Chief Financial Officer (Chicago)

We are partnering with a well-established, privately held organization seeking an experienced and strategic Chief Financial Officer to join its executive leadership team.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a finance executive who enjoys working closely with ownership and senior leadership to drive business performance, support long-term growth, and influence strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on leader who thrives in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment.

The CFO will oversee all aspects of the organization's financial operations while serving as a trusted advisor to the executive team, helping position the business for continued growth and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with the executive leadership team to develop and execute the company's long-term financial strategy.
• Provide financial guidance on strategic initiatives, investments, acquisitions, and business expansion opportunities.
• Support executive decision-making through financial analysis and data-driven insights.
• Act as a trusted advisor to ownership and senior leadership.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning.
• Develop financial models to support strategic initiatives and investment decisions.
• Monitor financial performance, identify trends, and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Deliver meaningful financial reporting and KPI dashboards to leadership.

Capital Markets & Corporate Finance

• Develop and execute capital strategy to support business growth.
• Manage relationships with banks, lenders, investors, and financial institutions.
• Evaluate debt structures, financing alternatives, and capital allocation strategies.
• Lead financing activities, refinancing initiatives, and liquidity planning.
• Assess opportunities related to mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments.

Private Equity & Investor Relations

• Partner with private equity sponsors, institutional investors, lenders, or ownership groups where applicable.
• Prepare board presentations and financial materials for investors and stakeholders.
• Support due diligence activities related to acquisitions, financing, or strategic transactions.
• Develop financial strategies that maximize enterprise value.

Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Oversee all accounting operations, including month-end and year-end close.
• Maintain strong internal controls and financial governance.
• Manage external audits and tax compliance activities.

Treasury & Cash Management

• Oversee cash flow planning and liquidity management.
• Optimize working capital and cash forecasting.
• Manage banking relationships and treasury operations.
• Monitor financial risk and capital requirements.

Operational Finance

• Partner with business leaders to improve profitability and operational performance.
• Develop financial metrics to measure business performance.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements, cost optimization, and operational efficiencies.
• Support scalable growth initiatives across the organization.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all financial, regulatory, and corporate governance requirements.
• Oversee enterprise risk management initiatives.
• Evaluate financial risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Maintain strong internal controls and compliance programs.

Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the finance and accounting organization.
• Build a high-performing finance team focused on continuous improvement.
• Foster collaboration across departments to achieve company objectives.
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related field (MBA and/or CPA preferred).
• 15+ years of progressive finance leadership experience, including senior executive or CFO-level responsibilities.
• Proven experience leading finance within a private equity-backed, or high-growth organization.
• Strong background in corporate finance, capital markets, treasury, and financial strategy.
• Experience managing banking relationships and financing activities.
• Demonstrated success leading budgeting, forecasting, FP&A, and financial reporting.
• Experience supporting executive leadership and Boards of Directors.
• Experience evaluating mergers, acquisitions, integrations, or strategic investments is highly desirable.