviews: Unknown
• Customer testimonial: ““I engaged Joe Robb to help me with a very challenging assignment – filling a key financial management position in rural South Dakota. Joe found us a quality candidate who closely matched our position requirements.” – Darris Hess, Elgin National Industries

6. Ingenium Partners

Ingenium Partners is a professional search consulting firm specializing in accounting and finance placements for companies across Chicago and the greater Midwest, including Indianapolis, Milwaukee and St. Louis. With a deep focus on identifying top talent who bring both technical expertise and strong soft skills, they help clients fill critical roles, such as CFO, VP of Finance, Controller, Director of FP&A, Audit, Treasury, M&A, Cost Accounting and Tax, by combining rigorous sourcing with consultative partnership and a results-driven methodology.

At a glance: 

• Founded: 2009
• Headquarters: Oakbrook Terrace, IL
• Locations Served: Indianapolis, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago
• Company size: 2 employees
• Key roles they hire for: Chief Financial Officers, Controllers, FP&A, Directors, Treasury
• Client benefits:
  • Ingenium Partners provides clients with a consultative, end-to-end hiring process that includes deep needs assessment, customized job specifications, targeted candidate sourcing, thorough evaluation, and hands-on support through hiring and onboarding. Their recruiters bring direct industry and role experience, giving clients faster, more accurate results and reducing wasted time.
• Google reviews: Unknown
• Glassdoor reviews: Unknown
• Customer testimonial: Unknown

This ranking of the Top Controller Recruiters in Chicago is derived from publicly available information and independent third-party research. It is provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as formal recruitment guidance or professional advice.

For more information on Talentfoot’s Chicago Accounting & Finance executive search services, please read here.