Assignments

This private equity-backed specialist software business requires a CFO to bolster an experienced senior management team and lead the business through an IPO. A true business partner to the CEO, this person will have a significant impact on the overall direction of the business moving forward. 

Responsibilities: 

• Performance Management & Decision Support:  It is crucial that the CFO runs a finance that demonstrably and unequivocally adds value by actively managing the performance of the business in close partnership with the CEO and other senior directors.
• Reporting & Performance Monitoring: Ensuring the business produces appropriate performance reports on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis. These need to be accurate and provide meaningful insights into the absolute, relative and trend line performance of the business.  While the reports and measures may be contributed to and defined by functional leaders, the CFO and the finance function are ultimately responsible for the integrity of such reports of both financial and operating data.
• Planning and Budgeting: Collaborating with the CEO and the rest of the management team, the CFO will prepare, propose and ultimately seek Board approval for the year’s budget and the (3 year) forward financial plan for the business. 
• Commercial Finance: The CFO should be absolutely integral to the business’s decision making and processes.  In order to be ‘integral’ the CFO needs to ensure that commercial finance capability is “inserted” into all material areas of the business but especially alongside marketing, operations and commercial development.
• Financial Control: Working closely with the rest of the financial team, the CFO will ensure that all key elements of the financial ‘systems’ (ledgers, payments, DDs, cash management, accruals, expenses etc. etc.) are fit for purpose and well managed. The CFO will also ensure that there are processes, checks and balances in place to eliminate the possibility of fraudulent activity, mis-statements or other errors.
• Model Management: Ensuring the business has a live and up to date financial scenario model that is appropriate in its accuracy, flexibility and forecasting capability and gives excellent insight into forward earnings performance and outlook. 
• Treasury/Balance Sheet: Setting the parameters for, managing the balance sheet and ensuring that the business has access to the funds it requires, drawn from appropriate sources and providers.
• Investor Relations: The CFO will be taking the lead role along with the CEO in interfacing with investors, communicating with shareholders and managing the relevant processes.
• M&A: Working with the CEO (and other members of management team), the CFO will play a key role in assessing, evaluating, negotiating and executing opportunities to acquire businesses in line with the overall strategy and direction of the business.

Requirements: 

• ACA Qualified with a strong firm – likely big 4, 1st time passes etc.
• Ideally, the candidate will have been a CFO of a PE owned and/or listed company before or have operated as a clear No:2 in a larger business.
• Degree educated from a strong institution – clear evidence of intellectual capacity and a good learner.
• Experience in six sigma, lean production process development.
• Extremely numerate and analytical with a high level of competence in numerical analysis, overseeing modelling and financial management.
• Highly intelligent with a good base of learning and experience on which to base judgement as well as the ability to make clear, fact-based decisions.
• A natural eye and appetite for detail; at the same time always able to see the bigger picture and potential.
• Appropriate technical accounting skills and capacity to guide the team whilst considering and applying all the general principles of accounting practice.
• A pragmatic approach to distinguishing between where detail is necessary (indeed essential) and where detail hides or confuses the picture.
• Able to make a thoughtful, sustained and considered contribution to the debate about strategic options.
• A robust, “front foot” character with the strength of purpose and independence of mind to stand up for what he/she believes in – to both the Board and the CEO.