Senior Manager, CFO Advisory - Strategic Finance & Interim Finance Leadership

Cherry Bekaert•US NC, NC

3d•$138,700 - $212,400

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced finance professional to lead complex advisory engagements for private equity-backed portfolio companies. This role operates at the intersection of strategic FP&A, accounting stabilization, and systems transformation. You will frequently step in as an interim finance leader (e.g., Interim VP of Finance or Director of FP&A) during critical post-acquisition transition periods. The ideal candidate does not strictly need to be a CPA but must possess a strong foundational understanding of accounting mechanics, the month-end close process, and general ledger architecture to effectively bridge the gap between historical accounting data and forward-looking operational finance.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive experience in corporate finance, FP&A, or financial advisory, with direct experience operating within or advising private equity-backed companies.
A strong working knowledge of GAAP, general ledger mechanics, and the accounting close process. While a CPA is not required, the ability to navigate a trial balance and resolve accounting operational bottlenecks is mandatory.
Proven experience participating in or leading finance systems implementations, data migrations, or reporting automation (e.g., ERP rollouts, Power BI/Tableau integrations).
Advanced financial modeling capabilities (Excel) and high proficiency in extracting and manipulating large datasets.
Demonstrated ability to manage client engagements, lead cross-functional teams, and communicate complex financial concepts directly to C-suite executives and private equity investors.
Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-paced, and unstructured post-transaction environments.
Candidates must demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States. Cherry Bekaert will not provide work sponsorship for this position.

Responsibilities

Act as the interim finance leader for PE-backed portfolio companies immediately following an acquisition or carve-out.
Assess and stabilize the target company’s existing finance and accounting functions, identifying immediate resource, process, and data gaps.
Serve as the primary liaison between the portfolio company’s operations team and the private equity sponsor.
Design and implement driver-based financial models, rolling 13-week cash flow forecasts, and annual operating plans (AOP).
Develop automated, institutional-grade executive reporting packages and KPI dashboards for Board of Directors and PE sponsor reviews.
Establish unit-level economics, cost-to-serve models, and margin analysis to support operational decision-making.
Lead data hygiene initiatives to clean up messy historical accounting data, ensuring the general ledger can support advanced FP&A reporting.
Drive systems transformation projects, including migrating legacy accounting software to scalable ERPs (e.g., NetSuite, Intacct) and implementing BI tools.
Optimize and accelerate the month-end close process, moving clients from cash to accrual accounting where necessary.