Chief Financial Officer

Description

Company: Federated Service Solutions and affiliated businesses
Location: Hybrid, Plymouth, Michigan
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Job Type: Full Time, Exempt
Schedule: Minimum two days per week in the Plymouth office, with additional onsite presence as business needs require

Who We Are Looking For

Federated Service Solutions is looking for a CFO who can operate comfortably at two levels: helping shape the financial direction of the business and getting into the details when the numbers require it.

This is not a role for someone who wants to receive finished reports, summarize them, and move on. We need a financial leader who understands how the numbers were built, recognizes when something does not make sense, asks the next question, and turns financial information into clear recommendations for the business.

You will oversee financial operations across FSS and affiliated businesses, including fssGO, with responsibility for a team spanning accounting, invoicing, purchasing, and warehouse operations in the current organizational structure. You will work closely with a hands‑on CEO and COO who want to understand the financial details behind important decisions and will ask questions. The right person will welcome that engagement, use it to sharpen the work, and also have the confidence to respectfully challenge leadership when the financial facts point in a different direction.

This role is expected to be approximately 50% strategic and 50% tactical. Long term, there is an opportunity for the right person to grow into broader CFO‑level responsibility as they demonstrate financial leadership, executive judgment, organizational leadership, and a strong understanding of how our businesses operate.

About Federated Service Solutions

At Federated Service Solutions, we solve complex problems for our customers and take ownership of getting the work done right. We value people who follow through, communicate when something is getting off track, anticipate problems before they become emergencies, and look for better ways to operate.

We are a growing organization, currently approximately $20 million in revenue with a goal of reaching approximately $30 million. Growth creates opportunity, but it also requires greater financial discipline, better information, thoughtful investment, and leaders who are willing to take ownership of the outcome.

That is where this role comes in.

What You’ll Own

Financial Strategy and Performance

Own financial strategy and performance across FSS and its affiliated businesses, with a focus on improving margins, strengthening cash flow, improving the company’s debt position, and supporting sustainable profitable growth.

Develop thoughtful recommendations around capital allocation, including when to invest, when to preserve cash, when to pay down debt, and when opportunities justify additional investment.

Maintain rolling cash flow forecasts and actively manage working capital rather than relying primarily on historical financial reporting.

Financial Operations and Reporting

Own accurate, timely financial operations, reporting, controls, compliance, forecasting, and month‑end close.

Maintain enough command of the underlying accounting and transactional detail to investigate discrepancies independently and understand how financial results were produced.

During transition, this role may remain personally involved in activities such as payroll and close. As the organization develops, the expectation is to build the right processes and team capabilities to delegate transactional responsibilities appropriately while maintaining strong financial oversight.

Executive Financial Insights

Turn financial and operational data into clear, decision‑ready information for the CEO, COO, and other leaders.

Do more than report what happened. Explain why it happened, what it means, what is likely to happen next, and what you recommend we do about it.

Build comprehensive financial reporting that tells a clear story while maintaining the supporting detail necessary to answer difficult or unexpected questions.

Respond thoughtfully when assumptions, reports, or recommendations are challenged. Questions and pushback should lead to better analysis and stronger decisions, not defensiveness.

Team and Operational Leadership

Lead and develop a team that currently includes accounts payable/accounts receivable, data administration, invoicing, purchasing, and warehouse responsibilities.

Establish clear expectations and accountability while developing people to independently own their responsibilities.

Solve day‑to‑day problems without unnecessary escalation while using sound judgment about decisions that require COO or CEO involvement.

Help evolve the finance and operational structure as the company grows, including identifying when responsibilities should be delegated, reorganized, or supported through additional leadership.

Strategic Business Partnership

Proactively partner with leaders across the company on pricing, contracts, organizational investments, headcount decisions, supply chain, financing, and other significant business decisions.

Maintain productive banking relationships and participate directly in debt, credit facility, covenant, and refinancing discussions.

Provide financial input on major deals before commitments are made.

Support financial due diligence and integration associated with future acquisitions when opportunities arise.

Bring recommendations without waiting to be asked. Identifying a financial or operational risk is only the beginning. We expect this leader to help determine what should be done about it.

Requirements

What You Bring

• 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, including significant financial leadership responsibility
• Strong command of financial strategy, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, working capital, margin analysis, debt management, and capital allocation
• Strong grounding in accounting principles, month‑end close, financial controls, compliance, and financial reporting
• Demonstrated ability to move between executive‑level financial strategy and detailed financial investigation
• Experience leading and developing a finance, accounting, or related operational team
• Experience producing financial reporting for owners, executives, investors, or boards
• Ability to organize complex financial information into a concise story, clearly explain conclusions, and make actionable recommendations
• Experience working directly with banks or other financial partners
• Strong ERP and financial systems fluency, including the ability to investigate transactions and reporting independently
• Ability to learn unfamiliar financial systems quickly. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central experience is strongly valued, but comparable ERP expertise will be considered
• Strong follow‑through and the discipline to meet deadlines, communicate roadblocks early, and close open loops
• Executive composure and the ability to respond constructively to questions, disagreement, and scrutiny
• Willingness to challenge a decision when the financial facts warrant it while remaining collaborative and solutions‑focused
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and significant progressive financial leadership experience

Nice to Have

An MBA or related graduate degree would be valuable, as would experience in field services, project‑based businesses, construction, technology services, or similar operational environments. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, M&A financial due diligence or integration, supply chain finance, and multi‑entity or multi‑division organizations would also be helpful. CPA or CMA credentials are welcome, but they are not required and will not substitute for demonstrated strategic and operational financial leadership.

Who Shouldn’t Apply

This role will not be a good fit for someone who wants to operate only at the strategic level or only in the accounting details. It is also unlikely to fit someone who sees financial reporting as the finish line rather than the beginning of a business conversation, waits for leadership to identify problems before acting, struggles to meet deadlines or close communication loops, or becomes defensive when their work is questioned. We want someone who can confidently hold a position when the facts support it, change course when better information emerges, and view thoughtful scrutiny as an opportunity to improve the decision.

What Success Looks Like

During the first 90 days, you will develop a strong understanding of the financial condition, systems, people debt structure, cash position, close process, profitability drivers, and working‑capital needs across the businesses. You will establish credible baselines and recommend meaningful targets for margin, cash flow, leverage, reporting, and financial operations. Within six months, leadership should receive consistent, timely financial reporting that clearly explains performance, identifies risks and opportunities, improves forecasting visibility, and leads to actionable recommendations. Commitments and financial initiatives should have clear ownership, deadlines, and follow‑through. Within the first year, success will include measurable improvement in operating margin, cash‑flow performance, and debt‑to‑equity position against agreed baselines while providing the financial leadership necessary to support the company’s growth objectives. Just as importantly, you will have built trust. Your team will know what is expected of them. Leadership will know that commitments will be followed through. When something is at risk, we will hear about it early. When an important financial question arises, we will expect you to help us get to the answer.

Work Environment and Expectations

This is a hybrid leadership position based in Plymouth, Michigan, requiring at least two days per week in the office and additional onsite presence when business needs require it. The role averages approximately 45 hours per week, although individual weeks will vary based on close, planning cycles, audits, financing activity, acquisitions, and other business demands. This leadership role also requires flexibility outside normal business hours when critical financial, operational, banking, close, or business needs require executive attention.