Job description
Chief Financial Officer Lancashire
Our client is a PE backed multi-discipline specialist contractor providing infrastructure asset management, structural refurbishments, engineering and fabrication services to clients across the rail, road, defence, energy, environmental and utilities industries. In recent years it has delivered strong, successful growth across its operating divisions and now employs over 550 people.
The business seeks to appoint a finance leader who can act as a true business partner to the CEO, the Board and the business. The candidate will lead the Group’s Finance function, support the future strategy of the business, contribute to the management and development of the company, both externally and internally, and be a well-respected, senior financial professional.
Key Responsibilities
- Providing the private equity shareholder with confidence that the company is being led and managed in an appropriate way
- Monitoring and reporting on the significant long-term contracts with large customers which are central to the performance of the business.
- Management of external stakeholders including investors, banks and alternative debt providers to ensure the business is adequately and efficiently capitalised through fund raising/ refinancing
- Effectively manage working capital, cash and WIP (cost to completion/ variations/ provisions etc) in a long-term contract environment with challenging cash generation cycles
- Work closely with commercial teams in order to manage costs and cost inflation robustly
- Help prepare and position the business for an exit (likely time frame of next 2-3 years)
- Supporting the growth of the company, particularly as it diversifies into new markets and different channels
- Further developing the appropriate governance systems and infrastructure to support a private equity-backed business
- Overall – playing a key role in supporting the CEO and Board to deliver the business plan
For these reasons this role will appeal to a highly commercial finance professional, with experience of the full cycle of private equity investment, able to provide leadership at both a strategic and operational level and make a significant contribution commercially, while not being afraid to roll up their sleeves and get into the detail
Qualifications & Experience
- University degree and relevant professional accountancy qualification
- Ideally have prior experience as CFO of a similar sized, successful private equity-backed company
- Likely to have experience in B2B services and businesses managing large contracts, or related business sectors
- Experience in taking a company through a successful exit and of other M&A activity
- Understanding of the private equity model and the investor’s role / position
- Strong grasp of strategy and evidence of making a significant contribution to the development of a business beyond the confines of the finance function
- Outstanding commercial skills and proven ability to work as business partner to the CEO
- Able to demonstrate a track record of working with Boards and shareholders to drive major change in well-established companies
- Experience of working in a lean, fast paced environment
Personal Characteristics
- Leads by example, is a role model, proactive, action-orientated and driven
- Proven agent of change who thrives in dynamic situations
- Detail-orientated, able to roll up sleeves and do the work
- Strong and effective leadership and interpersonal skills
- High integrity. Honest, fair and pragmatic, hands-on, down-to-earth and able to fit well into the no- frills culture of the company
- Proven ability to work well under significant pressure
- Independent of thought – able to challenge assumptions and adopt the role of questioner, while also being a strong team player
- A natural team builder and developer of people
- Stature and gravitas to influence at Board level and within the shareholder and banking syndicate, to think and act independently and to defend a position with robustness
- An excellent communicator who is equally comfortable when presenting to both staff and external audiences
Our client is a PE backed multi-discipline specialist contractor providing infrastructure asset management, structural refurbishments, engineering and fabrication services to clients across the rail, road, defence, energy, environmental and utilities industries. In recent years it has delivered strong, successful growth across its operating divisions and now employs over 550 people.
The business seeks to appoint a finance leader who can act as a true business partner to the CEO, the Board and the business. The candidate will lead the Group’s Finance function, support the future strategy of the business, contribute to the management and development of the company, both externally and internally, and be a well-respected, senior financial professional.
Key Responsibilities
- Providing the private equity shareholder with confidence that the company is being led and managed in an appropriate way
- Monitoring and reporting on the significant long-term contracts with large customers which are central to the performance of the business.
- Management of external stakeholders including investors, banks and alternative debt providers to ensure the business is adequately and efficiently capitalised through fund raising/ refinancing
- Effectively manage working capital, cash and WIP (cost to completion/ variations/ provisions etc) in a long-term contract environment with challenging cash generation cycles
- Work closely with commercial teams in order to manage costs and cost inflation robustly
- Help prepare and position the business for an exit (likely time frame of next 2-3 years)
- Supporting the growth of the company, particularly as it diversifies into new markets and different channels
- Further developing the appropriate governance systems and infrastructure to support a private equity-backed business
- Overall – playing a key role in supporting the CEO and Board to deliver the business plan
For these reasons this role will appeal to a highly commercial finance professional, with experience of the full cycle of private equity investment, able to provide leadership at both a strategic and operational level and make a significant contribution commercially, while not being afraid to roll up their sleeves and get into the detail
Qualifications & Experience
- University degree and relevant professional accountancy qualification
- Ideally have prior experience as CFO of a similar sized, successful private equity-backed company
- Likely to have experience in B2B services and businesses managing large contracts, or related business sectors
- Experience in taking a company through a successful exit and of other M&A activity
- Understanding of the private equity model and the investor’s role / position
- Strong grasp of strategy and evidence of making a significant contribution to the development of a business beyond the confines of the finance function
- Outstanding commercial skills and proven ability to work as business partner to the CEO
- Able to demonstrate a track record of working with Boards and shareholders to drive major change in well-established companies
- Experience of working in a lean, fast paced environment
Personal Characteristics
- Leads by example, is a role model, proactive, action-orientated and driven
- Proven agent of change who thrives in dynamic situations
- Detail-orientated, able to roll up sleeves and do the work
- Strong and effective leadership and interpersonal skills
- High integrity. Honest, fair and pragmatic, hands-on, down-to-earth and able to fit well into the no- frills culture of the company
- Proven ability to work well under significant pressure
- Independent of thought – able to challenge assumptions and adopt the role of questioner, while also being a strong team player
- A natural team builder and developer of people
- Stature and gravitas to influence at Board level and within the shareholder and banking syndicate, to think and act independently and to defend a position with robustness
- An excellent communicator who is equally comfortable when presenting to both staff and external audiences
