Chief Financial Officer

Purple Squirrel Advisors; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Purple Squirrel Advisors seeks a transformative CFO to modernize the finance function and lead post‑acquisition integration of finance, HR, and IT. The role mentors leadership, strengthens HR, and drives technology adoption while enabling scalable, analytics‑driven growth.

The CFO will report to the CEO, partner with the PE sponsor, and oversee finance, HR, and IT with equity participation and strategic visibility across the board as the company scales through acquisitions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in finance and accounting leadership.
• Ability to translate financial data into actionable recommendations.
• Experience with ERP implementations and finance technology.
• Familiarity with cross-functional transformation and integration.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Complete finance function assessment: controllership, FP&A, systems, team capabilities, reporting gaps.
• Stabilize the month-end close process, reporting cadence, and assess internal controls.
• Present diagnostic findings and 100-day remediation plan to CEO/PE Sponsor with prioritized initiatives.
• Align with the Office of the CFO on support model and division of responsibilities.
• Deliver reliable Board and lender reporting.

Skills

Forecasting

Financial reporting

Budgeting

Strategic finance

M&A integration

Data analytics

Lender relations

Leadership

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER POSITION SUMMARY

As our client enters its next chapter, the Chief Financial Officer will be a transformative leader who builds confidence through accurate financials, forecasts, and unit economics analysis. The CFO will modernize the finance function, lead post-acquisition integration of finance, HR, and IT, and turn financial insights and analytics into a competitive advantage. This role will mentor and support the leadership team, strengthen HR, and guide technology adoption, while laying the foundation for a more automated, analytics-driven finance function that enables scalable, technology-enabled growth. The CFO will embody our clients' values of urgency, curiosity, customer focus, positivity, and continuous improvement, thriving in a fast‑paced, hands‑on culture where leaders roll up their sleeves and drive transformation together.

The CFO will partner closely with the Sr Director of Operations Finance with the PE Sponsor to stabilize and modernize the finance function within the first 100 days. This partnership provides dedicated support on controllership remediation, M&A integration execution, and systems implementation.

In addition to leading the finance function, the CFO will initially provide direct oversight of HR and IT, ensuring these functions mature alongside finance to support operational scale and M&A integration. As the company grows, the CFO will build or develop leadership in these areas while maintaining strategic oversight of people systems, technology infrastructure, and cross‑functional integration.

The Chief Financial Officer will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and maintain direct lines of communication with the Board and lenders. This role offers meaningful equity participation aligned with value creation and the opportunity to evolve into a strategic partner to the CEO and Board as the company scales through acquisitions and technology enablement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete finance function assessment: controllership, FP&A, systems, team capabilities, reporting gaps. Assess HR and IT capabilities, systems, and gaps.
• Stabilize the month‑end close process, reporting cadence, and assess internal controls.
• Present diagnostic findings and 100‑day remediation plan to CEO/PE Sponsor with prioritized initiatives and resource requirements.
• Align with the Office of the CFO on support model and division of responsibilities.
• Deliver reliable Board and lender reporting.

60 Days – Foundation Complete

• Refine existing board and operational reporting templates with covenant compliance tracking.
• Complete team structure design across finance, HR, and IT functions (Controller, FP&A lead, HR lead, IT lead, integration analyst), initiate hiring/talent development plan.
• Launch systems assessment (ERP/BI gaps supporting scaling to $200mm+).

90 Days – Process Discipline & Early Analytics

• Launch dynamic forecasting model with scenario capabilities.
• Define KPI library and data requirements for dashboard development, sketch KPI dashboards for leadership (margin drivers, customer churn, volume trends).
• Deliver first cut of unit economics analysis (per order, customer, or channel).
• Deliver margin bridge analysis identifying gross margin drivers.
• Pilot first finance, HR, and IT integration playbooks, including synergy identification and capture process.
• Define a data infrastructure roadmap: Identify ERP improvements, BI overlay, data warehouse framework, and automation priorities; define a KPI library and data dictionary to support long‑term business analytics.
• Present strategic finance roadmap: systems, analytics, team evolution to support 5x growth.
• Upgrade or implement accounting system (ERP) to support $200mm scale.
• Launch operational dashboards (manual or semi‑automated) for leadership decision‑making, and embed KPI and dashboard usage into leadership decision‑making.
• Establish predictive forecasting capability and embed analytics into planning rhythm.
• Complete finance/HR/IT integrations that deliver measurable incremental value.
• Implement a predictive analytics use case (e.g., sales forecast or churn risk).
• Design and test automation and AI‑enabled forecasting pilots, and explore data‑driven pricing strategies.
• Track progress against the team development plan; refine structure and succession to support scalable growth.

EDUCATION & TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Significant experience in finance and accounting leadership, ideally as a CFO, VP of Finance, or similar senior role.
• Deep expertise in forecasting, budgeting, financial reporting, and business analysis, with the ability to translate financial data into actionable recommendations.
• Working knowledge of ASC 606 and revenue/accounting considerations relevant to high‑volume business‑to‑business transaction environments.
• Experience building or improving finance infrastructure, including month‑end discipline, management reporting, and scalable planning processes.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and finance technology environments, with the judgment to assess how systems should be configured and improved.
• Ability to work effectively with a controller and existing finance staff while elevating the broader function beyond core accounting activities.
• Experience supporting businesses with leveraged capital structures, including awareness of covenant forecasting and lender‑oriented planning.
• Capability to evaluate and improve manual workflows, controls, and reporting processes across finance and related administrative functions.
• Strong project management and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage ongoing operational responsibilities alongside transformation initiatives.
• Willingness to travel as needed for business priorities, including periodic interaction with team members outside the primary office and support for acquisition integration activity.
• Ability to work in the office five days a week, with a leadership style centered on close collaboration and day‑to‑day engagement.
• Enthusiasm for joining a growth‑oriented business and investing fully in the role and its long‑term success.