Chief Financial Officer - AIM listed Plc, Technology/Managed Services - Yorkshire

Our client is a leading UK IT services provider that offers a range of business critical IT and Cloud services to an impressive client base of household name businesses drawn from both the private and public sectors.

The business is headquartered in Yorkshire, around 30 minutes from Leeds, with four other UK sites and an additional team of c 140 people in India. It has a turnover in excess of £100m and is listed on AIM.

With the IT landscape in constant evolution the market is challenging and competitive but despite this the business enjoys strong customer renewal rates and long term customer relationships resulting from high levels of customer service and a complete range of services that cater for every need. The business continually invests in IT infrastructure and keeps itself at the leading edge of innovation. Clients can confidently outsource all aspects of their routine IT requirements, giving  back time and capacity to IT departments to focus on front-end efficiencies and innovation. There are significant opportunities in the market for the business to acquire new clients, which in a largely fixed cost business should see an immediate uplift in profits. M&A activity is also possible in time as the business seeks to take advantage of the prospects for consolidation of the market.

The business has an impressive board and seeks to appoint a high-calibre CFO at an important time in its development The incumbent CFO has recently been promoted to CEO and so this is an opportunity for a proven CFO or perhaps even a strong number two elsewhere to step in to make the role their own.

The role will involve leading and managing a strong team of c 35 people through two senior, qualified, high quality direct reports. The team is a strong unit that is on top of the numbers. Your leadership will enable them to add further value by performing analysis to support further growth, helping to further develop a suite of appropriate KPIs  in areas such as cost of customer acquisition, pricing, renewals, customer churn, cash generation and so on (the business is very cash generative).

As a full board member you will contribute to strategy with all key strategic decisions being based on the sound financial data and analysis produced by the finance department under your direction.

Successful candidates should possess the following experience:

• Qualified Chartered accountant – ACA/ACMA/ACCA
• Extensive PQE with the majority of this time spent in industry with clear evidence of career development and promotion to the role of FD or Group FC
• Strong technical skills gained in a high demanding quoted or investor -backed environment. Previous quoted experience is desirable but not essential.
• Experience gained in managing finance teams across the full spectrum of finance
• High personal standards in terms of delivering best in class financial solutions
• Some exposure to M&A an advantage
• Exceptional communication skills to enable you to add value and be heard/respected within the business and at board level
• Experience in dealing directly with external investors, banks, other funders and a range of high quality professional advisors
• A self-starter with personal drive, energy and integrity.
• Above all a down-to earth personality and team player who works well in a transparent and collaborative service oriented environment.

The competitive remuneration package will comprise a strong base salary and bonus element with a full range of benefits and an LTIP.

This is a very exciting opportunity to join a business that has arrived at a significant inflexion point - poised for further profitable growth and looking to enhance and reenergise the management team.  This position is being handled exclusively by Chief Officers Group on a retained basis. Interested candidates should apply by sending their CV and a covering letter with any relevant additional information and with details of current salary package, quoting reference COG0920.