Located in the Midwest, this privately-held S-Corp is a leader in consumer packaged goods.
The Position
Reporting to the President with dotted line to the CEO, the Chief Financial Officer will serve as a pivotal leader for the corporation who will help the CEO and senior leadership team manage the business at both a strategic and operational level. While being responsible for all financial activities of the company, the CFO will also bring a "strategic business partner" orientation to the CFO's office and serve as a major contributor to the direction of the company. As a key member of the Executive Committee, he/she will work directly with the CEO/Owner and Board of Directors.
The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for directing the overall financial reporting, analysis, accounting and treasury, including cash management, and financial projections. He/She will support the CEO on overall business planning and strategic initiatives. Essential duties and responsibilities include:
Lead all financial functions including Accounting, Finance, Tax, Treasury, and Planning.
From a CFO perspective, drive the development and implementation of a broad range of financial planning and analysis issues, e.g., capital structure, risk strategies, and the evaluation of new business opportunities.
Proactively work with the management team to develop annual business plans and operating budgets. Coordinate the preparation and distribution of budget templates, analyze budgeting revenues and expenses, prepare and distribute budget reports.
Analyze operational performance, budgetary issues, and financial performance at macro and micro levels and help develop plans to anticipate and address problem areas, deviations, and/or shortfalls. Establish metrics that evaluate performance levels and identify potential business challenges. Lead cost savings initiatives with quarterly reviews.
Support operational executives in reviewing financial results, analyzing variances to budget and previous year; identify trends, determine system improvements. Lead SKU management improvement processes and related inventory reserves. Work closely and partner with senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and external auditors.
Direct the overall financial plans and accounting practices. Oversee financial and accounting system controls and standards, and ensure accurate and timely financial and statistical reports for management and Board of Directors.
Communicate company financial results to primary lenders, investors, outside auditors and Board of Directors.
Optimize the handling of banking relationships and initiating appropriate strategies to enhance cash position; minimize interest and other borrowing costs. Secure loan and lease financing as needed. Maintain excellent relationships with banks, clients, and other business partners.
Work with the external tax firm, oversee preparation of all tax filings, and provide appropriate supporting schedules as required. Work with external auditor to produce annual audited financial statements.
Maintain security by evaluating, monitoring, and reporting on internal control policies and procedures. Interface with various company leaders to implement internal controls and operational policies and procedures.
Develop and refine processes and policies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the financial function; this includes driving the optimization of the systems and systems requirements that support the financial function and its collection and management of the corporation's financial data.
Oversee and direct the preparation and issuance of the Company's financials and ensure that tax returns are filed accurately and timely with federal, state, and local authorities; continually searching for tax saving strategies. Understand accounting and tax regulations.
Lead the analysis and provide direction on all risk management issues, including insurance, property, fire, benefit plans, 401k,"make versus buy" decisions, etc.
THE INDIVIDUAL
The Chief Financial Officer ideally has experience in a consumer business that sells through mass market, food, and drug (e.g. Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, and Kroger). Ideal candidates were trained in a classic CPG environment that sells through retail channels. A quantitative understanding of "spend" metrics plus experience with an ecommerce growth strategy (e.g. Amazon, social media) is ideal. Operational and supply chain experience in a company that has sourced product overseas and has an import strategy is important, as well as global experience expanding into foreign countries. Experience in a company with SAP is ideal. The broader and more diverse the experience, the better. Important strengths of the ideal candidate include:
Accounting - Acts as the Chief Accountant of the company, ensuring all reporting, processing and classification is accurate, working with the Accounting department and leading all audits.
Analyst - Acts as the Chief Financial Analyst of the company, putting in place resources to help Sales, Marketing and Operations continuously improve ROI.
Operations - Leads financial analysis of cost, working closely with Operations on gross margin improvements and Sales with pricing and key account strategy. Compares sales and profit projections to actual figures and budgeted expenses to actual expenses; makes or oversees any necessary adjustments to future projects and budgets.
Cost Reduction - Acts as the Chief Cost Saver of the company, instilling a culture of cost management and cost cutting across every aspect of the company. The CFO must be able to overcome previous paradigms on cost savings and challenge all areas.
Sub S Corp - Leads unique aspects of managing the finances of Sub S Corporation, working with tax experts to maximize the owner's wealth creation.
Business Partner Leadership - Provides compelling and decisive guidance and direction in a collaborative manner to help the corporation reach its business goals. Experience in a family run business is ideal.
Strategic Acumen - Synthesizes the complex operating variables across the organization to help proactively develop solutions for the company's growth objectives and anticipate future challenges. Strong planning and project management skills. Anticipates emerging and future trends accurately based on broad knowledge and perspective.
Financial Acumen - Possesses extensive and up-to-date knowledge of the full range of CFO activities and practices. General business acumen is essential as demonstrated by experience leading complex financial operations and transactions. Understands business dynamics and ability to drive accounting and control processes effectively.
Integrity - Does the right thing, having the courage of own convictions, and adhering to strongly held principles and values. Strategic leader with unquestionable integrity to follow financial rules/regulations.
Communication - Highly articulate and able to convey important messages in a clear and compelling manner. Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills. Ability to work with all levels in the company. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to communicate at all levels of the organization including the board. Excellent skills to explain complex financial matters simply and at a pace that is digestible for colleagues.
Building Teams - Selects, develops, and motivates groups of people working together in a committed way to achieve common goals. Strong leader with proven experience managing and motivating staff. Team player with complete alignment with senior management team once decisions have been made. Communicate a vision and provide motivation and direction to team members. Creates focus and eliminate roadblocks for team members.
Willingness to "roll up your sleeves" to help find new opportunities, be diligent in holding people accountable, and having passion to WIN. High energy level, resilience, excellent debating ability and problem-solving.
Prior CFO experience, CPA and S-Corp experience are required.