Access Holdings Management Company LLC is a Baltimore-based middle-market investment firm with over $2.8 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2013, Access provides direct investment opportunities to create concentrated portfolios of essential service-based businesses in North America. We undertake active build-and-buy strategies, pursuing what we want to own, great markets and distinct business models. In doing so, Access partners, scales, and innovates to build enduring businesses. For more information, please visit
www.accessholdings.com.
Position Overview
Access is seeking outstanding candidates for the role of Principal of Financial Excellence.This individual will lead the development of the financial center of excellence at Access. The intent is to support the buildout of modern financial organization tools and processes that can more quickly and effectively support the scaling of portfolio company capabilities.The Principal of Finance will provide accounting and financial expertise, coaching, leadership and periodically perform interim CFO functions as part of the firm’s Value Creation Team to drive data and reporting excellence, financial function buildout, and digital reporting at portfolio companies.This position is based in Baltimore, MD.
The expectation is that the successful candidate will spend time in the field with portfolio company financial teams supporting their capability development and growth.
Key Responsibilities:
Center of Excellence at Access
- Create playbooks of best practices for financial function processes at portfolio companies and drive their implementation
- Develop third-party relationships to support best practice implementation (e.g., implementation of ERP support, financial reporting solutions, new accounting and treasury relationships, audit support)
- Work with the Access investment team to lead complex financial modeling and detailed forecasting and help them to work with primary business drivers and drive strategic direction at portfolio companies
- Assist with the preparation of financial materials to support credit re-financing and sale processes of platform companies
- Lead forums (with internal or external resources) to train and build portfolio company skills and capabilities
- Establish business case and investment approval processes and disciplines
- Work closely with Access investment teams to evaluate accounting and finance capabilities of potential investments’ finance and accounting groups
Support for Portfolio Companies
- Drive implementation and ongoing compliance with Access’ Data Driven Programmatic Portfolio Company Reporting standards and procedures
- Enable/drive definition and implementation of key performance indicators within each portfolio company
- Ensure effective quarterly planning and reforecasting process - tactical and strategic forecasts – at all portfolio companies
- Perform ad-hoc business and financial reporting to Access management as needed
- Assure the implementation of modern technology and digital tools to informed decision making
- Design effective accounting and finance organizations with existing and new portfolio companies, applying rigor to position definitions, specifications and hiring profiles
- Support or lead the recruitment and hiring of strong talent for accounting and finance positions at portfolio companies
- Assist in accounting policy development; define and support the establishment of finance and accounting operating cycle at portfolio companies
- Support the buildout of treasury functions at portfolio companies
- Deploy risk management solutions and practices at each platform company; ensure platforms are adopting and utilizing appropriate cyber protection tools and practices
- Ensure processes are in place to assess investment decisions against actual results
- Periodically take on the role of interim CFO/Finance leader to accelerate new investment launch or portfolio company acceleration
Qualifications & Characteristics:
Successful candidates will have the following qualifications:Proven experience in designing, building, and scaling effective accounting and finance organizations, including start ups
- Experience implementing financial elements of ERPs (Intaact and NetSuite a plus)
- Exceptional project management skills with ability to work with cross functional teams
- Experience working in a multi-site companies
- Experience in M&A due diligence and integration processes of add-on acquisitions
- Exposure designing and negotiating debt and equity structures for SMEs
- Solid history of driving profitable topline growth and margin improvement in a highly acquisitive environment
- Professional experience and training from a large accounting firm (Big 4 preferred)
- High level of intellectual curiosity, intellectual engagement, and initiative
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- Low ego, consultative / collaborative style with an ability to influence through use of data and analysis when dealing with peers who are not direct reports
- Collaborative team approach and comfort working in a small team environment
- Ability to balance the need and use of data and analysis with desire for insights and action
- Proven ability to deliver financial reporting of 15 days at end of each quarter
Requirements:
- 15+ total years of progressive financial management; preference for current CFO or recently exited CFO of a private equity-backed company
- 7-10+ years of experience as a certified accountant in an audit or transactional due diligence capacity (ideally both)
- 3-5+ years of experience as senior level financial professional at a middle market company that experienced rapid growth (CFO)
- 2+ year of consulting experience
- CPA required; MBA preferred
