Senior Consultants: The Secret Weapon for Your Finance Team

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Hello everyone. We are back for what I think is the 29th episode of Talking Talent. We're closing in on 30, a nice round number.

It's been a few months since we've had one of these. Hopefully everyone has gotten back into the swing of things with summer being over, kids back in school, and fall here. The weather is cooling down in the DC area, although it is going to be a little warm today.

If you enjoy this episode, tell your friends, co-workers, or anyone who can appreciate a good conversation about people, talent, what's happening in the HR world, the recruiting world, and, for this conversation, the accounting and finance world.

You can subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find this on the Cherry Bekaert website.

I'm joined today by a colleague of mine and someone who has held a lot of different titles over the course of his career. He's someone I've learned a lot from and probably wouldn't be here doing this today without the trust and guidance he's provided over the years. That person is Ryan Delaney.

For those familiar with the Cordia world, Ryan has been there from nearly the beginning. Through Cordia Partners and Cordia Resources, he has held a variety of roles, worked across recruiting and executive search, and now serves as a partner on the Cherry Bekaert recruiting and staffing team. He leads everything related to temporary, project, and consulting delivery and is truly an expert in that space.

That's what we're going to discuss today. A few years ago, we had a conversation with Doug Smith and Chiron Swan about the market, temporary hiring, and hiring advice. Today's discussion is more focused on senior-level accounting and finance project work.

Ryan, thank you for joining me today.

RYAN DELANEY: I'm happy to be here. I've been a big fan of Talking Talent.

Sam, I remember when we were at a strategic planning meeting, probably five years ago, brainstorming ideas. You said, "I have a crazy idea. I'm going to launch a podcast." I think everybody was blown away by the idea at the time, but it's been great to see it materialize.

You're producing so much great content, and whenever I'm in the HR community or networking groups, I hear people referencing what you're putting out. I really appreciate the effort and work you've put into building this into what it is today.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Thank you. It's just a different avenue for people to consume this kind of information. We spend so much time typing on our computers and talking on the phone. People don't always get to hear our voices in a setting like this, and that's really what we're trying to do.

Can you give everyone a quick overview of your journey, from the early Cordia days through your current role and what you lead today?

RYAN DELANEY: Sure.

I started with Cordia Partners in 2008. I joined to help launch the recruiting and staffing side of the practice, which grew out of an outsourcing business. The legacy practice was Beers and Cutler, and they had spun out Cordia Partners to focus on providing outsourcing services to middle-market businesses.

The organization had an excellent reputation and was very active in the professional community. I had relationships with several partners there and was working for a large national staffing firm at the time. While that experience was excellent for learning professional staffing best practices, I was intrigued by Cordia's approach to service delivery and engagement within the business community.

I joined as the first person in the search and staffing business. For a few years, we operated under the outsourcing umbrella. In 2011, Joe Greaves became actively involved in accelerating the growth of the professional staffing and search business.

We separated the staffing business from the outsourcing practice and created two distinct business units under the broader Cordia umbrella. From there, growth accelerated across both businesses.

Over the years, the outsourcing business, managed services, and CPA practice all grew significantly, as did the professional staffing and search practice. As you mentioned, I've worn a lot of hats. I've sat in nearly every seat in the business, with the exception of HR-focused search and placement.

As we brought on outstanding people, I could honestly say I had done many of the roles, but certainly not at the level that our newer team members were performing them. We developed elite talent across all areas of the business.

Leaders such as Doug Smith helped scale the temporary staffing side. Don Olinger, Mark Zai, Matt Jones, Matt Antonini, Kia Powell, and others drove growth on the permanent placement side.

We were somewhat unique in that we grew both the project staffing and permanent placement businesses simultaneously and collaboratively.

Eventually, several partners were approaching retirement and looking for a long-term home for the business. That led us to join Cherry Bekaert in 2023, which has been a great fit.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): That's helpful context.

For anyone listening, whether you're in the Cherry Bekaert community, were introduced through a partner, or work in HR and talent acquisition, you may be wondering why organizations continuously hire for accounting and finance roles or why they rely on consultants for project work.

Let's start at a macro level. Can you describe the current state of the market and the trends that are driving demand for senior-level project consultants?

RYAN DELANEY: There are some traditional drivers that consistently create demand for project staffing. Unexpected resignations, medical leaves, retirements, and succession planning events are all common examples.

There have also been some major evolutions in recent years.

One is the move toward remote work. There are many opinions about remote work, but from our perspective, it has materially expanded access to consultant talent. When organizations require only one or two days onsite, or perhaps one week per month onsite, it opens the door to a much larger pool of available consultants.

Historically, our business was highly localized. Searches were conducted within very specific geographic areas, which naturally limited available talent. Today, even when clients prefer regional candidates, they have access to a much broader market.

The second major shift is the acceleration of technology.

Whenever companies implement new technologies, someone still has to keep operations running. Many clients engage Cherry Bekaert to support implementations involving ERP systems, financial reporting tools, or general ledger platforms. Often, the employee occupying a critical seat becomes the liaison between the business and the implementation provider.

We can provide temporary support to cover the person's day-to-day responsibilities during the implementation. This helps prevent burnout and keeps the implementation moving forward while maintaining operational continuity.

As technology adoption continues to accelerate, we're seeing significantly more demand for this type of support.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Have the types of engagements changed over time?

There are initiatives where a company hires someone for a three-to-six-month project, like a NetSuite implementation, and then there are situations where they need a CFO immediately and may ultimately hire that person permanently. Has the balance shifted?

RYAN DELANEY: There are really three primary categories.

The first is staffing-driven demand. Someone resigns unexpectedly, and the organization can't leave the position vacant for several months. These situations often lend themselves to contract-to-hire arrangements.

A company may need immediate coverage while simultaneously conducting a thorough permanent search. In many cases, the consultant we place performs exceptionally well and ultimately secures the full-time position. I'd estimate that 15% to 20% of our consultants eventually convert into permanent employees.

The second category is true project-based work.

A good example would be covering a medical leave. A company knows someone will be out for four months, plans an overlap period, and then transitions the work back upon their return. In these situations, there is typically no expectation of permanent employment.

The third category is surge support tied to strategic initiatives.

Technology implementations are one example, but it can also include transition support following acquisitions, private equity investments, or reporting transformation projects. We support organizations that suddenly face more sophisticated reporting requirements, more advanced technology needs, and more complex operational demands.

That third category has grown substantially. The continued evolution of technology and the rise in private equity-backed businesses have significantly increased demand for this type of project support.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Let's shift to the consultant side of the equation.

How are candidates thinking about the decision between remaining full-time employees, joining consulting firms, or becoming independent consultants?

RYAN DELANEY: That's been fascinating to watch.

Remote work has expanded opportunities not only for us but also for independent consultants. Many professionals wonder whether their skills are truly portable and valuable outside their current environment.

What we consistently find is that there is strong demand for highly skilled accounting and finance professionals, especially those with specialized industry or technology expertise.

Many people who take the leap into consulting find they enjoy it. They appreciate the variety of work and the opportunity to develop broader skill sets by working in a range of environments.

There are several types of consultants.

Some are fully committed to independent consulting. They enjoy the variety and the opportunity to continue building their expertise across different engagements.

Others are in transition. They may be evaluating full-time opportunities, taking time between roles, or looking for flexibility. Project work provides an effective bridge.

One challenge that independent consultants often underestimate is business development. While delivering on a full-time assignment, they must also be building a pipeline for future opportunities.

That's one of the roles we try to play. We want to be long-term partners. We've worked with consultants who have completed 17 or 18 assignments through us. Our goal is to help them stay connected and find opportunities over many years.

Over time, many consultants become increasingly comfortable with the model. They continue investing in their skills, earning certifications, learning new technologies, and building strong professional networks. For many, consulting becomes a highly rewarding long-term career path.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): That's a great point.

I've spoken with HR professionals who decided after COVID and the move toward remote work to launch their own consulting practices. Many discovered that while they had outstanding skills, business development didn't come naturally.

If you're working with us, we're handling much of that heavy lifting. Consultants still need to communicate their value to clients, but they aren't spending all their time trying to generate business.

One question we often receive from clients involves cost.

Clients sometimes experience sticker shock when they see the rates associated with senior-level consultants. Can you talk about where the value comes from?

RYAN DELANEY: Absolutely.

If you annualize the cost of a senior consultant, it can feel expensive. However, I think it's important to view it through a value lens rather than a cost-savings lens.

There are many people in our network with exceptional skills who don't fully appreciate how valuable those skills are in the market. Through our networking events and professional community, people often begin to recognize the impact they're making.

When a senior consultant enters a business, they aren't just performing a defined set of responsibilities. They bring experiences from multiple organizations, exposure to different technologies, professional networks, and practical lessons from past engagements.

They may stabilize a team. They may mentor junior employees. They may improve processes. They may identify opportunities the client hadn't considered.

The value often extends far beyond the original assignment.

Not every engagement produces transformational outcomes, but the most successful ones create lasting positive impacts. When clients look back afterward, the conversation is rarely about cost. It's usually about how meaningful the engagement was for the business.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): I appreciate that perspective.

Let's shift gears. Cherry Bekaert has embraced the concept of being a trusted advisor. Can you explain what that means?

RYAN DELANEY: Cherry Bekaert is building an end-to-end solutions platform that helps address many of the challenges facing the Office of the CFO and, in many cases, the Office of the CHRO.

The trusted advisor concept is grounded in long-term relationships, not transactions.

Organizations have immediate needs. We want to solve those needs effectively. But businesses and professionals also move through different stages of growth and development. As those stages evolve, new challenges emerge.

Cherry Bekaert has built capabilities that allow us to help address many of those challenges.

The goal is not simply to solve today's problem. It's to understand where an individual or organization is headed and serve as a resource throughout that journey.

That's one reason I was so excited to join Cherry Bekaert. The firm's philosophy closely aligns with our long-standing approach to relationship building.

For consultants and clients alike, success often comes from building trusted networks, expanding skills, gaining technology exposure, and continuously developing professionally.

If we're delivering excellent service while investing in people beyond the immediate engagement, we create relationships that endure.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): That makes sense.

As we move into one of the busiest parts of the year, what advice would you offer CFOs and finance leaders who are considering bringing on project support?

RYAN DELANEY: The first thing I would recommend is taking a moment to think carefully about what you're trying to accomplish.

Staffing needs often arise from urgent situations. Even so, it's worth investing time in understanding both the hard requirements and soft requirements of the role.

Talk with managers, peers, and direct reports who will be impacted. Gather their perspectives on what made the previous person successful and what is needed moving forward.

That process helps define not only the technical qualifications but also the cultural fit and broader qualities that will contribute to success.

The second recommendation is to establish a clear 30-, 60-, and 90-day framework.

Define what success looks like after 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. It may involve documentation, process improvement, technology assessments, operational stabilization, or supporting a transition.

The more clarity you provide upfront, the easier it becomes to align expectations and create success for the consultant and the broader team.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Great advice.

One final question. We touched on private equity, M&A activity, and technology changes. Are there any industries where you're seeing increased demand for fractional or project-based finance talent?

RYAN DELANEY: We've seen an increase in activity within the nonprofit sector.

Many organizations operated with lean staffing models over the past few years and are now rebuilding teams to more sustainable levels.

Government contracting remains consistently strong. While hiring activity can fluctuate based on the federal procurement cycle, it's been a dependable market for us, and we've seen increased hiring compared with last year.

We're also seeing movement within technology-related businesses, particularly organizations supporting AI-focused companies.

More broadly, there is significant private equity investment flowing into commercial services businesses. When outside investors enter organizations that may not have previously operated under sophisticated reporting structures, that often creates transition activity that requires additional staffing support.

Overall, 2025 has been a much stronger year than 2024 across both project staffing and permanent search. Hopefully our listeners are seeing similar positive trends in their own businesses and careers.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): No matter what industry you're in, whether you're considering project support for your organization or exploring consulting opportunities yourself, Ryan and I are always happy to connect.

If you'd like to speak with Ryan, feel free to reach out. We can make sure you get connected with the right people.

Ryan, thank you for joining me today. I appreciate your time.

RYAN DELANEY: It was my pleasure. I'd love to do this again next year and see how things have evolved.

And congratulations on reaching 29 episodes. I'm excited to see who your guest is for episode 30.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): I keep saying I want to do one with a live audience. Maybe we'll figure something out later this year.

RYAN DELANEY: A live studio audience. Let's do it. I'll be there.

HOST (SAM MCCARTHY): Thanks, Ryan. Have a great rest of your day.

RYAN DELANEY: Thanks, Sam. Take care.