Deputy Chief Financial Officer

Deputy CFO – Strategic Finance & Investor Reporting

Paris, France

Large-Cap International Group

About the Company

Our client is a large-cap international group with a strong market position, global operations, and a highly acquisitive growth strategy. The business is entering an important phase of strategic development, with continued focus on performance optimisation, capital allocation, M&A activity, and shareholder value creation.

To support the Group CFO and executive leadership team, the company is seeking to appoint a high-calibre Deputy CFO based in Paris.

The Opportunity

This is a highly strategic finance leadership role acting as the CFO’s key partner across FP&A, investor reporting, strategic finance, capital markets exposure, and M&A activity.

Unlike a traditional finance leadership position, the role is intentionally focused away from technical accounting and controllership responsibilities, with those areas already led by an established Director of Accounting.

The Deputy CFO will therefore concentrate on:

• group performance management,
• strategic planning,
• investor-facing activities,
• board reporting,
• financing initiatives,
• and supporting inorganic growth strategy.

This is a high-visibility role with regular interaction with executive leadership, shareholders, lenders, advisors, and the Board, offering strong long-term progression potential.

Key Responsibilities

FP&A & Performance Management

• Lead the group-wide budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes
• Drive financial planning and performance analysis across international business units
• Develop and enhance KPI reporting, business analytics, and performance dashboards
• Deliver actionable commercial insight to support strategic decision-making
• Support profitability optimisation, margin analysis, and operational performance initiatives
• Oversee cash flow forecasting, liquidity planning, and working capital analysis

Investor Reporting & Investor Relations

• Prepare high-quality Board, shareholder, and investor reporting materials
• Support quarterly and annual investor communications and financial presentations
• Partner with the CFO on investor relations activities, including shareholder engagement and market messaging
• Develop financial narratives and performance commentary for internal and external stakeholders
• Support rating agency, lender, and financing stakeholder interactions where required

Strategic Finance

• Act as a strategic finance partner to the CFO and senior leadership team
• Support capital allocation decisions and strategic growth initiatives
• Lead financial modelling and scenario analysis for strategic projects
• Drive financial analysis supporting transformation and value creation initiatives
• Support the evaluation and execution of business optimisation opportunities

M&A & Corporate Development

• Support acquisition evaluation, financial due diligence, and transaction execution
• Build and review financial models for acquisitions, investments, and strategic initiatives
• Assist with integration planning and post-deal performance tracking
• Partner with external advisors, investment banks, and transaction stakeholders
• Support the execution of the company’s buy-and-build and expansion strategy

Transformation & Finance Excellence

• Drive improvements in financial reporting quality, automation, and data visibility
• Support the development of scalable FP&A and strategic finance capabilities
• Enhance reporting tools, dashboards, and management information processes
• Contribute to ERP, BI, and digital finance initiatives

Candidate Profile

Experience & Qualifications

• Degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or related discipline
• ACA / ACCA / CPA or equivalent qualification preferred
• Significant experience within FP&A, strategic finance, transaction services, corporate finance, or investor-facing finance roles
• Prior experience in a large-cap, multinational, private equity-backed, or listed environment preferred
• Strong financial modelling and analytical capabilities
• Exposure to investor relations, capital markets, or financing environments advantageous
• Experience supporting M&A transactions and strategic projects highly desirable

Personal Attributes

• Highly analytical with strong commercial acumen
• Executive-level communication and presentation skills
• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving capability
• Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced and high-performance environment
• Confident interacting with senior leadership, investors, and external stakeholders
• Hands-on, intellectually curious, and results-oriented