Job Details
Ascension Search Partners has been engaged to hire a VP of Strategy & Finance for a dynamic, innovative, early stage powerhouse company. Reporting to the CEO, you'll spearhead financial planning, analysis, and strategy development. Your role involves shaping our organization's financial health and strategic direction, collaborating across teams to optimize performance and drive growth.
With a path to GM or President within 18 months, you'll lead strategic planning, execute market research, drive revenue, and evaluate new opportunities. Ideal candidates possess 7+ years of financial management experience, top-tier MBA credentials, and a background in retail or consulting. If you're a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills, apply now to lead the US operations towards success.
Responsibilities:
- Financial Planning & Analysis:
- Develop and maintain comprehensive financial models to support strategic decision-making and long-term planning.
- Analyze financial data, performance metrics, and market trends to identify opportunities for growth and optimization.
- Prepare regular financial reports, forecasts, and variance analyses for executive leadership and board of directors.
- Partner with Finance to control the operation s budget and forecast (and variances vs actuals).
- Manage company expenses, investments and/or acquisitions at a local level.
- Strategic Planning & Execution:
- Lead the development and implementation of the company's overall strategic plan, in alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
- Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and industry benchmarking to inform strategic priorities and initiatives.
- Present new ideas, strategies, and paths to execution for commercial aspects of the business
- Drive revenue, market expansion and customer acquisition and work closely with the US CEO to evaluate matters, such as:
-Overall business strategy/company direction in relation to the US market such as evaluation of new alliances with current clients and stakeholders
-New markets/segments to enter
-Improvements to customer acquisition costs etc.
- Scrutinize and critically think about current business strategies and improvements
- Review and assess potential M&A deals in the commercial space
- Collaborate with senior leadership to define key strategic initiatives and allocate resources effectively to drive execution.
- Business Development & Partnerships:
- Identify and evaluate new business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and potential acquisitions to support growth objectives.
- Lead negotiations, due diligence processes, and financial analysis for potential partnerships and investment opportunities.
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including retail clients, investors, and industry experts.
- Risk Management & Compliance:
- Develop and implement robust risk management policies and procedures to mitigate financial, operational, and regulatory risks.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and accounting standards, and oversee internal controls and audit processes.
- Proactively assess and address emerging risks and market challenges to safeguard the company's financial integrity and reputation.
Qualifications:
- Ivy League or top MBA graduate with a concentration in Finance, Accounting, or related field.
- 7+ years of experience in financial management, strategic planning, and business analysis, preferably in the retail industry or serving retail clients.
- Prior experience at a top-tier management consulting firm such as McKinsey & Co., Bain & Co., or The Boston Consulting Group is highly preferred at the Engagement Manager to Associate Partner level.
- High-potential professional and highly ambitious executing high performance levels and expecting others to execute at this same level.
- Able to influence others to push objectives forward, while being a collaborative team player.
- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and geared towards commercial aspects of the business.
- Ability to liaise with executive leadership
- Well-rounded professional, strong management skills, etc.
- Flexible, patient, creative, adaptable, and innovative.
- Resourceful and able to successfully operate and thrive in an early stage business.
- Proven track record of driving financial performance, executing strategic initiatives, and delivering measurable results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- Strong analytical skills, strategic mindset, and ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization.