Chief Financial Officer

The Opportunity

This is an outstanding opportunity for a motivated and ambitious finance professional to join the leadership team of a highly entrepreneurial and fast-growing Freight Forwarding and Logistics Group. The Group is currently growing at a rapid rate and expects turnover to be in excess of £30m in 2 years’ time. In addition, it has recently launched a new shipment tracking technology business which will further drive growth.

The role will be office based in the Group’s offices in Guildford and will offer a competitive base salary + performance related bonus and benefits.

The Role

Historically, the lead financial role has been fulfilled by one of the other Directors with the support of the firm’s external accountants. The scale of growth in the business has now made it essential that they have their own in-house full-time CFO and, as a result, the Company is now looking to recruit an ambitious and motivated individual to fill this post.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be an active part of the Company’s leadership team helping to drive and support the strategic development of the business

• Lead and manage the finance team (currently 1) and grow and develop this team over time as the workload increases

• Ensure that all finance systems and processes are effective and efficient and in compliance with all relevant international accounting standards and regulations

• Drive and support all business planning and budgeting activities

• Undertake quarterly reporting and regularly review and re-forecast business plans in line with internal processes and timescales

• Manage liquidity and cash flow maximization

• Oversee and improve all financial controls and processes across the business

Person Profile

This role demands an individual who can be both strategic and 'in the detail’, who knows how to prioritise and get things done and who is comfortable operating in a scaling business driven by a combination of individual excellence and true teamwork. In addition to being a high-performing, self-starting individual the CFO will have:

• A professional accounting qualification (CIMA, ACCA) or in exceptional cases, a person close to qualification

• Experience of operating within a fast-moving scale-up environment.

• Experience of working closely within a Leadership Team to provide financial reporting and analysis to support strategic and operational decision-making.

• Solid Accounting skills to maintain the financial records in accordance with legal requirements.

• Experience of dealing with external Auditors

• Experienced in producing Management Reports in a timely manner.

• Experience of multi-currency accounting

• Experience of Group consolidations

• Experience of invoice financing

• Good flexible and collaborative team player, who can build solutions with a positive outlook.

• Excellent inter-personal, communication and presentation skills.

• Experience of, and comfortable with, working in a fast-paced environment with high degrees of change

In addition, the following are desirable:

• Experience of import / export or international logistics business

• Experience of Sage accounting software

• M&A experience.