Solara Search

FP&A strap lines and what they really mean! FP&A really does have its own language. On the surface it sounds perfectly reasonable, but once you’ve worked with the function (or recruited for it for long enough!), you realise half of it is code for something else! After years of placing FP&A Analysts, Managers and Directors you learn the lingo and can provide translation! Here’s what people say vs what they actually mean “Can you walk me through the assumptions?” = I don’t agree with this “We need to tighten the forecast.” = Something isn’t adding up, we need to fix it before the CFO asks questions. “Can you pull together a quick scenario?” = Cancel your lunch, maybe even your evening! “It’s just a small variance.” = Prepare to discuss, in detail. “We need a sensitivity model.” = Leadership wants an Excel shaped comfort blanket. “Interesting numbers…” = Not interesting, alarming! “Let’s sanity check this.” = Someone’s getting grilled FP&A is smart, nuanced and full of brilliant people who somehow balance detail, diplomacy and commercial reality, but let’s not pretend the language isn’t a whole world of its own! If you’re building out FP&A for 2026 or need a read on the market, always happy to share what I’m seeing.

We're #hiring a new Controller in Houston, Texas. Apply today or share this post with your network.

!! New Role !! Solara Search is excited to be appointed with a market leader in their search for a Controller. Reporting into a recently appointed CFO for a one of countries fastest growing electrical sub-contractors. This is a hands-on leadership position that combines day-to-day accounting oversight with big-picture financial planning Hit apply or drop me a message at Emma@solarasearch.com

We're #hiring a new Accounting & Payroll speciliast in College Station, Texas. Apply today or share this post with your network.

We're #hiring a new Senior Staff Accountant in Carrollton, Texas. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Excellent new role to Solara Search. My client is a fast growing design & build company that creates large-scale, construction projects across the U.S. They’re small enough for your work to matter, yet expanding fast, doubling in size nearly every year. With this growth, they're adding a Senior Staff Accountant to their team to strengthen financial operations and help scale with control and confidence. Apply below or reach out to me on emma@solarasearch.com

The hiring market feels quiet right now, but this is when the best moves are made Every year, around now, the same thing happens. Holiday season’s creeping in and the market goes a bit… slow. Not dead, just quieter. This is when the smart CFOs and savvy candidates get ahead. Because while everyone else is saying “Let’s wait until January,” The best opportunities and the best people are quietly being snapped up. Here’s what I’m seeing right now 👇 🔹 Candidates are more open, fewer processes, less noise 🔹 Companies can move faster (no year-end chaos yet!) 🔹 You’ll secure stronger people, less competition, fewer offers 🔹 Salaries stabilise, conversations become more realistic It might feel quieter, but some of the best hires I’ve ever made happened in November and December. If you’re hiring, don’t delay. If you’re looking, don’t wait for January. The market never sleeps it just changes tempo. If you want an insight on where the market is moving right now, I’m happy to share what I’m seeing.

UK vs US Finance Business Partnering - same objective just a different approach In the UK, most mid-to-large businesses have dedicated Finance Business Partners. These are qualified accountants who act as an extension of the teams they support. They wear two hats, one as the accountant ensuring best practice and reporting accuracy and the other as a commercial partner who helps the business deliver its goals without stifling ambition or creativity. In the US, it’s slightly different. The FP&A function is highly commercial, generally not accountants (and proud of it!) They’re less embedded day-to-day, working in a more centralised way, focused on ROI analysis, forecasting, and business performance. The accounting team handles the actual reporting, FP&A understands it, but doesn’t produce it. Neither model is right or wrong they’re just built differently. Both aim for the same outcome, bringing the numbers to life and helping the business make better decisions.

13 years in recruitment, 6 pieces of advice I’ve been given (and would I do it again?) 1️⃣ Say yes to every client 4/10 When you start out, saying yes feels like the only option, but not every client is the right client. If the culture or expectations don’t align, it drains your time and energy. Now, I say no early rather than spending weeks trying to deliver the impossible. 2️⃣ Don’t niche 3/10 I was told, “work with the big companies, get on the PSLs and the work will flow!” But those roles never excited me. It was the small, nimble, owner-managed businesses that got me fired up. Then came the explosion in internal recruitment and it worked! I built credibility, trust and depth in my SMB network. You can’t be known for everything, but you can be known for doing one thing exceptionally well. 3️⃣ If multi-agency is the only option, take it 3/10 No, it’s not the only option. My philosophy has always been quality over quantity. Working with speed and pace is fine, but never at the expense of quality. Now, I work on a retained or exclusive basis only. Be confident in your ability and proposal, be flexible but never move away from your values. 4️⃣ Don’t share your candidate pool 2/10 I was told to protect it like gold dust. The truth? Collaboration wins. I’ve built stronger relationships by being a connector and consultative. Trust compounds and it’s what makes me great at my job. 5️⃣ The market is quiet in the summer 1/10 I’ve heard this every year and every year it’s wrong. The market doesn’t slow, people do. If you stay consistent through the “quiet” periods you’ll come out ahead when everyone else restarts in September. 6️⃣ You can’t mix UK and US markets 0/10 I was told the US was too tough to break and stick to what I know. Building Solara Search in the US has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. Different markets, different cultures but the same drive for great talent. The UK gave me structure the US gives me challenge. Both make me better. 💡13 years in and still learning every day. Some advice stands the test of time and some you simply outgrow.

We're #hiring a new Finance Manager in South Africa. Apply today or share this post with your network.