Chief Financial Officer

Folience Inc•Cedar Rapids, IA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Folience is a 100% employee-owned holding company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded on roots dating back to 1884 and fully employee-owned through its ESOP since 2012, Folience invests in and grows a portfolio of independently managed businesses, including Life Line Emergency Vehicles and Cimarron Trailers among others. With approximately 450 employee owners across the enterprise, Folience is committed to building long-term value for its employee owners through disciplined financial stewardship, growth, and a culture of ownership. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the senior financial leader for Folience and its family of companies, responsible for the financial strategy, integrity, and performance of the enterprise. This role owns Folience's ESOP administration, enterprise-wide annual budgeting and forecasting, and reporting to the Folience Board of Directors. Based at the Folience level and reporting directly to the CEO of Folience, the CFO serves as a trusted financial advisor and thought partner to the CEO and works closely with the Presidents of Folience's business units — including Life Line Emergency Vehicles and Cimarron Trailers — to align financial strategy with operational execution across the portfolio. The CFO leads Folience Shared Services, with the leaders of Human Resources, Marketing and Accounting all reporting into this role. This leader builds and directs a shared services organization that delivers accurate, timely, and insightful financial and operational support to the CEO, the Board, and business unit leadership across the enterprise.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
10+ years of progressive finance leadership experience, including CFO, VP Finance, or Controller-level roles, with responsibility for budgeting, forecasting, and board-level reporting.
Experience operating in a multi-entity, holding company, or portfolio company structure, partnering with business unit leaders across separate portfolio companies.
Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial systems, internal controls,, and audit management.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility with a Board of Directors, a CEO, and business unit Presidents.

Nice To Haves

CPA and/or MBA.
Direct experience with ESOP valuation, or administration.
Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or diversified holding company environments.
Mergers and acquisitions experience, including due diligence and integration.

Responsibilities

Lead the annual budgeting and financial forecasting processes for Folience and its business units, ensuring plans align with enterprise growth objectives.
Serve as chief financial strategist and thought partner to the CEO, providing analysis and recommendations that inform capital allocation, investment, and acquisition decisions.
Prepare and deliver financial reporting, forecasts, and strategic analysis to the Board of Directors on a regular cadence.
Lead financial due diligence, valuation analysis, and integration planning for acquisitions of new portfolio companies.
Partner with the Presidents of the portfolio companies to align financial plans with growth strategies and track performance against targets.
Manage capital structure, banking and lender relationships, and financing strategy to support enterprise growth.
Identify opportunities to improve profitability, working capital, and financial performance across the portfolio.
Lead Shared Services, spanning Accounting, Human Resources, and Marketing, ensuring each function delivers reliable, high-quality support to the CEO and business units across the enterprise.
In coordination with the Director of Accounting, ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual close and consolidated financial reporting across all business units.
Own the company's ESOP administration, including coordination of the annual stock valuation, share allocation, and repurchase obligation modeling and funding strategy.
Ensure compliance with ERISA, DOL, and other regulatory requirements related to the ESOP, in partnership with outside counsel, trustees, and valuation advisors.
Oversee external audit relationships, treasury, cash management, and risk/insurance programs for the enterprise.
In partnership with the Director of Accounting, develop and maintain financial dashboards and KPIs that give the CEO, Board, and business unit leaders clear visibility into enterprise and business-unit performance.
Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to enterprise-wide strategic and operational decisions.
Lead, develop, and mentor the Shared Services leadership team, and the broader Shared Services team.
Build a high-performing, scalable shared services organization effectively supports current and future portfolio companies.
Partner with the CEO and the Director of Human Resources to educate employee owners on the ESOP structure and value, reinforcing a culture of ownership and financial literacy across the enterprise.
Foster strong collaboration between Shared Services functions and business unit leaders, including business unit controllers and functional counterparts at Life Line and Cimarron.
Model servant leadership — removing barriers, developing people, and creating an environment where the Shared Services organization can thrive.