VP Finance & AI Transformation (m/w/d)

The Customization Group; Köln; Hybrid; EUR 100.000 - 150.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Direct access to CEO and shareholders

Leadership role with statutory responsibility

Flexible working arrangements

Zusammenfassung

A leading company in e-commerce, located in Cologne, is seeking a Finance Lead at the Managing Director level. The role involves owning the finance function across multiple countries and leveraging AI for improved processes. The ideal candidate has a strong background in finance leadership, team building, and experience in complex operational environments, with a focus on hands-on execution. Hybrid working arrangements are available.

Qualifikationen

• Experience as Head of FP&A, Head of Controlling, or VP Finance.
• Proven track record of building or transforming a finance function.
• Experience in e-commerce or manufacturing environments.

Aufgaben

• Lead finance across multiple entities and local accounting systems.
• Design and implement AI-driven processes for consolidation and reporting.
• Manage FP&A, controlling, treasury, and cash management.

Kenntnisse

Finance leadership

AI and automation implementation

Team building

Bilingual in German and English

Jobbeschreibung

(m/f/d)

Job Overview

• Location: Cologne, Germany (Hybrid)
• Start: ASAP
• Full-time, Managing Director level

About The Customization Group

The Customization Group is a global leader in mass customization and print‑on‑demand e‑commerce. We manufacture up to 2.5 million unique, personalized products daily across production sites in Germany, Poland, the USA, and Latvia. Millions of customers find us through our 20+ online shops and 1,000+ partner stores. Our 750+ team members come from 40+ nationalities and work at the intersection of manufacturing, e‑commerce, and AI.

Automation is embedded in how we run the business—from production workflows to marketing. Now we want to bring that same rigor to finance, and we’re looking for the right person to lead it.

The Role

You will be the finance lead for the entire group, with Managing Director status and real decision‑making authority. This is a role where you get to shape things from the ground up. We have the infrastructure, ambition, and team behind it. What we need is someone who can connect the dots across our entities and build a modern, AI‑powered finance function that is lean, fast, and scalable.

In a nutshell: Take ownership of group finance across four countries. Use AI and automation to build something better than what’s there today. Work closely with the CEO and do it hands‑on.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead finance across multiple entities and different local accounting systems in each country
• Design and roll out AI‑driven processes for consolidation, reconciliation, close, and reporting
• Own FP&A, controlling, treasury, and cash management across all countries
• Present to the board and shareholders directly
• Build and lead a lean finance team where technology does the heavy lifting
• Support M&A activity and keep the organization always due‑diligence ready

Who We’re Looking For

• Ready to own the full scope— not just manage a piece. Experience as Head of FP&A, Head of Controlling, or VP Finance stepping into the lead role
• Have built or transformed a finance function before, not just maintained one
• Have built your own finance tools or automations using AI – it’s part of how you work, not something you’re planning to explore
• You come from e‑commerce, manufacturing, or a similarly complex operational environment
• Have experience in an investor‑backed company
• Can handle different accounting systems, different countries, and varying levels of maturity as a challenge
• Can be in our Cologne office frequently
• Fluent in German and English

Probably Not a Fit If

• Your first move is to build headcount before building systems
• You see AI as a future investment rather than a current tool
• You prefer strategic oversight to hands‑on execution
• You’re looking for a role that matches the scope you’ve already had, rather than one that stretches it

What We Offer

• A real leadership role: Managing Director level with statutory responsibility, full seat at the table
• A mandate to build: It’s not about maintaining what’s there but designing a modern finance function from the ground up
• Direct access to the CEO and shareholders—no layers in between
• An organization where automation is operational, not aspirational—how we run production, marketing, and operations every day
• International scope: Germany, Poland, USA, Latvia
• Hybrid working: Cologne office, flexible elsewhere

How We Hire

1. First conversation with our Chief of Staff. 45 minutes. We want to understand how you think, not walk through every line of your CV.
2. A practical exercise – we’ll share our actual ledger landscape and ask you to sketch out how you’d approach it. There’s no right answer; we just want to see how you think about AI, automation, and team design.
3. Meeting with the CEO and shareholders – chemistry, alignment on the vision, and what the mandate looks like in practice.
4. Offer – we aim to get there within about 4 weeks.

Interested?

This is a Managing Director appointment. We take the process seriously and expect you to do the same. Send us your CV and a substantive note on why this role is the right next step—what you’d bring, and what you want to build.

Contact

• Location: Cologne, Germany
• Website: thecustomizationgroup.com. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. What matters is what you can build.