Group CFO Manufacturing c.£150,000 BONUS CAR BENEFITS LTIP Home Based / With UK Travel Business Our client is the holding company for a highly profitable group of manufacturing companies. Each operating business is relatively small, but very well-regarded in its market and the Managing Directors of each of those business are all empowered to run their companies with genuine autonomy. The Group Chief Executive, and majority shareholder of the group, has a successful career background with large corporates in the sector, but identified some years ago an opportunity for small but established businesses with respected brands to flourish if managed with rigour and financial discipline. The group has expanded through acquisition and astute investment in organic growth, especially in capital equipment, product innovation and streamlined supply chains. Some of the companies have required turnaround, some have not, but all have benefitted from being part of the group as relationships and networks are invaluable in this sector, and the management of the Group all have strong connections across their respective industries. The Group ethos is one of acquire, improve, invest, build and retain. Occasional disposals are of course part of the nature of a group of companies such as this, but not an objective. This is, in effect, an owner-managed business wherein the capital, investments and decisions are all about the longer-term. Group sales are comfortably into the mid "8-figures" and have been rising steadily for years. Profits, likewise, have been on the up since the formation of the Group and EBITDA now stands, consistently, at around 15% of sales. The Group is cash rich and capex in existing companies and the acquisition of new companies is a firm feature of Group Strategy. The Group Holding Company comprises the Group CEO and the Group CFO, plus administrative support. Some of the Group Companies have Finance Directors, some do not as they are not of a size to warrant one. The companies are at a number of locations, widely distributed across England. Role The Group CEO is in the South East, but the Group CFO need not be co-located with him. As a group of companies there will naturally be a requirement for regular interaction with all the companies and their senior management, as well as with the Group CEO - travel will therefore be required. In addition to consolidation of group accounts, there will be an expectation on the Group CFO that they will also act as Finance Director for some of the entities within the group. The identification and analysis of acquisition targets will be an important feature of the role, as will driving post-acquisition integration and profitability. Although the Group is highly selective in its pursuit of M&A opportunities, it will be for the Group CFO to ensure such decision-making is based on thorough and detailed evaluation of potential targets. However, a strong and close working relationship with the Group CEO will be vital to the success of this appointment, and of the whole Group. The interpersonal rapport between them will be fundamental to every aspect of the job, therefore, the Group CFO and Group CEO must quickly establish a mutual understanding and shared approach to strategy and style for the Group. Candidate The ideal candidate is most likely to have come from a background that includes exposure to corporate group structures, owner-managed businesses, manufacturing SMEs and M&A. A disciplined, well-organised, approachable person with a first-class intellect who can build lasting relationships, but who also has the all-important ability to close a deal, would be a strong candidate for this position. This is a wide-ranging accounting role, where day-to-day hands on financial management will be juxtaposed with group strategy, company secretarial, and a variety of executive functions in a broadly based highly influential role. This appointment will be fundamental to the success of the Group in the coming years and as such will also require strong leadership, interpersonal, communication and management abilities. Graduate, Qualified accountant - FCA / ACA preferred First-class intellect Highly numerate, with a demonstrable record of a firm grip on figures Relationship builder and developer Gravitas and credibility Has and demands high standards Owns issues Resilient, accommodating, patient with equanimity Strategic realist Can make and articulate a business case, built on rigorous data analysis Influences and persuades rather than directs Experience of working as part of a geographically distributed team Can work alone and maintain focus Unflappable with considered judgement and unemotional decision-making Approachable and inclusive with time for, and interest in, the people with whom they work Wise counsellor, supportive, but status agnostic Independent thinker Reliable and dependable Willingness to work from home, and away from it, as necessary