CFO (SMF2) - Startup Lender (£150k Base / January start)
hace 1 día
Birmingham
Market Talent have been shortlisted and selected to partner with an ambitious new motor-finance start-up as they assemble their founding leadership team. With a strong track record in senior hiring across banking and specialist lending, we are mandated to appoint a commercially minded, strategically capable CFO to help shape the organisation from inception through scale. This is a key appointment with direct influence on the DNA of a new, well-backed market entrant. We’re seeking a driven, agile CFO who is comfortable operating strategically and hands-on, with high ownership and accountability. You will meet the founders and C-Suite monthly (GTM: 12–24 months) until greater Birmingham-based visibility is required. 1. Purpose of the Role The CFO will establish and lead the Finance function from the ground up. This hands-on role requires an experienced finance leader with lending-sector expertise and proven start-up/scale-up exposure. You will implement governance, people, processes, systems, and controls to support growth, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder value. The remit spans financial strategy, funding, regulatory reporting, and direct execution of early-stage finance operations. 2. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Business Partnering • Develop and deliver financial strategy aligned to business goals and regulation., • Act as a strategic partner to CEO and Board, providing clear financial insight and challenge., • Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning., • Design the finance structure, hire and develop the team., • Build core processes: accounting policies, month-end close, management/regulatory reporting, audit readiness., • Implement financial systems covering accounting, reporting, treasury, and analytics., • Personally manage key finance tasks in the early stages (reporting, cash, payroll, compliance)., • Lead funding initiatives including structured debt, warehouse lines, ABL, and later-stage securitisation., • Manage relationships with lenders, investors, and rating agencies., • Oversee treasury: cash flow, liquidity, capital allocation, funding strategy., • Negotiate facilities optimising cost of capital and covenant terms., • Produce timely, accurate financial statements under UK GAAP/IFRS., • Embed strong financial controls, governance, and policies., • Oversee statutory audit and regulatory reporting (incl. Companies Act, FCA)., • Lead MI production for Board, investors, and regulators., • Assume SMF2 (or equivalent) responsibility under SM&CR., • Maintain open relationships with FCA and other regulators., • Provide shareholders with financial performance insights and recommendations., • Manage audit and regulatory inspections., • Work with the CRO to embed financial risk frameworks across credit, liquidity, and operations., • Support financial-crime controls from a finance perspective (AML, sanctions, fraud)., • Oversee pricing, provisioning, impairment, and portfolio analytics., • Recruit and lead a high-performing finance team with strong standards of accountability and integrity., • Provide development pathways, coaching, and technical uplift., • Encourage cross-functional collaboration across Risk, Compliance, Operations, and Commercial., • Promote transparent, customer-centric values. 3. Qualifications and Experience Essential • ACA/ACCA/CIMA (or equivalent) qualified accountant., • 15+ years PQE in senior finance leadership, ideally CFO or Finance Director level., • Lending-industry background (banking, specialist lenders, consumer credit, asset/motor finance)., • Demonstrable start-up/scale-up experience building finance functions from scratch., • Proven debt-raising experience (structured funding, warehouses, securitisation, ABL)., • SMF experience under SM&CR with strong regulatory understanding., • Direct FCA/PRA regulatory exposure including reporting and engagement., • Exposure to ABS, warehouse facilities, and structured capital markets., • Experience with IFRS 9 provisioning and motor-finance portfolio analytics., • Experience in FCA-regulated consumer-credit environments., • Background in IPO, fundraising, acquisitions, or exits. 4. Knowledge and Skills Technical Expertise • Strong command of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and accounting., • Deep understanding of lending economics, funding structures, pricing, and portfolio P&L drivers., • Strong regulatory knowledge including FCA, PRA, Consumer Duty, SM&CR, and CONC., • Expertise in structured finance, capital markets, and covenant management., • Advanced systems knowledge across ERP, GL, treasury, and BI/reporting tools., • Strategic financial planning and performance management capabilities., • Strong commercial acumen with clear grasp of motor-finance business models., • High analytical capability with data-driven decision-making., • Track record of building and scaling finance functions end-to-end., • Strong leadership and team-building skills., • Process-driven mindset with a focus on controls and continuous improvement., • Proficiency with modern financial systems (Sage, Xero, NetSuite, SAP, etc.), Excel, and BI tools., • Understanding of automation, RPA, and digital finance transformation., • Experience implementing finance systems in early-stage or transformation contexts. 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