Interim Chief Finance and Commercial Officer

Interim Chief Finance and Commercial Officer (12-month FTC)

We are delighted to be working with a specialist postgraduate university who are seeking to appoint a highly experienced, credible and inclusive leader with a significant track record of leading finance and commercial activities for the new role of Interim Finance and Commercial Officer (CFCO) on a 12-month fixed term appointment basis.

About the Role  

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor, the Interim CFCO will be responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing both the long term strategic financial plan and the commercial strategy and activities of the university.

You will provide financial forecasts and strategic insights to guide the University Council and Executive during decision making to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organisation and you will be accountable for all aspects of financial and cash flow planning. You will oversee a cross-disciplinary teams in Finance, commercial development and other professional services. This role will also need to demonstrate successful delivery of objectives and initiatives in the short and medium term.

You will lead our commercial activity, developing new and existing areas of commercial activity, enhancing revenue and margin streams, driving profitable growth and streamlining business operations. You will manage an end-to-end sales processes, from inception/conception, targets/opportunities, negotiations to execution. This is B2C for students (direct and indirect via agents), B2B and B2Gov (corporate clients). You would be expected to explore commercial opportunities for courses and research – cross-selling and upselling to maximise the university’s portfolio. This could be direct relationships, market scoping and tender identification, or new client opportunities.

To be successful in this role, you will have previously operated at C-suite level and have proven experience of strategic leadership, as well as strong financial and commercial acumen. You will have previous experience of having to quickly establish relationships and understanding priorities. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong business and analytical skills and an ability to make rapid decisions that will have both short-term and long-term impacts.

How to Apply   

For an informal, confidential conversation about this opportunity, please contact Az Ahmed (az.ahmed@andersonquigley.com) or John Laycock (john.laycock@andersonquigley.com)