Group Chief Financial Officer in London

Role Overview

Reports To: Group Chief Executive Officer

Location: London (3/4 days a week)

Role Purpose

The Group CFO is the principal financial adviser to the Group CEO and the Board. The role provides strategic financial leadership across a complex, multi‑billion‑revenue international corporate portfolio. The successful candidate will act as a key commercial partner and rigorous financial challenger, navigating high‑volume, low‑margin dynamics while overseeing a highly complex pension fund matching or exceeding the scale of the Group's liabilities.

MUST Haves

• Worked in a highly transformative, large (multi‑billion revenue) brand with strong exposure to influence international board level decisions.
• In a current CFO, deputy CFO or large Divisional CFO role with FTSE 250 or PE backed environments.
• You will have operated in a true ‘group’ structure and have the ability to vary your executive style between multiple international and UK brands.

Direct Reports

• Group Financial Controller (covering Group corporate accounting, technical accounting, and operational business unit controls)
• Director of Treasury
• Director of Group FP&A
• Director of Pension Strategy / CEOs of Pension Trusts
• Controls and Internal Audit (joint leadership with the GFC)

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Partnering & Board‑Level Engagement
• Act as the principal financial partner to the Group CEO.
• Provide high‑level, rigorous financial interaction and strategic counsel directly to principal PE investors and key executive stakeholders.
• Synthesize operational and financial insights from diverse business units to shape and execute overarching corporate strategy.
• Ensure the Executive Committee executes commercial decisions on a consistent, high‑quality financial framework.
• Represent the Finance function on the Group Board and its respective committees.
• Actively drive financial leadership within a rapid turnaround and major transformational environment.
• Successfully navigate a highly diverse corporate portfolio mix, dedicating targeted focus to a heavy‑volume, low‑margin domestic core operation (~70% of the mandate) while providing high‑level oversight to a lighter‑touch, thriving international brand.
• Drive Group‑level M&A strategy, including the execution, negotiation, and valuation tracking of partnerships, acquisitions, and strategic disposals.
• Lead the Group's comprehensive pension strategy across multiple defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) schemes.
• Maintain ultimate accountability for a highly complex pension fund.
• Own the executive relationship with the Trustee Boards, ensuring all pension strategies align with long‑term capital allocation and corporate objectives.
• Financing, Treasury, and Capital Structure
• Own the Group capital structure, funding strategy, and liquidity risk frameworks.
• Lead all high‑level corporate financing activities, overseeing debt facilities, liquidity management, banking relationships, and rating agencies.
• Provide continuous oversight to an elevated, sophisticated Treasury function.
• Financial Control, FP&A, and Operational Style
• Maintain a highly detailed, "roll‑up‑the‑sleeves" approach, staying deeply on top of core financial data, volume metrics, and performance indicators.
• Ensure absolute integrity of Group financial reporting and manage the consolidated control environment across all operational business units.
• Direct Group‑wide planning, budgeting, and rolling forecasting through the Head of FP&A.
• Establish and run a unified performance framework that operates smoothly across a decentralised finance community.
• Leadership of a Decentralised Function
• Operate effectively within a decentralised, international matrix model where core operating subsidiaries maintain their own dedicated operational CFOs.
• Establish clear Group governance, standards, compliance, and strategic performance expectations.
• Foster deep collaborative relationships with subsidiary finance directors and their management teams.
• Champion capability, technical training, and leadership succession planning across the broader finance community.

Candidate Experience and Capability

• Corporate Scale: An upward‑trend executive coming out of a large, complex, multi‑billion‑revenue environment.
• Mandate Fit: Proven track record as a leader who actively thrives and delivers results within rapid turnaround, restructuring, and major transformational environments.
• Portfolio Diversity: True "Group" corporate exposure, managing a distinct portfolio mix comprising high‑touch mature operations alongside lighter‑touch growth assets.
• Capital Markets & Corporate Finance: Deep expertise in capital structure optimisation, treasury, and corporate debt alongside a demonstrable M&A track record.
• Stakeholder Management: Broad experience operating with demanding Boards, PE investors, or major long‑term institutional shareholders.
• Operational Model: Proven ability to influence, guide, and lead within a decentralised operating model.

Leadership Characteristics

• Operational Style: A hands‑on, "roll‑up‑the‑sleeves" professional who is deeply analytical and on top of numbers, balancing detail with macroscopic strategic vision.
• Cultural Fit: A resilient, low‑ego, high‑output executive focused on execution and performance over hierarchy.
• Strategic Judgement: Commercially astute, independent‑minded, and analytically strong when working with complex datasets.
• Relationship Focus: Highly effective partner and constructive challenger to the Group CEO, capable of navigating senior peer dynamics effortlessly.

Package details

£1.4M+ comp with variables. Broken down into basic, car, bonus and LTIPs. Basic £350,000-£400,000 (with a degree of flex for the right candidate).