Chief Financial Officer

About The Role

An established and long-standing industrial manufacturing company in Northern Germany is seeking an experienced and strategically minded Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to lead financial strategy, transformation, and performance management across Finance, Controlling, Procurement, and IT.

With a century-long heritage in industrial production and a commitment to innovation and operational excellence, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the financial and operational direction of a major industrial asset with strong regional and international significance.

The ideal candidate will bring a Chartered Accountant (Wirtschaftsprüfer) qualification, a deep understanding of industrial value creation and production processes, and a proven record of driving business performance through strategic and operational leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and execute the financial strategy to ensure profitability, sustainable growth, and operational competitiveness.
• Advise the CEO and Executive Committee on capital allocation, investments, and long-term value creation.
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.

Operational & Process Excellence

• Implement cost optimization and productivity improvement initiatives across finance, operations, and supply chain.
• Translate financial insights into actionable business decisions that enhance efficiency and margin performance.
• Lead continuous improvement in reporting, consolidation, and analytics using ERP (S/4 HANA), BI (Power BI), and Hyperion tools.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with local GAAP, IFRS, tax legislation, internal controls, and risk management frameworks.
• Coordinate with auditors, tax advisors, and regulatory authorities to ensure financial transparency and compliance.

Transformation & Digitalization

• Drive finance digitalisation and process automation initiatives across accounting, procurement, and IT functions.
• Oversee the implementation and optimization of ERP and BI tools to enhance reporting accuracy and process efficiency.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor and develop finance teams, fostering a culture of accountability, performance, and innovation.
• Collaborate closely with heads of Procurement and IT to align financial and operational objectives.
• Communicate effectively across all levels, providing clarity and direction during periods of transformation.

Your Profile

• Degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Certified Chartered Accountant (ACA/ACCA) or German Wirtschaftsprüfer qualification required.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in senior finance leadership roles, ideally within industrial or manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record of strategic and operational financial management.
• Strong knowledge of ERP systems (S/4 HANA), BI tools (Power BI), and Hyperion or HFM.
• Pragmatic, decisive, and results-oriented with excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Experience leading teams through digital transformation and organizational change.
• Fluent in German and English.

Apply today or contact Karis Bromfield for more information.