Chief Financial Officer
Private Equity Backed Manufacturing business
Location: Based in Surrey
Renumeration: £140,000 per annum + bonus + equity
JI0203
The opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Chief Financial Officer to join a private equity–backed manufacturing business entering its next phase of organic growth.
The company has delivered consistent year-on-year expansion, underpinned by a strong product offering, established customer relationships and operational capability across manufacturing and distribution. With investor support and clear ambition, the business is now looking to appoint a strategic CFO who can strengthen financial rigour, optimise working capital and enable data-driven decision-making to support continued growth.
This is a pivotal leadership role. The CFO will act as a true business partner to the CEO, while serving as the primary conduit to investors — providing clarity, transparency and strategic insight at Board level.
The Role
The successful candidate will balance strategic leadership with operational depth, bringing particular strength in inventory management, supply chain finance and working capital optimisation.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Acting as a strategic partner to the CEO, helping shape and execute the growth strategy
- Serving as the primary interface between the business and private equity investors, delivering high-quality reporting, forecasting and insight
- Leading and developing a robust finance function capable of supporting scale
- Driving rigorous financial planning, budgeting and performance management processes
- Managing and optimising working capital, with particular focus on inventory, receivables and supplier terms
- Providing deep oversight of stock control, cost accounting and margin analysis across manufacturing operations
- Partnering with operations and supply chain teams to improve inventory turns, forecasting accuracy and distribution efficiency
- Implementing data-driven reporting frameworks to enhance commercial and operational decision-making
- Strengthening systems, controls and governance appropriate for a PE-backed environment
Key requirements
We are seeking a CFO with proven experience in a manufacturing or product-led business, ideally within a private equity–backed environment.
You will demonstrate:
- Strong understanding of stock accounting, inventory management and supply chain dynamics
- A track record of effective working capital management in a growth business
- Experience overseeing manufacturing cost control and margin optimisation
- Credibility operating at Board level and managing investor relationships
- The ability to translate financial data into clear commercial insight that drives performance
- A strategic mindset combined with hands-on operational capability
- Qualified Accountant – ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent
This role requires a leader who is both analytical and pragmatic — someone who understands the mechanics of manufacturing and distribution while also elevating the strategic conversation around growth, investment and value creation.
