Chief Financial Officer

CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER (CFO)

Location:

Watford, Hertfordshire (with frequent weekly travel to the London office)

Salary: £150,000 – £170,000 per annum plus Executive Benefits

Employment Type:

Permanent, full-time

Start Date:

ASAP

Fairmont Crest Executive Recruitment has been appointed to search for candidates for the position of Chief Financial Officer on behalf of a Group Company operating a portfolio of highly reputable global brands.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Chief Financial Officer will lead the company’s financial strategy, governance, compliance, and commercial decision-making across UK and EU entities. Reporting to the CEO and Board, the CFO will provide strategic leadership to the finance function and play a critical role in driving profitable growth while ensuring the highest standards of financial control and regulatory compliance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive financial strategy aligned with short-, medium-, and long-term objectives.

• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team on strategic initiatives including market expansion, licensing, and commercial negotiations.

• Lead financial modelling to support decisions relating to new territories, licences, retailer partnerships, and investment cases.

• Build and maintain medium- to long-term financial plans aligned with the Group’s vision.

• Evaluate the financial implications of retail agreements, marketplace structures, discount frameworks, and distributor arrangements.

Financial Management

• Oversee full P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow performance.

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and scenario-planning processes.

• Manage royalty reporting, payments, and internal controls.

• Oversee FX exposure and hedging strategies.

• Deliver structured Board packs including KPIs and variance analysis.

• Maintain robust financial controls and approval workflows.

• Mitigate financial risks across AR, AP, inventory, and transactional processes.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with UK and EU accounting standards, tax regulations, and statutory reporting.

• Maintain audit-ready internal controls.

• Manage VAT, cross-border compliance, and transfer pricing frameworks.

• Monitor compliance with licensing agreements.

• Provide transparent reporting to the Board, shareholders, and licensors.

Operational Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team.

• Establish and refine finance processes and controls.

• Implement and oversee financial systems integrated with ERP and B2B/B2C platforms.

• Supervise credit control activities.

• Manage relationships with auditors, banks, and advisors.

Risk Management & Growth Enablement

• Identify and mitigate financial and commercial risks.

• Stress-test business plans against downside scenarios.

• Lead financial evaluation of M&A and licence acquisition opportunities.

• Drive operational efficiency while safeguarding brand investment.

Communication & Influence

• Provide clear financial insight to non-finance stakeholders.

• Manage shareholder expectations transparently.

• Collaborate across Commercial, Operations, Creative, and Marketing teams.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA).

• Minimum 5 years’ post-qualification experience.

• At least 2 years in a senior finance leadership role or Board-facing position.

• Experience in branded consumer products is highly advantageous.

• UK-based with flexibility to travel within Europe.

REWARD & BENEFITS

Salary: £150,000 – £170,000 per annum.

Benefits (after six-month probation):

• Private medical insurance for employee and family.

• Death-in-service cover.

• Permanent health / critical illness cover.

• Company-wide perks including staff discount and free product allowance.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV with a covering letter outlining your experience and potential fit for this role