Chief Financial Officer

Carl Meyler Associates; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Carl Meyler Associates is supporting a highly successful private equity backed international business appointing a Chief Financial Officer to join its senior leadership team and play a central role in the next phase of its development.

The CFO will report to the CEO and Board, combining commercial insight, financial rigour and hands-on leadership to scale the business, strengthen governance and prepare for its next stage of ownership while delivering meaningful value.

Qualifications

• Senior finance leadership experience in a fast-paced, service-led or commercially focused environment.
• Strong financial control, reporting and commercial analysis capabilities.
• Track record of partnering with commercial/operational teams and influencing decisions.
• Delivery-focused leadership with the ability to balance strategic and detail work.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and Board, providing insight and commercial perspective.
• Lead the development of high-quality board reporting, MI and KPIs.
• Support commercial decision-making, contract negotiations, margin optimisation and operational performance.
• Own budgeting, forecasting, treasury, working capital and cash flow management.
• Build relationships with investors, auditors and external stakeholders; strengthen governance and financial controls.
• Develop and adopt technology and data to improve decision-making.
• Work with leadership to deliver the value creation plan and support a future exit.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial partnering

Financial systems & controls

Education

CIMA/ACCA/ACA qualified

Job description

Carl Meyler Associates are proud to be supporting a highly successful, Private Equity backed international business as it appoints a Chief Financial Officer to join its senior leadership team and play a central role in the next phase of its development.

The business has developed a highly differentiated proposition within its market, combining technology, data and a sophisticated commercial model to create measurable value for a diverse international customer base. It has established a strong presence across the UK and North America and has developed a scalable model with significant recurring revenue characteristics and further international growth potential.

Following significant growth investment from a leading UK investor, the business is now focused on accelerating its international expansion and executing their next stage of their value creation plan. The business anticipates an exit within the next 2-3 years, making this a particularly interesting opportunity for a CFO looking to have a tangible impact on enterprise value.

The Opportunity

Reporting to and working closely with the CEO, wider Board and Investor, the CFO will be a key strategic partner to the leadership team.

This is much more than a traditional financial stewardship role. The successful candidate will combine commercial insight, financial rigour and hands-on leadership, helping the business scale effectively while ensuring it is fully prepared for its next stage of ownership.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Acting as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and Board, providing insight, challenge and commercial perspective.
• Leading the development of high-quality board reporting, management information and KPIs.
• Supporting commercial decision-making, contract negotiations, margin optimisation and operational performance.
• Taking ownership of budgeting, forecasting, treasury, working capital and cash flow management.
• Building strong relationships with investors, funders, auditors and other external stakeholders.
• Further strengthening the finance function and developing a high-performing finance team.
• Strengthening governance, risk management and financial controls across an international business.
• Supporting the continued development and adoption of technology and data to improve decision-making.
• Working closely with the leadership team to deliver the value creation plan and ultimately support a successful exit.

About You

We are looking for an ambitious, commercially minded finance leader who is comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will be a CIMA, ACCA or ACA qualified accountant with a successful track record in senior finance leadership and experience of working within a service-led or commercially focused environment.

You will bring:

• Strong financial control, reporting and commercial analysis capabilities.
• Experience presenting performance and insight to an array of senior stakeholders
• A track record of partnering effectively with commercial and operational teams.
• Experience influencing commercial decisions and contract negotiations.
• A hands-on, delivery-focused approach, with the ability to move comfortably between strategic issues and detail.
• Experience of broader leadership would be highly advantageous.
• High levels of maturity, strong communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to work effectively with investors, banks, advisors and senior stakeholders.
• The leadership capability to coach, develop and build a high-performing finance team.
• Curiosity, resilience, emotional intelligence and a genuine appetite to make things happen.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a business with an established proposition, an international footprint and significant further growth potential at a genuinely important point in its evolution.

The successful CFO will have the opportunity to shape the finance function, influence commercial strategy, work directly with investors and the Board, and play a meaningful role in the delivery of a future exit.

The business offers an entrepreneurial culture where people are expected to take ownership, challenge themselves and continually look for opportunities to improve.

• An attractive executive remuneration package, including equity aligned to the future success of the business, is available for the right individual.

The role offers hybrid working, providing flexibility. However, given the importance of building strong relationships across the organisation, the successful candidate will be expected to maintain a regular presence at the company's Manchester offices.

Candidates should therefore be based within the North West, or be able to demonstrate a strong and credible rationale for relocating to the region. A visible and engaged leadership presence will be important in establishing effective relationships across the wider business and supporting its continued growth.