Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer will have exposure to the Board of Directors. The CFO will lead the functions of accounting, financial forecasting, budgeting and treasury, in addition to collaborating with the CEO and the other executives on the leadership team in the pursuit of key objectives (including M&A). Although the selected executive will inherit a capable Vice President of Finance and a Controller, the CFO will be expected to develop the finance organization over time and, if necessary, recruit high-potential individuals to fill important positions. Specific responsibilities include:
Strategic
- Assess organizational performance against the annual budget and the company’s long-term strategy
- Develop analytics, tools, and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to the CEO, board, and executive team; make actionable recommendations
- Participate in establishing yearly objectives and meeting agendas; select and manage outside auditors.
- Oversee long-term budgetary planning and cost management in alignment with the company’s strategic plan, including consideration of potential acquisitions
- Evaluate, diligence, and integrate acquisitions (in particular, financial reporting and internal control systems)
- Collaborate with the Board to analyze various leverage options
- Support the Board and help develop a framework for thinking about the available market opportunities including M&A, exit scenarios and valuation calculations
- Engage the Board of Directors in the development of short, medium, and long-term financial plans and projections
Operational
- Prepare and maintain regular financial planning reports; monthly profit and loss forecast (vs budget), real-time 13-week cash flow forecast
- Coordinate the development and monitoring of budgets and forecasts, including revenue and profits, cash flow, debt management, etc.
- Improve Board level reporting/dashboard preparation
- Develop a practical perspective on the use of AI within the finance function, identifying opportunities to accelerate execution, improve forecasting and reporting, and automate repeatable processes.
- Develop and execute analysis of various business initiatives
- Establish and monitor key performance indicator metrics
- Represent the company with financial partners, including financial institutions and auditors
- Oversee cash flow planning and ensure availability of funds as needed
- Oversee cash and asset management
- Oversee pricing strategies in conjunction with the executive team to ensure inflationary increases in costs are offset by pricing adjustments
- Lead financing strategies and activities, and banking relationships
- Develop and utilize forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insight into the organization’s operations and business plans
- Participate in corporate policy development as a member of the executive team
- Direct the accounting department to ensure proper maintenance of all accounting systems and function; supervise company’s finance staff, including directing the Controller effectively
- Oversee the implementation of technological solutions that enable the redesign of processes across the company, including a likely upgrade to NetSuite
- Oversee the integration of acquisitions
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have enabled rapid organic and inorganic growth in a software company. The CFO will have a track record of effectively managing and growing enterprises where software-powered services and recurring revenue are core elements of the business model. Ideally, the CFO will bring a strong financial operating skill set cultivated in a private equity-backed environment known for implementing best practices, along with demonstrable success driving financial rigor and process into the organization. In addition, the CFO should have a strong command of key accounting and finance concepts, as well as experience dealing with debt and covenants.
- LIKELY CAREER PATH: The CFO may have started as an auditor at a well-regarded firm, later acquiring at least 12 years of financial management and operations experience, preferably including at least one stint with a $1B+ revenue software company. Ideally, they will have acquired experience in GAAP, financial reporting, audit requirements, cash management, tax reporting, and compliance inside or outside professional services.
- LIKELY CURRENT ROLE: Currently a CFO reporting to a CEO at a lower-middle-market or middle-market private equity backed company with revenue of at least $100M, or a divisional CFO reporting into a business unit GM/president generating revenue of at least $100M (if the divisional role came as a result of an acquisition and they were previously the CFO reporting to a CEO).
- INDUSTRY/DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE: Deep experience working in software/tech-enabled business services with recurring revenue. Ideal candidate will have additional experience with project based accounting.
- FUNCTIONAL EXPERTISE: Broad exposure to all elements of finance. Will have demonstrated how to implement systems, process and accounting standards to measure, monitor, and report while also providing information back to the leadership team. Expert on revenue recognition, tax, and FP&A. Operations orientation is particularly valuable, as is previous experience as a key leader who defined and implemented management processes (and the measurement systems that enable them).
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE: High comfort level with respect to financial systems is required. Experience implementing a technology infrastructure to support the business is extremely helpful.
- EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH SPONSORS: Previous success in a private equity-backed portfolio company is required. Strong preference for buy side and sell side transactional experience.
Other Relevant Attributes
- Seasoned and strategic, with a solid reputation for competence as an operations-savvy enabler, and as a trusted partner to the CEO and the board
- Adept at long-term planning. The CFO should prepare accurate sales forecasts, and close the books monthly with minimum friction
- A quick mind and sharp memory, with the ability to translate data accurately into financial and operating metrics (KPIs) to help manage the business
- Proactive, responsive, and fully engaged, with the drive to “go the distance” in both good and challenging market conditions
- An entrepreneurial spirit, and appreciation of a fast-changing PE environment
- The ability to lead an organization through transformation while introducing and propagating best practices
- Candid and direct communication style coupled with the ability to select and advocate for the best idea
- Polish and comfort level required for client-facing situations, sometimes as executive sponsor and sometimes as a contract administrator or negotiator
- Pipeline management experience, including implementing processes and governance to ensure that the data is accurate and provides a solid forecast
About Magaya
Florida-based Magaya is a software provider in the supply chain/logistics space and delivers functionality to Freight Forwarders globally. Its solutions are targeted at freight forwarders in the SMB and Enterprise space. The company’s platform is an AWS cloud-native solution that improves operational performance and much more, and it has offices and VAR partners in the United States, LATAM, Europe, and Asia. www.magaya.com
About Apax
Apax Partners LLP ("Apax") is a leading global private equity advisory firm. For 50 years, Apax has worked to inspire growth and ideas that transform businesses. The firm has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of more than $65 billion. The Apax Funds invest in companies across four global sectors of Tech, Services, Healthcare and Internet/Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For further information about Apax, please visit www.apax.com.
About LLR Partners
LLR Partners is a lower middle market private equity firm focused on investing in software and tech-enabled companies within the knowledge economy. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Philadelphia, LLR has raised over $7.5 billion across seven funds and has partnered with over 130 companies. LLR believes in creating value through partnership by providing flexible capital, strategic guidance and sector insight to help companies grow every day. For more information, visit www.llrpartners.com.
