interim CFO

Trades Workforce Solutions; Saint-Brieuc; Hybride; EUR 100 000 - 125 000; Temps partiel

Résumé du poste

A leading financial management firm is seeking an Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to provide immediate leadership during a transition. This role focuses on enhancing financial stewardship, supporting M&A activities, and ensuring rigorous financial controls. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in PE-backed firms, demonstrating success in both strategizing and implementing finance transformation initiatives. The position requires a hands-on leader able to engage effectively at both board and operational levels while managing complex growth strategies.

Qualifications

• Proven Interim CFO or senior CFO experience within large-cap organisations (€700m+ turnover).
• Strong track record in PE-backed and/or acquisitive buy-and-build environments.
• Hands-on experience supporting M&A transactions and post-merger integration.

Responsabilités

• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and consistency of financial numbers across the group.
• Support and shape M&A activity, from diligence through integration.
• Lead board-level and investor-style reporting, including performance, cash, and covenant metrics.

Connaissances

Financial stewardship

M&A transactions support

Forecasting accuracy

Working capital management

Commercial insight

Description du poste

Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Hybrid | Weekly travel to Central Europe (2–3 days per week at HQ)
Start: ASAP
Contract: Interim (with potential interim-to-permanent)
Day Rate: Negotiable (aligned to large-cap, PE-backed complexity)

The Opportunity

A large, international, private equity–backed group (c. €700m+ turnover) is seeking an Interim CFO to provide immediate leadership and stability during a transition period while a permanent appointment is made.

The business is operating a buy-and-build growth strategy, with regular M&A activity across Europe. The Interim CFO will play a central role not only in core financial stewardship, but also in supporting transactions and ensuring disciplined post-merger integration.

This is a role requiring a senior finance leader who can operate credibly at board and investor level, act as a trusted right hand to the CEO, and simultaneously adopt a hands‑on, in‑the‑trenches approach to ensure accuracy, control, and momentum.

• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and consistency of financial numbers across the group

• Improve forecasting quality, cash flow visibility, and working capital discipline

• Support and shape M&A activity, from diligence through integration

• Professionalise the finance function to large-cap, PE-backed standards

• Provide confident leadership through transition, supporting continuity and handover to a permanent CFO

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnering

• Act as a core member of the executive leadership team and strategic partner to the CEO

• Provide commercial insight to support growth, capital allocation, and value creation

• Lead board‑level and investor‑style reporting, including performance, cash, and covenant metrics

• Support longer‑term finance strategy, organisation design, and capability development

Financial Control, Reporting & Governance

• Own group financial reporting, ensuring robust controls, reconciliations, and data integrity

• Oversee month‑end, quarter‑end, and year‑end close across multiple entities and jurisdictions

• Ensure compliance with local statutory, tax, and regulatory requirements

• Standardise accounting policies, reporting formats, and governance across the group

Forecasting, FP&A & Working Capital

• Stabilise and improve short‑, medium‑, and long‑term forecasting accuracy

• Drive improved working capital performance (AR, AP, inventory, cash conversion cycle)

• Enhance management information, KPIs, and dashboards to support operational decision‑making

• Challenge assumptions and translate financial data into actionable insight

M&A Support & Transaction Activity

• Act as the finance lead on M&A activity, working closely with the CEO and deal teams

• Support financial due diligence, valuation analysis, and deal structuring

• Assess target businesses’ financial quality, systems, controls, and working capital profiles

• Identify deal risks, synergies, and integration considerations pre‑close

• Support rapid assessment of bolt‑on opportunities in line with the group’s growth strategy

Post-Merger Integration (PMI)

• Lead or oversee post‑merger integration from a finance perspective

• Ensure timely integration of:

  • Financial reporting and close processes

  • Accounting policies and controls

  • Forecasting, budgeting, and KPI frameworks

  • Cash management and working capital practices

• Support integration of finance teams, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and operating cadence

• Track delivery of deal assumptions, synergies, and integration milestones

• Balance pace of integration with business continuity and operational realities

Transformation & Hands-On Delivery

• Lead elements of finance transformation, including:

  • Process standardisation and simplification

  • Strengthening of finance operating rhythm and controls

  • Improving data quality, systems usage, and reporting outputs

• Be close to the detail where needed, particularly in newly acquired or under‑developed entities

• Step into problem areas to resolve issues pragmatically and at pace

• Build capability within the existing finance leadership team

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

• Proven Interim CFO or senior CFO experience within large‑cap organisations (€700m+ turnover)

• Strong track record in PE‑backed and/or acquisitive buy‑and‑build environments

• Hands‑on experience supporting M&A transactions and post‑merger integration

• International, multi‑entity experience across European operations

• Demonstrable success improving:

  • Forecasting and cash visibility

  • Working capital performance

  • Finance control and reporting at scale

Style & Mindset

• Gravitas to operate at board and investor level, with a pragmatic delivery mindset

• Commercial, outcomes‑focused, and comfortable operating in ambiguity

• Able to build credibility quickly with senior stakeholders and finance teams

• Willing to operate both strategically and operationally as required

Practical Requirements

• Willing and able to travel weekly to Central Europe (2–3 days on site)

• Available to start immediately or at short notice

• Open to interim or interim‑to‑permanent arrangements