CFO / COO

Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer

Zürich, Switzerland

The Opportunity

Privatal is partnering with a high-growth Swiss software business. Following a private equity buyout, with the founders staying on-board and continuing to lead the business, the company is seeking a hands-on CFO/COO to professionalise its financial infrastructure, establish PE-grade transparency and take ownership of the wider operational platform.

Key Responsibilities

Finance and Performance Management

• Take overall responsibility for Finance, Accounting, Controlling, Treasury and Tax.
• Establish private equity-grade reporting, budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow planning.
• Develop KPI-driven performance management and provide clear visibility to the founders, board and investor.
• Build scalable financial processes, controls and governance appropriate for the company’s next stage of growth.
• Manage external accounting, tax, audit and other professional-service providers.
• Support strategic planning, financing initiatives, acquisitions and future exit preparation.

Operations and Organisational Development

• Take ownership of the company’s wider back-office and operational functions, including HR, administration and internal processes.
• Professionalise the operational infrastructure without introducing unnecessary complexity or bureaucracy.
• Improve systems, workflows and cross-functional coordination across the organisation.
• Build the organisational platform required to support continued international growth.
• Free up the founders to focus more heavily on product development, clients and commercial expansion.

Leadership and Business Partnership

• Act as a close strategic and operational partner to the founders and private equity investor.
• Translate financial and operational information into clear recommendations and decisions.
• Balance strategic thinking with a highly practical and hands-on approach.
• Gradually build and develop the finance and operations team as the company scales.

CFO/COO Profile

• Experience in a senior finance leadership position, such as CFO, Finance Director or Head of Finance, ideally within a software, data analytics or technology-enabled services business.
• Strong understanding of the needs of a founder-led, high-growth and entrepreneurial organisation.
• Previous exposure to private equity, investor reporting or similarly demanding shareholder environments.
• Proven ability to establish financial transparency, reporting, planning and controls in a growing business.
• Commercial and operational mindset, with the willingness to take responsibility beyond the traditional CFO remit.
• Comfortable personally executing tasks while also building scalable structures for the future.
• Experience across HR, administration or wider business operations would be advantageous.
• Strong communication skills and the credibility to work closely with founders, employees, investors and external stakeholders.
• Business fluency in German and English.

Only successful candidates will be contacted based on the investor’s requirements.

Responsible for this search - Alen Safaryan - [email protected]