Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Central Germany

Duration: 6–9 months initial

Start: Short notice preferred

The Business

Our client is a mid-sized, private equity–backed financial services company operating in the German market, with a strong growth and value‑creation agenda. The business is established, profitable, and operates within a regulated environment, with ambitions around professionalisation, operational improvement, and preparing for the next phase of ownership .

The Role

The Interim CFO will assume full responsibility for the finance function and act as a key partner to the CEO, PE sponsor, and leadership team . The mandate is hands‑on and delivery‑focused, combining day‑to‑day financial leadership with PE‑level strategic input and reporting discipline .

There is a clear opportunity for the role to transition from interim to permanent , subject to performance, cultural fit, and longer‑term business requirements.

This assignment suits an experienced interim CFO who enjoys operating at pace in PE‑backed, regulated environments , and who is open to a longer‑term leadership role.

Key Responsibilities

• Full ownership of finance, accounting, controlling, tax, treasury, and reporting
• Ensure robust monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes
• Strengthen financial controls, governance, and compliance
• Oversee audits and manage external advisors (audit, tax, legal)

Private Equity & Board Reporting

• Deliver high‑quality monthly management accounts and KPI dashboards
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and re‑forecasting cycles
• Support PE sponsor reporting, covenant compliance, and ad‑hoc analyses
• Prepare and present board materials with clear commercial insights

Value Creation & Transformation

• Identify and drive cost optimisation, margin improvement, and working‑capital initiatives
• Improve financial visibility across products, clients, and business units
• Professionalise finance systems, processes, and ways of working as required
• Support strategic initiatives such as growth acceleration, refinancing, integration, or exit readiness

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, stabilise, and develop the finance team
• Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO and senior management
• Interface with regulators, lenders, auditors, and PE stakeholders

Candidate Profile

Experience

• Proven Interim CFO (or equivalent senior finance leadership) experience
• Strong track record in PE‑backed businesses
• Background in financial services (e.g. insurance, lending, asset/wealth management, payments, fintech)
• Experience operating in regulated German environments
• Comfortable in mid‑sized organisations (typically €50m–€250m revenue)

Skills & Attributes

• Hands‑on, pragmatic, and delivery‑oriented
• Strong understanding of PE value‑creation levers and reporting expectations
• Confident operating at board and sponsor level
• Open to an interim‑to‑permanent transition

Language

• Fluent German and English (essential)
• Interim/freelance engagement, with option to convert to permanent
• Competitive senior interim CFO day rate
• Hybrid working model, with regular on‑site presence in Central Germany