Chief Financial Officer (CFO) An experienced Finance Director is sought for a rapidly growing and focused SME company working within the Japanese food import, restaurant and retail sectors. This is a permanent role and will suit a dynamic and ambitious individual with drive and flair, who has a real passion for the food sector, and strong skills to bring to the role. As CFO you will be accountable for the administrative, financial, and risk management operations of the company, to include the development of a financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve company assets and report accurate financial results. Principal accountabilities are: Operations / Costs Participate in key decisions as a member of the executive management team Maintain in-depth relations with all members of the management team Manage the accounting, human resources, investor relations, dealing with legal and tax issues. Oversee the financial operations of all companies Foreign operations Manage any third parties to which functions have been outsourced Oversee the company's transaction processing systems Implement operational best practices Oversee employee benefit plans, with particular emphasis on maximizing a cost-effective benefits package Supervise acquisition due diligence and negotiate acquisitions Planning Assist in formulating the company's future direction and supporting tactical initiatives Monitor and direct the implementation of strategic business plans Develop financial and tax strategies Manage the capital request and budgeting processes Develop performance measures that support the company's strategic direction Financial Information Oversee the validation and delivery of financial information Report financial results to the board of directors Risk Management Understand and mitigate key elements of the company's risk profile Monitor all open legal issues involving the company, and legal issues affecting the industry Construct and monitor reliable control systems Maintain appropriate insurance coverage Ensure that the company complies with all legal and regulatory requirements Ensure that record keeping meets the requirements of auditors and government agencies Report risk issues to the board of directors Maintain relations with external auditors and investigate their findings and recommendations Required skills: Management of accounting/finance department (5 years preferred) UK accounting knowledge (ACCA or CIMA preferred) Flexible personality - able to adapt fluidly to changing environment of growing company Secondary Qualification in accounting/finance following a degree in accounting or business administration, or equivalent business experience and 10 years of progressively responsible experience for a major company or division of a large corporation Preference will be given to candidates with an MBA in Finance and the Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant designations. Chartered Accountants A pragmatic approach to decision making An appreciation of the rapidly expanding organisation and the demands this may place on work commitments Japanese language skills a bonus Interest in Japanese food and culture If your application is successful you will be contacted within 2 days. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive we cannot provide feedback on individual CVs.