CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (Industrial PE Ptf Co)

The Client:

Our Client is undisclosed.

They are an industrial entrepreneurial mid cap, leader in their own space, recently acquired by a leading Global PE Fund.

Their business operates B2B in a very attractively growing market.

A player of excellence, with the potential for a significant growth.

The new shareholders are investing to develop the next strategic trajectory, Finance will be pivotal to sustain the business.

Position – The role:

A new CFO will be required to support a very dynamic business growth, that will mainly be directed across international markets. The role is strategic and is designed to report solid line to the CEO.

The key goals will be:

• Establish trust with the CEO and Shareholders, and deliver impact in driving finance as strategic partner of the business, across new business milestones and a growth mission in parallel with optimisation / continuous improvement actions;
• Ensure integrity of financial information and full domain of all technical topics;
• Communicate effectively at all levels, addressing a strategic dialogue upwards on one side, and positioning Finance as a go to function to help, address, resolve on the other.

Position – Specific responsibilities & critical priorities:

• Evolve Finance into a best-in-class function, able to:
• Lead the development of effective financial management capabilities and ensure a controlled environment through solid domain knowledge, process improvement, engagement and intelligence across all areas
• Evolve the vision of Finance as key contributor to growth, able to anticipate and provide answers by developing key-partnering behaviours with each and every function
• Process : Strengthen the overall control environment through process improvements, ensuring business engagement and buy-in and providing team operational guidelines to manage accounting and all related documentation in accordance with Management Reporting Standards
• Take the leadership of all functional areas in the scope , and develop the IT systems in place one step further, to ensure:
• Accounting & Statutory – proper financial controls and reconciliations are in place, to grant book integrity. Elaborate 1) Reporting and Financial Statements to provide regular Executive Reports; 2) Statutory Books and Tax Reports in line with streamlined compliance requirements; 3) Consolidated financial statements if any.
• Controlling – a reliable set of information for the Executive team, and the set up of evolved BI – Business Intelligence tools to drive discussions and reviews; the delivery of long term planning, budget and forecasting monthly cycles; the design of appropriate KPIs to monitor projects. Focus on capex, cash flow, ROI and working capital reporting.
• Treasury – Enhance attention to cash control methodologies, cash planning and forecasting, inflation and FX management across all the countries in which the business operates
• Project Management : Take accountability of current and future projects, to elevate the financial function as a catalyst for strategic decision-making. Provide insightful contributions across strategic topics and take the leadership of specific projects, with focus on capacity, pricing, efficiency and working capital optimisation.
• Team & Leadership : Manage a team of professionals within Finance; some upskilling to address, yet rooted on solid company knowledge. A broader Leadership mission will be to act as business partner and a role model, influencing behaviours and decisions across functions, challenging the status quo with proactive approach to problem solving, thus supporting Stakeholder and CEO in taking thoughtful, predictive decisions.

Requirements ("Must have"):

University degree in Economics; an MBA would be considered a plus.

• Controlling and / or Accounting background, with the ability to step up to the role of CFO. Must possess a solid experience of 15+ years in Senior Finance Director roles, in structured, modern companies, with international scope and within industrial arena.
• Solid technical background in delivering execution , i.e. supporting growth while evolving the finance function to become best in class, in a fast-changing and growing environment.
• Demonstrated track of achievements , in delivering all requirements connected to Accounting & Statutory Balance Sheet – Controlling/FP&A – Treasury – Tax, and:
• Business judgement rooted on business analytics, coupled with the ability to:
• understand market dynamics; assess opportunities and risks for the business; take appropriate decisions based on solid arguments;
• enforce the perception of Finance as key contributor to value creation,
• take full ownership in front of key internal and external stakeholders.

Key skills will encompass:

• A real team player with leadership potential, who can take on challenges and has the right mix of energy and resilience. Assertive and results-oriented leadership : a strong focus on results, able to persist and raise the bar to new standards. Provides compelling reasons for improvement, removes obstacles and provides guidance, with a clear focus on key priorities and resistance to setbacks.
• Hands on and organized. Used not only to face complexities, yet do so in a fast-paced environment
• Able to decide , identify opportunities and risks with business lens, and deliver on time and quality
• Mature relationship skills to interact properly at all levels of the organisation. Engaging with people, yet able to reassure and listen while managing any necessary upskill or change. Able to create a high performing culture, and convey engagement even when under pressure, helping seeing the big picture
• A good communicator who can influence the audience, provide insights and articulate reasons in front of the CEO and stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial style and willing to join a mid-size company with strong growth potential and make it a champion in its space. Fit with Leadership, stakeholders, culture and mission
• Fluency in English is a must.