Fp&A Manager - Private Equity Firm

Korn Ferry has partnered with a reputable private equity firm that invests in North American lower middle market industrial manufacturing businesses in search for a Financial Planning & Analysis Manager to join their Centre of Excellence (CoE) - a team of talented professionals, providing knowledge and support to portfolio companies throughout the investment lifecycle. This new role has been added due to their growth as a firm as well as the number and size of their portfolio companies. The Manager will serve as a trusted partner to both the leadership team, as well as the portfolio company management teams – providing support and expertise on all portfolio company finance and accounting related matters.

The successful candidate in this role will have deep expertise in financial planning, analysis, and reporting for lower middle market companies. This role is ideal for someone who understands the financial planning and accounting tools used at these companies and can develop valuable insights once they get their hands on the data. Experience in the manufacturing, industrial technology, or industrial services sectors will be critical because this person will be digging deep into the numbers to identify key operational performance drivers, KPIs, and potential issues. The Manager will report to the Finance and Accounting Principal in the CoE and work directly with the portfolio company management team and the leadership team.

Since the Manager will be working across multiple portfolio companies, the preferred candidate will have experience working with a variety of companies at various stages of maturity. The Manager must also be comfortable working with a broad range of owner personalities with varying degrees of professional experience

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with finance and accounting organizations of portfolio companies, including acting as interim-Controller, if necessary, to support management with value creation efforts.
• Identify key operational performance drivers, KPIs, and potential issues with the goal of improving profitability, accelerating post-transaction finance activities, optimizing finance and accounting processes, enhancing liquidity, automating activities, and implementing best practices across the organization.
• Support the Finance and Accounting Principal and manage the Financial Associate across all portfolio companies where the CoE has been deployed.
• Evaluate the financial performance of the portfolio company by comparing and analyzing actual results against forecasts.
• Foster strong relationships with portfolio company management teams, promoting effective communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
• Work with the Finance and Accounting Principal in conducting a thorough diagnostic evaluation of the finance and accounting process lifecycle.
• Create and own a KPI dashboard that can generate analytic reports and provide a snapshot of the financial and operational health of the business.
• Support the creation of comprehensive project plans for each portfolio company project, outlining a SOW, goals, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements.
• Drive the execution of project plans, closely monitoring progress and taking necessary actions to ensure timely completion of milestones and successful implementations.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the leadership team, highlighting project progress, achievements, and potential risks or challenges.
• Coordinate the consolidation, review, and analysis of financial information and reporting to provide accurate and timely recommendations to team members and company management for decision-making purposes.

LOCATION

• Relocation is available for a non-local placement
• This role can be based out of Chicago, IL or Austin, TX

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Strong analytical skills and business acumen in combination with the ability to be both business partner, supporter as well as challenger of peers and executives.
• Displays leadership courage and composure under pressure and can multi-task and meet aggressive deadlines; and to work under pressure analytically and systematically.
• 7+ years of experience in an FP&A-focused public accounting/consulting role focused on middle market and lower middle market manufacturing / industrial technology / industrial services companies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to translate and champion strategy at all levels in the organization
• Thrives on the challenge to create order where structure is lacking, or processes are broken or do not exist. Enjoys being the initiator and catalyst of continuous improvement actions.
• Resilient, hard-working, hands-on, and determined self-starter and problem solver. Exhibit intellectual curiosity and an ability to learn quickly.
• Experience executing projects in formerly family-owned lower middle market, private equity backed companies with revenues between $10m - $50m (i.e., comfort with QuickBooks).
• BS/BA in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or other relevant analytical background.

Preferred

• Experience working with companies at varying sizes and stages of maturity.
• Master’s degree.
• CPA license