About — Gratus Staffing

Our Story

A different kind of search firm.

Gratus Staffing offers quality, direct-hire recruitment services placing top accounting, finance, and operational leaders nationwide. From growth-stage companies to Fortune 500 organizations, we've partnered with businesses across numerous industries to help build world-class finance teams made up of top performers.

The bedrock of our values is made up of our commitment and accountability to clients. We genuinely take the time to learn about the cultures, strategies, and visions of the organizations we partner with — and hold ourselves responsible for finding the absolute best candidates.

With combined experience of over 28 years in staffing, our team is committed to creating an unparalleled experience in the industry. We take pride in our fill rate, our efficiency, and the long-term satisfaction of every candidate we place.

100%

Retained Search Fill Rate

Every retained search engagement we have taken on has been successfully closed — we don't take mandates we don't believe we can win.

83%

Contingent Fill Rate

Our contingent fill rate is well above the industry average, reflecting the same rigor we apply to every search regardless of engagement model.

300+

Placements Made

Senior finance, accounting, and operations leaders placed in organizations nationwide.

28+

Years Combined Experience

Our team has deep roots in finance recruiting, built across Fortune 500 staffing firms.

Resumes Per Hire

We aim for four resumes per search — keeping your review time minimal and your decision focused.

Who We've Served

Built on consequential work.

Our client relationships span the full range of real estate, financial services, and adjacent sectors — from early-stage developers to publicly traded institutions. We don't disclose client names, but the caliber of organizations we've partnered with reflects the trust we've built in the market.

Real Estate

Top-10 national affordable housing developer
S&P 500 retail REIT
Publicly traded lodging REIT
Mid-Atlantic institutional office developer
Diversified real estate investment manager
National homebuilder

Financial Services & Investment

Global institutional asset manager
Global private markets investment firm
Institutional investment advisory firm
Mid-Atlantic regional bank
Community banking institution
Financial commodities exchange

Diversified & Mission-Driven

Global hospitality franchise company
Financial media & data company
Award-winning non-profit food enterprise
Professional services organizations

What We Stand For

Our values

Accountability

When we take an engagement, we own the outcome. We set clear expectations and hold ourselves to them — with structured updates and honest communication throughout.

Discretion

Executive searches are sensitive. We operate with full confidentiality — for the organization, for the candidates we approach, and for the process we run.

Long-Term Thinking

We're not optimizing for a fee — we're optimizing for a hire that works. That means being honest about fit, managing expectations on both sides, and staying engaged through onboarding.

The Team

The people behind every search.

Justin Marcus

President & CEO

Justin founded Gratus Staffing after six years as an Assistant Vice President at a Fortune 500 recruiting agency. He studied Finance at Towson University and holds a certificate in Entrepreneurship Essentials from Harvard Business School. Having spent over a decade in finance recruiting, he brings direct domain expertise to every search.

justin@gratusstaffing.com

Gavin Hannan

Recruiting Manager

Gavin brings seven years as a Vice President at a Fortune 500 recruiting agency before joining Gratus. He earned his Business Management degree from The Catholic University of America and is known for building long-term partnerships grounded in integrity and trust. He specializes in finance, accounting, and operations across the DC metro area.

gavin@gratusstaffing.com

Ambar Marcus

Operations Manager

Ambar oversees operations, marketing, and design at Gratus. With a BFA in Digital Art & Design from Towson University and a background in graphic design and SEO, she keeps the firm running efficiently and ensures our brand presence reflects the quality of our work.

ambar@gratusstaffing.com

Built on relationships, driven by results.