Finatal is partnered with a middle market private equity fund ($7bn AUM) on a CFO search for an environmental services portfolio. It was acquired 2.5 years ago by PE after an excellent period of growth driven by a large recurring customer base. The business generates $100m revenue and is made up of 14 branches across 6 states. As the business enters the second half of its investment cycle, an excellent CFO is required to upscale and professionalize the current framework, lead on the remaining M&A strategy and prepare for the eventual exit. The desired candidate will have strong cash management, be super commercial across all business functions and have strong PE experience.
Key focus areas:
- Oversee end-to-end function for multidivisional lines of business and branches, including strategic finance, treasury, accounting, FP&A, tax, and reporting.
- Develop and maintain a culture of accountability. Oversee the buildout of a unique finance and accounting organizational design to match the growth and needs
- In partnership with the CEO, shape strategic direction of the company and in the identification and execution of investments (both organic & M&A).
- Develop, manage, and direct the company’s long-term financial plans and performance drivers. Maintaining a strong handle on current actions that have future implications for success.
- Ability to course correct as needed to ensure structure and commercial agreements minimize risks while optimizing financial return.
- Manage the relationship with the Board and Private Equity Partners. Keep this group fully abreast of developments and issues and engage the Board in discussion and decision-making related to all M&A integration activities.
- Develop and lead the company’s strategic financial planning (FP&A) and annual budget process, including the consolidation and preparation of the monthly financial reporting package.
- Implement and scale financial reporting systems aligned with the growth and increasing complexity of the organization.
- Deliver high value-added operational KPI and financial analyses for internal (executives and Board) and external (lenders) stakeholders to drive strategic planning and decision-making.
- Be willing to get out in the field, “roll-up the sleeves” and strengthen relationships with existing customers as well as new customers and channels.
- Drive best practices and processes across the organization based on a strong foundation of analytics and metrics.
- Develop, implement, and ensure compliance with internal financial and accounting policies and procedures while preparing the company to scale for growth.
- Embedding a culture of integrity, ethics and transparency. Earn the respect of his or her peers, subordinates, and superiors for his or her integrity, ethics, moral compass, and ability to set a standard for their leadership to follow.
Professional Experience & Qualifications:
- Experience as a strategic, innovative, and disciplined financial/business leader, ideally in a multi-site or services business.
- Experience in a leveraged environment is preferred. Extremely skilled at cash management.
- Turnaround or restructuring experience is a plus.
- Experience as a successful CFO within a private equity portfolio company with a foundation in accounting and operational finance is desired. Candidates with executive leadership experience as a “#2” finance leader will also be considered.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to appreciate commercial strategies, operational processes, technology, and leadership in a distributed field structure across regions and state territories.
- Ability to attract, mentor and retain financial talent. Experience building, developing and leading high-quality teams with a reputation of working cross-collaboratively at all levels of an organization.
- Team player who uses data to drive continuous performance improvement and is a respected and trusted partner to senior management.
- Experience executing best-in-class process improvement disciplines to optimize business results.
- Command of financial concepts, including accounting, cash management, budgeting, revenue recognition, cost accounting, activity-based costing, financial modeling, and forecasting.
- Driven and humble. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Can champion and sell ideas both internally and externally.
- Able to “get hands dirty” and can also articulate a vision. Driven to see tangible results and collaborate with others to drive them.
- An undergraduate degree in accounting, finance or related discipline is required. MBA or CPA is desirable.