Job Description:

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Confidential Private Equity-Backed Manufacturing Company

Location: Northeastern United States
Work Model: Hybrid
Engagement Duration: 6 to 9 months
Conversion Potential: Opportunity for conversion to a permanent CFO position based on business needs, performance, and mutual fit

Position Summary

We are conducting a confidential search for an accomplished Interim Chief Financial Officer to lead the finance organization of a private equity-backed manufacturing company operating within a regulated industry. The organization is entering a critical period of financial improvement, operational transformation, and strategic growth.

This is a 6 to 9-month interim engagement with the possibility of conversion to a permanent CFO position. The role will follow a hybrid work model in the Northeastern United States. The specific company and location will be disclosed to qualified candidates at the appropriate stage of the interview process.

Reporting to the CEO, the Interim CFO will serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and the private equity sponsor. This executive will assume full responsibility for the finance and accounting functions while strengthening financial reporting, forecasting, working capital management, operational performance, and internal controls.

The successful candidate will bring prior CFO experience within a sizable manufacturing organization, strong private equity business acumen, and the ability to move comfortably between Board-level strategy and hands-on financial execution. Experience in medical devices, MedTech, life sciences, industrial manufacturing, or another regulated manufacturing environment is strongly preferred.

Confidentiality Notice

This is a highly confidential executive search. Candidates must demonstrate discretion throughout the recruitment and interview process. Additional company and location information will be provided only to qualified candidates as the search progresses.

Key Responsibilities

Executive and Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead all finance and accounting activities for a complex, middle-market organization.
• Partner with the CEO, executive leadership team, Board of Directors, and private equity sponsor to execute strategic priorities and value creation initiatives.
• Provide financial leadership during post-acquisition integration and organizational transformation.
• Establish credibility with senior stakeholders through accurate reporting, disciplined financial management, and transparent communication.
• Deliver clear financial analysis and recommendations that support executive decision-making.
• Balance immediate stabilization priorities with the company's longer-term financial and operational objectives.

Financial Planning and Business Performance

• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and financial modeling.
• Improve forecast accuracy and provide timely visibility into revenue, profitability, cash flow, and operational performance.
• Develop and monitor financial and operational key performance indicators.
• Prepare scenario models supporting growth initiatives, acquisitions, capital investments, and other strategic decisions.
• Partner with functional leaders to strengthen financial accountability throughout the organization.
• Identify performance gaps, explain underlying business drivers, and recommend corrective actions.

P&L and Operational Finance

• Maintain full oversight of the company's P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and working capital.
• Identify and execute opportunities to improve EBITDA, gross margin, operating margin, and free cash flow.
• Evaluate pricing, product and customer profitability, cost structures, inventory, and operating efficiency.
• Support commercial leadership in evaluating new business opportunities, contracts, investments, and strategic initiatives.
• Translate financial performance into practical recommendations for business and operational leaders.
• Establish consistent performance-management processes across business functions.

Manufacturing Finance

• Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, and Supply Chain leaders to improve productivity, cost performance, and operating discipline.
• Oversee standard costing, inventory valuation, manufacturing variances, production economics, and cost accounting.
• Evaluate material, labor, overhead, scrap, utilization, capacity, and other drivers of manufacturing performance.
• Develop financial strategies supporting vertically integrated manufacturing operations.
• Support cost-reduction initiatives through financial analysis, measurement, and performance tracking.
• Assess capital investments in equipment, automation, capacity, and process improvements.
• Establish clear financial measurements for manufacturing and operational improvement initiatives.

Financial Reporting, Accounting, and Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
• Oversee financial close, consolidation, accounting, tax, treasury, and reporting activities.
• Improve close processes, reporting accuracy, and financial visibility.
• Strengthen accounting policies, internal controls, and reporting governance.
• Maintain effective relationships with external auditors, lenders, tax advisors, insurance partners, and regulatory agencies.
• Ensure financial reporting, compliance, and lender requirements are consistently met.

Private Equity and Board Partnership

• Serve as the primary finance liaison to the private equity sponsor.
• Prepare Board packages, lender reporting, investor presentations, and financial performance updates.
• Track value creation initiatives and provide clear reporting on progress, risks, and results.
• Support strategic planning, acquisition analysis, integration activities, refinancing, and recapitalization as needed.
• Assist with future exit-readiness or liquidity-event planning when appropriate.
• Ensure the sponsor and Board have reliable visibility into financial performance, operating trends, and business outlook.

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Strengthen the FP&A function and establish consistent planning and reporting processes.
• Build and maintain forecasting models that provide timely visibility into business performance.
• Develop scenario analyses supporting commercial initiatives, capital investments, acquisitions, and strategic decisions.
• Improve reporting accuracy, analytical depth, and decision support.
• Partner with department leaders to develop budgets, review variances, and improve financial ownership.
• Create concise executive reporting that clearly explains business drivers, risks, and opportunities.

Cash Flow and Working Capital Management

• Improve liquidity, cash forecasting, and working capital performance.
• Develop strategies to improve inventory turns, receivables collection, and payables management.
• Monitor capital expenditures and assess expected returns on investment.
• Identify opportunities to increase free cash flow and enterprise value.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of banking relationships, debt obligations, and lender requirements.
• Establish reliable short-term and long-term cash forecasting processes.

Internal Controls and Risk Management

• Evaluate and strengthen internal controls, financial policies, approval processes, and governance.
• Identify financial, operational, compliance, and reporting risks and implement appropriate mitigation plans.
• Improve financial processes through standardization, automation, and clearer ownership.
• Support ERP modernization and finance transformation initiatives where appropriate.
• Protect the integrity, accuracy, and security of financial information.
• Ensure policies and controls remain practical, scalable, and appropriate for the company's operating environment.

Team Leadership and Organizational Development

• Lead and develop the Accounting, Finance, FP&A, Treasury, and Financial Reporting teams.
• Assess the finance organization's structure, capabilities, staffing, and resource needs.
• Establish clear priorities, responsibilities, performance expectations, and operating rhythms.
• Build a finance organization capable of supporting growth, operational improvement, and future transactions.
• Mentor finance leaders and strengthen succession and organizational capability.
• Promote accountability, transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Prior experience serving as a Chief Financial Officer with full responsibility for finance and accounting.
• Experience leading the finance function of a complex, middle-market organization, preferably with annual revenue of $100 million or more.
• At least 15 years of progressive financial leadership experience.
• Experience within medical devices, MedTech, life sciences, manufacturing, industrial operations, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing finance, standard costing, inventory valuation, cost accounting, and operational performance analysis.
• Demonstrated ownership of budgeting, forecasting, FP&A, accounting, financial reporting, treasury, cash flow, and working capital.
• Experience partnering with CEOs, executive leadership teams, Boards of Directors, and other senior stakeholders.
• Strong command of U.S. GAAP, financial controls, and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change while maintaining accurate reporting and financial discipline.
• Ability to work at both strategic and operational levels in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong executive presence, communication skills, and stakeholder-management capabilities.
• Ability to work according to a hybrid schedule in the Northeastern United States.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CMA, or MBA.
• CFO leadership experience within a private equity-backed portfolio company.
• Experience with post-acquisition integration, mergers and acquisitions, or business transformation.
• Experience supporting direct sales and distribution operations.
• Experience with refinancing, recapitalization, liquidity events, or strategic exits.
• Experience with ERP implementation, modernization, or finance-process transformation.
• Background in medical devices, life sciences, or another regulated manufacturing industry.
• Experience improving finance-team structure, capabilities, and operating processes during an interim or transformational assignment.