Origin Staffing - Thoughts on Recruitment

Recruiting for Global Fund Services: How to Champion Both Sides | A Search Agency Case Study

Executive Summary

Mandate: Origin Staffing partnered with a global fund services organization to hire a senior-level fund accounting professional within its alternative investments platform.
Business context: The hire was driven by team expansion following new client and fund wins, making speed and quality equally important.
Role reality: The position required a senior individual contributor capable of leading NAV processes, acting as a buffer for junior staff, and growing into more complex fund responsibilities.
Search complexity: The strongest candidate demonstrated not only senior execution, but clear leadership behaviors already in motion.
Origin Staffing’s role: Origin Staffing surfaced and translated those leadership signals, helping the client align role level, title, and compensation with reality.
Outcome: The role was elevated to Assistant Manager, balancing candidate value, internal equity, and long-term retention.

Role Context and Why This Hire Mattered

The search supported a global fund services platform operating across private equity, private credit, and alternative investment structures. The firm has built a strong reputation for long-term retention, relationship-driven service, and a culture where people are expected to own outcomes rather than simply complete tasks.

At the time of the search, the fund services group was expanding due to new client and fund wins. These roles were not discretionary hires. They were revenue-producing positions, directly tied to the firm’s ability to onboard and service additional funds. As a result, leadership was motivated to move quickly, but not at the expense of fit.

The role sat at the senior level within the fund accounting team. The expectation was clear: this person needed to operate independently, lead NAV calculations, support investor reporting, and serve as a steady presence for both junior staff and managers. While the role did not initially carry a formal management title, it required judgment, accountability, and professional maturity consistent with senior expectations.

In a relationship-driven organization where interview panels are often conducted in person with four to five team members, personality and presence mattered as much as technical skill. The hire needed to mesh with the existing team, not disrupt it.

What the Client Was Really Looking For

Beyond the technical requirements, the client had a consistent set of priorities that guided decision-making:

Long-term fit: This team values people who stay, grow, and become part of the fabric of the group.
Relationship orientation: Fund services is client-facing by nature. How someone communicates, collaborates, and shows up day to day matters.
Ownership mentality: The firm rewards professionals who take responsibility for outcomes, not just inputs.
Internal consistency: Titles and compensation are taken seriously. Any hire must align cleanly with existing structure.

These priorities shaped every stage of the process. In relationship-driven teams with low turnover, how someone builds trust matters as much as technical execution, a reality reflected in HBR’s point that advancement is often shaped by relationships as much as skills.

Why the Search Was Hard

On the surface, this looked like a straightforward senior fund accounting hire. In practice, it was more nuanced.

First, senior execution varies widely. Many candidates hold senior titles but operate within tightly scoped roles, owning only pieces of the process. The client needed someone who could lead NAV calculations end to end and be relied upon when things broke.

Second, leadership signals are not evenly distributed. Some senior candidates have managed people formally but lack influence. Others, without a management title, act as informal leaders within their teams. Distinguishing between the two requires careful screening.

Third, internal equity mattered. The firm has a stable, tenured team. Any adjustment made for a new hire had to make sense relative to existing roles and prior decisions.

Finally, the process moved quickly by design. Because these roles directly supported revenue growth, leadership wanted to capitalize on momentum. That left little room for misalignment.

This combination favored candidates who were technically strong, culturally aligned, and ready for expanded responsibility.

Market Mapping and Candidate Submissions

Origin Staffing evaluated and submitted multiple senior-level fund accounting profiles throughout the search. These included candidates with:

More years of experience
Prior supervisory titles
Backgrounds across different fund administration platforms

Several profiles met the technical bar. On paper, more than one could have succeeded.

What separated the eventual hire was not pedigree or resume length. It was how they operated within their current environment.

Why the Selected Candidate Stood Out

Across all submissions, the selected candidate distinguished themselves through a combination of senior execution, leadership behavior, and alignment with the client’s operating model. Leadership shows up in behaviors before it shows up in titles, and the client’s feedback aligned with what Harvard Business Review describes as the signals that indicate someone is ready to be a manager

Senior-Level Fund Accounting Ownership

The candidate brought over five years of hands-on experience in private fund accounting. They had clear ownership of:

Full NAV preparation and review
Capital call and distribution allocations
Investor reporting and client deliverables
Audit support and issue resolution

This was not exposure. It was accountability.

Leadership Already in Motion

Beyond execution, the candidate had become the go-to resource on their team. They were actively:

Training junior staff
Acting as a reference point for questions
Leading processes others relied on

These behaviors were not assigned. They were assumed naturally, which is often the strongest signal of readiness for the next level.

Professional Intangibles

Throughout the process, the candidate came across as loyal but underrecognized. They had stayed put, grown in responsibility, and continued to perform, even as title and compensation lagged behind output.

Our candidate was not chasing optics. They were looking for alignment.

In a team with low turnover and strong relationships, this mindset resonated.

Clean Fit With a Relationship-Driven Team

Because the client conducts first-round interviews in person with panel-style formats, how a candidate shows up matters. The selected candidate connected naturally with the team, communicated clearly, and demonstrated the kind of steady presence that builds trust.

This mattered as much as any technical skill.

Origin Staffing’s Screening for Proof-of-Fit

Origin Staffing validated depth and readiness through practical, experience-based discussions rather than resume review alone. Conversations focused on:

Walking through full NAV cycles owned end to end
Describing how junior staff were trained and supported
Explaining moments where they stepped in to stabilize processes
Discussing readiness to move from senior execution into broader responsibility

The candidate’s responses consistently reflected self-awareness, accountability, and readiness for expanded scope.

The Inflection Point: Translating Feedback Into Role Alignment

The turning point came after interview debriefs. Feedback from the client was unequivocally positive. The team saw someone who felt steady, reliable, and already operating with a leadership mindset.

At that moment, Origin Staffing recognized an opportunity.

The candidate was actively interviewing elsewhere and was clear about their frustration: title and compensation had lagged behind responsibility. While the role as initially scoped could technically accommodate the compensation target, Origin Staffing knew that simply “fitting it into senior” would create a mismatch. When high performers feel underrecognized relative to their scope, they stay in motion, which is consistent with the broader retention dynamics McKinsey outlines in why employees are quitting

This is where Origin Staffing shifted fully into advisory mode.

Championing Both Sides

Advocating for the Candidate

Origin Staffing articulated clearly why the candidate was operating beyond typical senior expectations. This included:

Comparing scope and responsibility to other senior roles within the team
Highlighting leadership behaviors already in place
Emphasizing the retention risk of under-leveling a strong contributor

Origin Staffing also referenced prior placements made earlier in the year to provide context around leveling and differentiation, helping leadership see where this candidate sat on the spectrum.

Protecting the Client

At the same time, Origin Staffing remained grounded in the client’s reality, but internal equity mattered. Titles were not adjusted lightly.

Rather than pushing for an exception, Origin Staffing framed the discussion around alignment. Our candidate was not being stretched into a higher role, yet was being aligned to what the he was already doing.

This framing made the decision easier.

Role Evolution and Closing

The client ultimately agreed to elevate the role to Assistant Manager. This adjustment reflected:

The candidate’s demonstrated experience
The leadership behaviors already in motion
The long-term needs of a growing team

The decision balanced candidate expectations, internal consistency, and future retention.

From the candidate’s perspective, the outcome addressed all three of their priorities: recognition, growth, and alignment with a relationship-driven team.

Outcome and Impact

The candidate transitioned into the team with immediate credibility. They stepped into the role with:

Clear ownership expectations
Trust from peers and leadership
A defined path for continued growth

For the client, the hire supported both near-term execution and long-term team health. The fund services group added capacity without compromising culture or structure.

What Companies Can Learn From This Search

Senior roles often carry leadership expectations before titles do
The best candidates are not always the loudest or most senior on paper
Role leveling is a powerful retention lever
Search partners add value by interpreting talent, not just presenting it
Internal equity and candidate advocacy can coexist when framed correctly

FAQ

Was this role always senior-level?
Yes. The position required senior execution and accountability from day one.

Why was the role elevated to Assistant Manager?
Because the selected candidate demonstrated senior execution plus leadership behaviors already in motion.

How did the client balance internal equity?
By aligning title and scope within existing structure rather than making an exception.

Was the candidate at risk of walking?
Yes. They were active in other processes and seeking alignment.

What differentiated Origin Staffing’s approach?
Translating interview feedback and candidate behavior into role-level alignment.

Who benefits from this approach?
Organizations focused on retention, growth, and durable team building.

If it’s helpful to talk through a current hire, you can reach us via Contact Us, and follow updates on the Origin Staffing LinkedIn company page.

This search was led by Devin Martinez – Recruiting Manager at Origin Staffing.