Our client is a European-headquartered and family-owned food company with established and growing U.S. operations. We are looking for a senior Finance Manager / Head of Finance to lead the finance function for the U.S. business.
This role sits at the intersection of local business leadership and European Group governance, combining hands‑on ownership of accounting, controlling, and compliance with strong business partnering and performance steering.
The Finance Manager reports operationally to the U.S. General Manager, acting as a trusted financial advisor to the local leadership team, while maintaining a functional reporting line to Group Finance in Europe, ensuring alignment with group policies, standards, and reporting frameworks.
This position plays a critical role in supporting a growing and evolving U.S. organization, including integration of acquisitions, strengthening financial discipline, and enabling sustainable growth within an international group context. It is a hands‑on leadership role with real impact on business performance, governance, and future growth.
Key responsibilities
- Lead and develop the U.S. finance function, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely financial operations
- Act as a strategic finance business partner to the General Manager USA and local leadership team
- Serve as the financial bridge between U.S. operations and European Group Finance
- Translate Group finance frameworks into pragmatic, effective execution in the U.S. context
- Provide clear financial insights on performance, risks, and opportunities to both local and group stakeholders
Accounting, Controlling & Reporting
- Hold final responsibility for month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close for U.S. entities
- Ensure compliance with U.S. statutory requirements, tax regulations, and Group accounting policies
- Maintain audit readiness and act as primary contact for internal and external auditors
- Oversee reconciliations, documentation, and internal control frameworks
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking processes
- Support business decision-making through forward‑looking financial analysis and scenario modeling
- Monitor operating expenses and cost structures, identifying opportunities for optimization
- Develop and deliver meaningful KPIs and financial dashboards to support management steering
Working Capital & Credit Control
- Optimize cash flow and working capital performance
- Oversee credit control, AR/AP processes, and cash management initiatives
- Drive improvements in cash efficiency and financial discipline across the organization
Systems, Processes & Integration
- Support the implementation and adoption of best‑practice finance systems and processes
- Play an active role in post‑merger finance integration, including alignment of reporting, controls, processes, and governance across entities
- Ensure high data quality and process consistency across U.S. entities
- Support SAP‑related initiatives and future system integrations
Organization & team
- Lead a small but growing U.S.
-based finance team (currently ~3 FTE) - Work closely with Group Accounting, Group Controlling, and Group FP&A teams in Europe
- Operate in a non-hierarchical, entrepreneurial, and respectful company culture
Experience & background
- Senior Finance Manager / Head of Finance / Controller background
- Strong foundation in accounting, controlling, and compliance
- Experience in manufacturing or industrial environments (food industry is a strong plus)
- Exposure to international group environments combined with an entrepreneurial, hands‑on mindset
- Proven ability to operate independently at country level while aligning with group structures
- Strong business acumen and operational understanding
- Ability to act as a true finance business partner to senior leadership
- Comfortable balancing hands‑on execution with strategic thinking
- Experience with ERP systems (SAP experience is a strong plus)
- Clear communicator, able to explain financial topics to non-finance stakeholders
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