Cheif Financial Officer

Location: Florence, Alabama (on-site)

Reports to: Co-CEOs (Ownership)

Position Summary

Our client is a third-generation, family-owned distribution business seeking a hands-on operations-oriented Chief Financial Officer, to be a key member of the executive leadership team and serves as both the senior financial steward and a strategic operational partner. In addition to overseeing all financial functions, the CFO will bring a strong operational mindset, partnering closely with sales, supply chain, and operations to improve profitability, efficiency, and scalability across the business.

This role requires a hands-on leader with deep experience in inventory-driven, distribution-based operations who can balance financial discipline with practical operational decision-making in a family-owned environment focused on long-term value creation.

Key Responsibilities

Financial & Operational Leadership (Primary Focus)

• Lead the company’s financial strategy in alignment with ownership’s long-term vision and operational goals.
• Act as a strategic business partner to the CEO, ownership, sales and operating leaders, translating financial data into actionable operational insights.
• Drive financial and operational discipline across the organization, supporting sustainable growth and margin improvement.

Financial Planning, Budgeting & Analysis

• Oversee financial planning and analysis (FP&A),including forecasting, scenario modeling, and performance measurement tied to operational drivers.
• Lead the annual budgeting and rolling forecast process in closely managing operations and supply chain leadership and coordination with sales.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators specific to wholesale distribution, including gross margin, pricing discipline, inventory turns, service levels, working capital, and return on invested capital.

Operational Finance & Decision Support

• Manage and mentor operations leadership and partner with sales leadership to evaluate pricing strategies, customer profitability, and supply partner programs.
• Support operational initiatives related to inventory optimization, branch or warehouse performance, logistics efficiency, and demand planning.
• Provide financial analysis for capital investments, fleet and equipment decisions, and facility expansions.

Financial Reporting, Controls & Compliance

• Ensure timely, accurate financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
• Oversee tax planning, audits, regulatory compliance, and internal controls appropriate for a privately held family business.
• Establish clear reporting and dashboards that link financial performance to operational outcomes.

Cash Flow, Working Capital & Credit Management

• Manage cash flow forecasting, liquidity, and capital allocation.
• Optimize working capital with a strong focus on inventory management, customer credit, collections, and supplier payment terms.
• Oversee customer credit policies and credit risk management in a high-volume distribution environment.

Financial Operations & Systems

• Oversee day-to-day accounting and finance operations, including AP, AR, payroll, and general accounting.
• Partner with operations and I/T to optimize ERP systems, reporting tools, and data integrity across finance, inventory, and order management.
• Improve financial and operational processes to support scalability and efficiency.

Banking & External Relationships

• Manage relationships with banks, lenders, insurers, and external advisors.
• Ensure compliance with loan covenants and financial reporting requirements.
• Serve as the primary financial representative with external stakeholders.

Supply Chain and Human Resource Oversight

• Oversee, support and guide the leaders of Supply Chain and HR departments
• Ensure the plans from these departments are aligned with the organizational goals

Mergers, Acquisitions & Growth Support

• Support ownership with acquisition analysis, due diligence, integration planning, and post-acquisition performance tracking.
• Evaluate organic growth initiatives through both financial and operational lenses.

Contracts & Legal Oversight

• Oversee contract review, negotiation, and management, maintaining a centralized contract repository to support governance and risk management.
• Serve as the primary liaison with outside legal counsel on financial and operational legal matters.

Leadership & Culture

• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and alignment with the company’s values.
• Build strong working relationships across departments in a collaborative, family-owned environment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 10–15 years of progressive financial leadership experience

• Prior CFO, VP Finance, or senior finance role in wholesale distribution, industrial supply, or asset-intensive businesses

• Experience in lower-margin, operationally complex businesses strongly preferred

• Family-owned or founder-led company experience a plus

• Financial leader with a hands-on, operational mindset who understands how the business truly runs.

• Comfortable being visible in the operation — warehouses, branches, and with sales leadership.

Core Strengths & Attributes

• Strong accounting and financial controls foundation

• Deep understanding of operational drivers of margin and profitability

• Excellent communicator able to explain financial concepts clearly

• Proven collaborator with sales and operations, navigating growth vs. margin tension effectively

• Practical, steady, hands-on leadership style

Compensation & Incentives

• Competitive base salary and annual incentive

• Long-term incentive or equity-like participation may be available

• Relocation support may be considered

Why This Role Is Attractive

• Stable, profitable, third (and fourth) generation managed family-owned business

• Strong family culture, and professionally managed with accountability, continuous improvement, and alignment with the company’s values