Group Chief Financial Officer

Company Overview

Privatal is a Pan-European specialist executive search firm focused on placing interim and permanent finance leadership including CFOs, value creation experts, strategy and transformation professionals, primarily within private equity-backed portfolio companies and funds. Their consultants bring a strong combination of private equity experience and functional finance expertise to ensure fast and high-quality recruitment.

Position Overview

A prominent European consumer services, goods and omnichannel retail group, supported by a private equity investor with a strong track record, is embarking on a new growth and international expansion phase. They seek a Group CFO to spearhead their finance and value creation efforts during this critical development stage.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic advisor and partner to the CEO, shareholders, and advisory board.
• Lead the financial strategy, value creation initiatives, and capital allocation across the Group.
• Oversee profitability enhancement and performance management activities.
• Manage strategic projects such as acquisitions, integrations, refinancing, and organizational change.

Finance and Business Performance

• Hold full accountability for Finance, Controlling, Treasury, Tax, Legal, and Risk domains.
• Ensure delivery of top-tier reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and business planning processes.
• Drive cash flow improvements, optimize working capital, and oversee liquidity management.
• Lead financing operations and maintain robust relationships with lenders and investors.
• Implement KPI-based performance measurement throughout business units and sales channels.

Commercial Finance and Value Creation

• Collaborate closely with Sales, Procurement, E-commerce, and Operations to boost commercial effectiveness.
• Develop frameworks for pricing, margin enhancement, and investment decisions.
• Champion operational efficiency and cost-reduction programs.
• Transform the finance function into a proactive business partner supporting strategic choices.

Transformation and Digitalisation

• Continue advancing finance digitalisation and automation initiatives.
• Promote development of ERP systems, business intelligence, and AI-enhanced reporting tools.
• Support ongoing upgrades to the Group’s technology infrastructure.

Leadership

• Lead and nurture an international finance team.
• Foster a high-performance and entrepreneurial culture within the department.
• Build leadership skills across finance and the broader business.

Candidate Profile

• Proven CFO experience in international retail, consumer, sports, or e-commerce sectors.
• Background in private equity-backed, transformative, or fast-growth environments.
• In-depth knowledge of omnichannel business models encompassing e-commerce, B2B, and retail operations.
• Successful track record in profit improvement, cash flow generation, and performance management.
• Experienced in stakeholder management including shareholders, lenders, and boards within leveraged financing contexts.
• Hands-on involvement in M&A, due diligence, post-merger integration, and business transformation.
• Strong commercial awareness enabling influence beyond finance functions.
• Entrepreneurial leadership style combined with excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Fluency in German and English at business level.

Location and Additional Information

This role is based in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Only candidates meeting the stringent requirements set by the investors will be contacted for further consideration. The search is managed by Julian Hove, Partner of the CFO Practice at Privatal.