Chief Financial Officer Operations

ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Recently named the world's most sustainable corporation by Corporate Knights at the World Economic Forum in 2023, and Certified as a Great Place to Work, our client is a $2.5 Billion public entity with more than a century's expertise in metals recycling. As one of North America’s largest manufacturers and exporters of recycled metal products with more than 100 operating locations, the company’s integrated operating model advances a circular economy where metals never become waste and are redesigned into new products.

MISSION OF ROLE

The Operations CFO is a company executive and a strategic member of the Finance team providing critical financial advice to the CFO, executive management team, and operations leadership to elevate the company’s competitive advantage. The Operations CFO will support the development and drive the implementation of initiatives and strategic growth plans to improve the effectiveness of operations, increase profitability and mitigate financial risk. The Operations CFO will measure and report on the company’s financial performance as well as lead the budgeting and forecasting processes to shape the company’s financial future. This critical role will protect and improve the financial integrity of the company.

Reports to the SVP and CFO position.

Areas of Direct Management:

• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Capital Projects Reporting
• Operational Accounting and Reporting
• Finance Transformation (Financial Applications)
• Financial Analysis and Business Investment Assessment

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND OUTCOMES

Financial Operational Leadership

• Use business acumen to infuse financial trends and analysis into strategic conversations, ensuring a holistic approach to navigating change and uncertainty.
• Drive operational planning, forecasting, budgeting, and analytical oversight to support company operations across the entire business platform.
• Lead FP&A providing vital insight for making informed operational decisions through the use of meaningful performance data, ensuring the financial health and achievement of strategic goals.
• Provide operations leadership team with support to ensure efficiency, resource planning, cost management, financial reporting, and compliance with accounting, internal control procedures, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Develop financial and business plans to measure and track returns on capital projects and other business investments, delivering transparent reports that encompass financial impact, strategic alignment, and potential outcomes, and ensuring optimal leverage of financial resources including cash flow and financing.
• Identify and elevate key financial performance indicators to measure and track progress towards the achievement of operational and strategic goals. Align controllers with financial goals, optimizing performance through data-driven insights.
• Lead the operational accounting function and work closely with the controllership function to support accurate and timely financial reporting in accordance with GAAP, SEC and SOX regulations.
• Translate financial insights into initiatives that foster innovation, operational efficiency, and a competitive advantage for the company.

Finance Transformation

• Oversee the Financial Applications team focused on the implementation, maintenance and improvement of financial systems.
• Lead transformative process innovations that enhance efficiency, elevate financial performance, and drive quantifiable business outcomes.
• Drive the evolution of financial systems and applications, leveraging technology to streamline processes and improve data accuracy.
• Champion digital transformation initiatives in the Finance department to ensure the organization remains at the forefront of financial technology, including through the implementation of ERP software solutions.

People Leadership

• Communicate current state while setting a forward-looking direction in a dynamic environment.
• Build key business partnerships influencing and collaborating at all levels of the organization.
• Drive a continuous improvement philosophy throughout the organization which holds the management team accountable to making measurable strides toward excellence in financial performance.
• Ensure credibility of a top-level finance and accounting function by providing timely and accurate planning, budgeting, analysis, financial trends and forecasting updates.
• Create collaboration between finance and operations to generate new ideas, identify potential opportunities for improvement, ensure business plans are successful and objectives are met.
• Nurture a workplace culture that encourages empowerment, agility, transparency, integrity, and diversity.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Must Have:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or business administration.
• Demonstrated experience with Finance Transformation projects that improve the technology, efficiency, and effectiveness of the organization.
• Experience in M&A transactions including operational merger integration.
• Broad experience in operational/divisional accounting, finance (planning, modeling, financial analysis, and forecasting), capital projects, and financial reporting including internal control processes, SEC reporting and SOX compliance.
• Minimum 15 years of demonstrated accomplishments in progressive senior financial roles, including in a recent CFO or Operations CFO role.
• Modern leadership approach building, developing, and retaining diverse teams.

Preferred:

• Work experience in high-responsibility financial roles in a publicly traded company.
• MBA, advanced degree, or finance/accounting certifications.
• Leading role in supporting or sponsoring ERP due diligence and implementation projects for finance.
• Substantial exposure to treasury, tax, and investor relations functions.
• Experience in the manufacturing industry, including inventory and cost management, is strongly preferred.