Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

As CFO of our U.S. subsidiary, you will be a key member of the senior leadership team reporting directly to the CEO. You will oversee all financial operations while serving as a strategic business partner to drive sustainable growth, profitability, and operational excellence. Working in a highly independent U.S. operation within a German AG structure, you will balance hands-on financial management with forward-looking analysis and close coordination with global headquarters. This is an outstanding opportunity to shape the financial foundation under new U.S. leadership and contribute directly to the success of a market-leading manufacturing organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to provide financial insights, scenario planning, and recommendations that support strategic decision-making, pricing strategy, new product introductions, and long-term growth initiatives.
Lead financial planning and analysis (FP&A), including multi-year forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis to optimize profitability and cash flow.
Collaborate with Sales & Marketing on margin management and customer profitability, work with Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain on cost reduction, capital allocation, and inventory optimization.
Direct all accounting functions, including timely and accurate monthly/quarterly financial statements, balance-sheet reconciliations, journal entries, WIP and inventory valuation, and detailed variance analysis against budget and prior periods.
Manage cash flow with heightened scrutiny, banking relationships, and treasury activities.
Oversee credit and collections to maintain optimal DSO.
Prepare and present financial reports analyzing sales, profit, and expense trends versus budget/forecast, recommending corrective actions.
Lead the annual audit process and manage relationships with external auditors.
Handle all U.S. federal, state, and local tax compliance, estimates, sales/use tax filings, and benefit-plan reporting (Form 5500).
Advise on tax-code changes and their operational impact.
Ensure compliance with US GAAP while supporting IFRS requirements for global consolidation.
Serve as primary finance liaison with the German headquarters and global CFO team, managing intercompany transactions, transfer pricing (including related-party supplier relationships), foreign-exchange exposure, and consolidated reporting.
Support Business Process Optimization initiatives and ERP enhancements to streamline order-to-cash, inventory, and financial processes.
Evaluate and recommend improvements to internal controls, risk management, and insurance coverage.
Lead, develop, and mentor the finance/accounting team; foster a culture of continuous improvement, integrity, and cross-functional collaboration.
Review and approve capital expenditure requests with supporting financial analysis.
Maintain banking, insurance, and regulatory relationships; prepare reports for global entities and U.S. agencies.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field required; CPA and/or MBA strongly preferred.
8+ years of progressive finance experience, including 4+ years in a Controller or CFO/VP Finance role.
Prior experience in manufacturing or industrial distribution preferred.
Demonstrated success in a U.S. subsidiary of an international (ideally European) parent company, with exposure to both US GAAP and IFRS.
Hands-on ERP expertise (implementation or optimization experience a plus) and proficiency with financial analytics/BI tools.
Proven strategic thinker who can translate financial data into actionable business insights and partner effectively with non-finance executives.
Strong leadership and team-development skills; able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and negotiation abilities.
High integrity, sound judgment, and comfort operating with a high degree of autonomy.
Experience with risk management, internal controls, and process improvement methodologies.

VSM Abrasives USA Jobs

Chief Financial Officer