Chief Financial Officer

Fractional Chief Financial Officer

Overview

A privately held industrial manufacturing company with approximately $28M in annual revenue and a lean operational team is seeking a Fractional Chief Financial Officer to stabilize, modernize, and optimize its accounting infrastructure, financial reporting, and internal processes.

This engagement is designed for a hands-on finance executive who can quickly assess current-state operations, identify process gaps, implement scalable accounting controls, and build a reliable financial operating cadence. The organization requires a practical operator who is comfortable working closely with ownership and leadership in a lean, entrepreneurial environment.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of strategic financial leadership and operational accounting expertise, with a proven ability to improve systems, establish process discipline, and create accurate, decision-useful financial reporting.

Key Objectives

• Assess and remediate accounting and financial reporting deficiencies
• Improve month-end close timelines, accuracy, and visibility
• Evaluate and optimize ERP/accounting systems and workflows
• Establish scalable financial controls, policies, and procedures
• Improve cash flow visibility, forecasting, and working capital management
• Create reliable reporting packages for leadership and ownership
• Build a finance function capable of supporting future growth
• Mentor and support existing accounting personnel

Responsibilities

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Lead a comprehensive review of current accounting systems, workflows, and controls
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement improved accounting procedures
• Standardize month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes
• Improve accuracy and timeliness of financial statements and management reporting
• Evaluate chart of accounts structure, revenue recognition practices, inventory accounting, and cost accounting methodologies
• Oversee reconciliation processes and ensure balance sheet integrity
• Assess external accounting support relationships and audit readiness

Systems & Process Improvement

• Evaluate existing ERP/accounting software capabilities and limitations
• Recommend and implement system enhancements, integrations, or process redesigns
• Develop scalable reporting dashboards and KPI tracking mechanisms
• Improve data integrity, reporting consistency, and internal financial visibility
• Introduce best practices across AP, AR, payroll, inventory, purchasing, and job costing workflows where applicable

Cash Flow & Financial Planning

• Build short- and medium-term cash flow forecasting processes
• Improve working capital management and operational liquidity visibility
• Support budgeting and forecasting activities
• Develop operational and financial performance metrics for leadership review
• Provide financial insights to support business decision-making and operational planning

Leadership & Advisory

• Serve as a strategic financial advisor to ownership and leadership
• Mentor internal accounting personnel and improve accountability structures
• Partner cross-functionally with operations and commercial leadership
• Establish finance department priorities, timelines, and accountability measures
• Provide recommendations regarding organizational structure, controls, and scalability

Ideal Background

• Prior experience as a CFO, VP Finance, Controller, or Fractional CFO within industrial, manufacturing, construction materials, distribution, or operationally intensive environments
• Strong expertise in accounting operations, ERP implementations, and process improvement initiatives
• Demonstrated success stabilizing underdeveloped finance functions within entrepreneurial or founder-led businesses
• Experience supporting lower middle-market organizations in growth or operational transition phases
• Deep understanding of GAAP accounting principles, operational finance, and internal controls
• Hands-on approach with willingness to operate tactically while driving strategic improvements
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Experience

• Manufacturing or industrial operations experience
• Cost accounting and inventory management expertise
• ERP optimization or implementation leadership
• Multi-entity or multi-location operational experience
• Experience preparing businesses for audits, lender reporting, or institutional growth

Engagement Structure

• Fractional / contract leadership engagement
• Initial engagement expected to focus heavily on assessment, stabilization, and process redesign
• Flexible schedule structure based on business needs and project scope
• Potential for extension based on company objectives and outcomes

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a pragmatic and execution-oriented finance leader capable of balancing strategic oversight with detailed operational improvement work. This individual must be comfortable entering a developing finance environment, building structure quickly, and driving measurable process improvements without excessive bureaucracy.