Chief Financial Officer
Reporting to:
CEO
Location:
Ipswich| Onsite | Full-time
Leading a dynamic team of finance professionals
Lead Growth. Drive Value. Shape the Future.
Our client is on a transformative growth journey—with a clear vision to scale up to
50% over the next three years
and to position the business for
Private Equity investment or strategic exit
. To support this ambition, we are seeking a
strategic, solutions-focused CFO
who blends boardroom credibility with operational agility.
This role is an opportunity to join a
fast-moving, entrepreneurial SME
and shape its financial and strategic architecture. You'll work closely with the CEO as a thought partner, leading M&A initiatives, scaling systems and processes, and creating a high-performance finance function built for long-term value.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic & Commercial Leadership
* Design and deliver a
3-year financial strategy
aligned with business growth and PE exit readiness.
* Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to shape commercial decisions through
data-driven insights
.
* Act as a key voice in
Board-level strategic discussions
, scenario planning, and risk management.
* Translate the business vision into a
scalable operating model
, underpinned by performance metrics.
M&A & Capital Strategy
* Lead on
mergers, acquisitions, and divestments
—including target evaluation, due diligence, structuring, and integration.
* Develop and execute
capital formation strategies
(debt and equity) in collaboration with investors and stakeholders.
* Support all aspects of
investment readiness
: financial modelling, investor packs, operational KPIs, and governance uplift.
Finance Transformation & Infrastructure
* Oversee and complete an
ERP implementation
(potentially NetSuite), ensuring the platform supports growth, reporting, and operational scalability, creating efficiencies.
* Build a robust FP&A framework, enabling predictive forecasting, budgeting, and performance monitoring.
* Establish a modern risk, audit, and compliance framework suitable for a high-growth, investment-ready environment.
Leadership & Culture
* Inspire and develop a high-performing, commercially aware finance team with a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
* Instil a
"business partner" mindset
across finance—ensuring the function enables and challenges strategic decisions.
* Live their leadership virtues:
Hungry
for growth,
Humble
in collaboration, and
Smart
in approach.
About You
Experience & Qualifications
* Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with a proven CFO or senior finance leadership track record in
scaling SMEs
.
* Demonstrable experience preparing a business for
PE investment, trade sale, or strategic funding event
.
* Direct
M&A transaction experience
—including post-merger integration.
* Proven delivery of
ERP or digital finance transformation
initiatives.
* Deep understanding of commercial finance, strategic planning, and capital structuring.
Skills & Behaviours
* Strategically minded, commercially driven, and solutions oriented.
* Comfortable operating in
fast-paced, high-growth environments
with ambiguity and evolving priorities.
* Strong leadership and people development capabilities.
* Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills—across Board, executive, and investor audiences.
* Values-led with a commitment to creating a
collaborative, high-performance culture
.
Why Join our client?
* Opportunity to play a
central role in shaping a high-growth business
on a path to strategic investment.
* A seat at the table with real influence, ownership, and purpose.
* A dynamic, forward-thinking environment where
people and culture matter
.
* The chance to build a legacy—through systems, people, and impact.
Interested?
We're looking for a CFO who doesn't just report on performance—but defines it. If you thrive on building, leading, and creating value at pace, and you're ready to join a business with real ambition and heart, we'd love to hear from you.