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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Chief Administrative and Financial Officer

💰 $150,000 - $350,000

FinanceOperationsExecutive Leadership

🎯 Role Definition

The Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO) is a senior executive responsible for leading the organization's financial strategy, governance, and administrative operations. The CAFO ensures robust financial reporting, cash flow and risk management, compliance with regulatory and statutory obligations, and the design and optimization of administrative functions (HR, procurement, facilities, IT operations). Acting as a strategic partner to the CEO and Board, the CAFO translates financial insights into strategic decisions that drive sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and long-term value.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Vice President / Senior Director of Finance or Accounting
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a mid-sized division or subsidiary
  • Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Head of Corporate Services

Advancement To:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • President or Group COO for larger multi-business organizations
  • Board Director (Audit/Finance Committee) or Chair

Lateral Moves:

  • Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
  • Head of Corporate Development / M&A

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the development and execution of the company’s financial strategy, aligning budgeting, forecasting, capital allocation, and long-range planning with overall corporate objectives to drive sustainable growth and profitability.
  • Own all aspects of financial reporting and compliance, ensuring accurate, timely GAAP/IFRS financial statements, management reports, and disclosures for internal stakeholders, auditors, and regulatory bodies.
  • Direct treasury and cash management activities, including liquidity planning, working capital optimization, debt management, banking relationships, and short-term investments to maintain financial stability and flexibility.
  • Design, implement, and maintain internal control frameworks (including SOX where applicable), policies, and standard operating procedures to mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risk across the enterprise.
  • Serve as the primary liaison to external auditors, tax advisors, and regulatory agencies; lead audit planning and remediation and manage corporate tax strategy, compliance, and filings.
  • Lead annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting cycles, partnering with business unit leaders to produce robust, driver-based forecasts and scenario planning that inform strategic decision-making.
  • Provide executive-level financial analysis and modeling for strategic initiatives such as M&A, partnerships, new market entry, capital projects, and major vendor agreements, presenting findings and recommendations to the CEO and Board.
  • Oversee procurement, contract management, and vendor relationships to standardize purchasing practices, negotiate favorable commercial terms, and drive cost savings and supplier performance improvements.
  • Build, mentor, and lead high-performing finance and administrative teams (accounting, FP&A, payroll, tax, treasury, procurement, facilities, HR operations), establishing clear KPIs, career paths, and a culture of accountability.
  • Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to define organizational strategy, tying financial plans and operational metrics directly to strategic priorities, business models, and investor communications.
  • Manage enterprise risk and insurance programs, conducting regular risk assessments, implementing mitigation strategies, and ensuring appropriate coverage and claims handling.
  • Oversee human resources administration functions including payroll, benefits strategy and vendor management, workforce planning, and compliance with employment and labor regulations.
  • Lead major ERP/finance transformation and systems implementations (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), ensuring data integrity, process standardization, and successful change management across finance and administrative domains.
  • Prepare and present quarterly and annual financial presentations to the Board and investment stakeholders, including clear analyses of financial performance, operational drivers, capital needs, and strategic outlook.
  • Champion continuous improvement and process automation across finance and administrative functions, leveraging RPA, BI tools, and data analytics to improve timeliness, accuracy, and decision support.
  • Oversee corporate tax, grant, and subsidy management programs (where applicable), ensuring compliance, maximizing available incentives, and coordinating with legal and external advisors.
  • Establish and monitor financial KPIs and dashboards that provide real-time insight into revenue, margin, cost structure, and operational efficiency to inform management actions.
  • Lead cost optimization and restructuring initiatives when necessary, evaluating organizational design, shared services opportunities, and outsourcing alternatives to improve margins without sacrificing strategic capability.
  • Ensure the integrity of payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger operations by maintaining strong process controls, closing schedules, and reconciliations.
  • Develop and maintain investor and stakeholder relationships, supporting fundraising activities, capital raises, lender covenants, and investor reporting with comprehensive financial packages and forecasts.
  • Maintain corporate governance best practices including policy development, Board committee support (Audit, Finance), conflict-of-interest oversight, and adherence to legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
  • Drive cross-functional collaboration with IT, legal, operations, and business units to align administrative services and financial systems with commercial needs and digital transformation goals.
  • Monitor macroeconomic conditions, market trends, and regulatory changes that affect financial planning and provide proactive strategic recommendations to the executive team.
  • Oversee facilities, real estate, and workplace services strategy, including lease negotiations, space optimization, and capital projects to support business continuity and workforce productivity.
  • Lead special projects such as carve-outs, integrations, or international expansions, coordinating finance, tax, legal, HR, and operations to execute efficiently and to integrate controls post-transaction.

Secondary Functions

  • Act as a senior advisor to business leaders by providing ad-hoc analysis and decision support on pricing, product profitability, and investment trade-offs.
  • Support organizational performance management by implementing balanced scorecards and aligning incentives to strategic objectives and financial targets.
  • Drive compliance and training programs across administrative and finance teams to elevate overall corporate governance and ethical standards.
  • Coordinate cross-departmental initiatives to harmonize data flows between CRM, ERP, HRIS and other systems for cleaner financial reconciliation and reporting.
  • Participate in executive-level recruiting and succession planning to ensure continuity of leadership within finance and administrative functions.
  • Develop crisis and business continuity plans that incorporate financial stress testing, rapid liquidity measures, and contingency operational strategies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced financial reporting and consolidation expertise with deep knowledge of GAAP and/or IFRS accounting standards and experience preparing audited financial statements.
  • Budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling skills including driver-based planning, scenario analysis, and sensitivity modeling for strategic decision support.
  • Treasury and cash management proficiency, including bank relationship management, debt facilities, covenant monitoring, and cash forecasting.
  • Strong experience with internal controls frameworks (e.g., SOX) and implementing control remediation and compliance programs.
  • Tax planning and compliance knowledge across corporate tax, VAT/sales tax, transfer pricing (if applicable), and international tax considerations.
  • Technical fluency with enterprise financial systems and ERPs (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) and hands-on experience leading ERP implementations or upgrades.
  • Proficiency in financial reporting tools and data visualization platforms (Excel advanced functions, Power BI, Tableau) and experience building executive dashboards.
  • Experience with M&A lifecycle: due diligence, valuation, integration planning, post-merger integration, and carve-out accounting.
  • Contract negotiation and procurement skills, including supplier evaluation, performance metrics, and total cost of ownership analysis.
  • Familiarity with regulatory reporting, grants management, public sector accounting (if applicable), and liaison experience with auditors and regulators.
  • Knowledge of risk management frameworks and insurance program management, including enterprise risk assessments and mitigation planning.
  • Working knowledge of payroll systems, benefits administration and labor compliance requirements.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic leadership: ability to translate complex financial information into clear strategic guidance and to influence executive decision-making.
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills for Board-level reporting, investor interactions, and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.
  • Proven change management and transformation capabilities with a track record of delivering systems and process improvements.
  • Strong commercial acumen and problem-solving orientation, capable of balancing short-term performance with long-term strategic investments.
  • High integrity and ethical judgement; commitment to governance, transparency and fiduciary responsibility.
  • Collaborative mindset with the ability to build trust across diverse teams and to coach and develop finance and administrative talent.
  • Resilience, adaptability, and sound decision-making in fast-paced, ambiguous, or high-pressure situations.
  • Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills for vendor, lender, and internal stakeholder relationships.
  • Attention to detail with a bias for accuracy and timeliness in financial close and reporting cycles.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex projects concurrently.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree (MBA, MAcc, or equivalent) and/or professional certification such as CPA, ACCA, or CFA.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration / Management
  • Economics
  • Public Administration (for public/nonprofit roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 10–20+ years of progressive finance and administrative leadership experience, including at least 5–10 years in senior/executive roles.

Preferred:

  • 15+ years with proven leadership as a CFO/CAFO/Head of Finance in comparable-sized organizations or industries; experience managing multi-jurisdictional finance teams and budgets in excess of $50M–$500M+ is highly desirable.
  • Experience with public company reporting, private equity-backed businesses, nonprofit grant management, or international operations depending on organizational context.
  • Demonstrated track record leading ERP implementations, M&A transactions, capital raises, and enterprise-wide cost optimization programs.
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