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.
