CFO

The organisation

Our client is a leading AgriTech group based in the Netherlands. The company employs approximately >100 talented Engineers and Technicians and provides its portfolio of internal logistics, optical sorting, and packing solutions to greenhouse growers and cooperations across Europe and North America. 

The company operates two main brands: a machine vision and robotics specialist that has developed the award-winning system for fully automatic grading, sorting, and packing of fruits and vegetables, and a brand that offers internal logistics and robotics solutions for potted plants and vegetable nurseries. 

By combining over 30 years of experience with machine-vision solutions and 30+ years of agriculture-specific engineering know-how, they are a unique player in the market. It is aiming to become the leading player in horticulture automation, increasing the installed base of the award-winning system and the automation solutions.

To realize the growth plans, they are supported by its majority shareholders a (PE) who will provide the company with capital to scale up operations, invest in research and development and further grow the platform with selected buy-and-build. The PE invests in market leaders with an ambitious business model in growing markets. They support exceptional entrepreneurs and management teams to jointly realize ambitious growth plans. 

The position

The company seeks to appoint a strong finance leader who can act as a true partner to the CEO, the Board, and the business. The candidate will lead the Group’s Finance function, support the strategy of the business, contribute to the management and development of the company, both externally and internally, and be a respected, senior financial professional. 

He/she has an outstanding track record as CFO in supporting fast growth trajectories of (high-tech engineering) companies whilst lifting the quality of the finance department to a higher level with tangible results to speak for it. He/she has worked as a CFO for private equity owned companies and has clear experience in the stakeholder management that comes with it. He/she can enthuse easily people internally and also externally. 

The candidate has also a true entrepreneurial mindset and is extremely strong in stakeholder management.

He/she will be credible in terms of scale, business experience, commercial achievements and reputation in the eyes of the CEO, Board, executive management team, shareholder, customers and other stakeholders.

Operationally, the CFO will become part of the Group management team and will head the finance teams of the operating companies. The new CFO will play a key role in executing the growth strategy.

Tasks & responsibilities

Bring the management information systems to a higher level and generate accurate, granular, and meaningful steering information to enable the Board and the shareholders to understand and steer business performance at all times and look forward. This will include: 

• Improving operational and commercial KPI reporting; 
• Improving level of granularity in (gross) margin reporting;
• Improve data warehousing and implement BI tooling; 
• Determine whether parts should be outsourced, proven by financial details 
• Ensure a high level of cost- and cash control with simple and durable tools and practices implemented throughout the (Finance) organization. 
• Managing the external stakeholders including the majority private equity shareholder, (future) banks and alternative debt providers and ensure the business is adequately and efficiently capitalised through fund raising/ refinancing where appropriate.
• Support actively in the execution of the M&A agenda.
• Support actively in accelerating the commercial agenda (order intake / business cases / one-off sales to higher quality revenues). 
• Shaping a strong performing finance and control team.
• Centralise and optimize the purchasing.
• Supporting the CEO and Board to deliver on the business plan.
• Further developing the appropriate governance systems and infrastructure to support a private-equity backed business. 

For these reasons, this role will appeal to an experienced finance professional that is familiar with the full cycle of private equity investment, able to provide leadership at both a strategic and operational level and is not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get into the detail.

Candidate profile

Professional hardskills

• Financial Performance Improvement – Established track record of financial performance improvement at division/business unit/company level, for example, through programs or projects to reduce costs or increase turnover (in collaboration with operational/front office teams).
• Accounting & Controlling – Understanding of relevant accounting standards (IFRS preferred), including consolidation accounting (business combinations) and how these link with operational aspects of the business; experience with managing internal and external (statutory) audits; experience with tax planning (including cross-border transfer pricing considerations)
• Budgeting & Forecasting– Experience with managing the annual budgeting process at division/business unit/company level (ideally applying the bottom-up approach), and detailed monthly forecasting process at a division/business unit/company level.
• Dashboards, Reporting and Data Analysis – Deep understanding of and experience with using large, complex data sets to generate meaningful management steering information. Knowledge of BI tools and reporting best practices, including creation of fit-for-purpose dashboards at different levels and monitoring systems/processes.
• Financial Process Quality Management– Good understanding of (end-to-end) process design and management, including the incorporation of appropriate controls. Experience with financial process monitoring and improvement. Ability to organize month-end fast closing based on reliable assumptions.
• Financing– Track record in refinancing, banks (including relationship management), covenants, and related risk identification, monitoring and management, ideally within high-leverage corporate structures. Treasury experience with actively managing and optimizing working capital, CF planning (rolling 13 week forecast) and FX exposures.
• PE experience – Previous experience at management level within a listed and/or private equity environment with regular (strategic & financial) reporting and presentation to Supervisory Board. Aware of and understands shareholder dynamics and pressures within such an environment.
• Open to collaboration and direct input from shareholders, yet still able to function independently. Flexible and adaptable to (rapid) changes in circumstances.
• Exit experience – Has held a leadership role during the exit process and experienced different process steps and dynamics first-hand. Understands valuation drivers, and has worked with different valuation methods (DCF, LBO). Understands concepts and key elements of SPA, SHA, equity bridging, working capital optimization, debt-items etc.

Qualifications/experience

• Leads by example, is a role model, proactive, action-orientated and driven.
• Proven agent of change who thrives in dynamic situations.
• Detail-orientated, able to roll up sleeves and do the work.
• Strong and effective leadership and interpersonal skills.
• High integrity. Honest, fair and open.
• Pragmatic, hands-on, down-to-earth and able to fit well into the no-frills culture of the company.
• Proven ability to work well under significant pressure.
• Independent of thought – able to challenge assumptions and adopt the role of questioner, while also being a strong team player.
• A natural team builder and developer of people.
• Stature and gravitas to influence at Board level and within the shareholder and bank, to think and act independently and to defend a position with robustness.
• An excellent communicator who is equally comfortable when presenting to both staff and external audiences.
• Speaks his/her mind and is decisive.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A university degree and relevant professional qualification (i.e RC/RA).
• Has experience as (a statutory) CFO in a smaller company setting (i.e. revenue <150m) working in a lean, fast paced environment, without large numbers of staff.
• Has a strong grasp of strategy and evidence of making a significant contribution to the development of a business beyond the confines of the finance function.
• Has operated in a leveraged environment managing external debt providers with a track-record in both debt raising and refinancing.
• Has taken a company through a successful exit or meaningful M&A event.
• Has experience in private equity owned situations.
• (Ideally) has experience in high-tech production and engineering businesses understanding well what the key drivers and KPIs are for commercial and financial success. Experience in the (global) food & agri market is a pre not a must.
• Has outstanding commercial skills and proven ability to work as business partner to the CEO.
• Fluent in English and Dutch.

Interested?

You can apply for this position by using the form below.