BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
(Confidential Portfolio Company)
CONFIDENTIAL POSITION SPECIFICATION
Position:
Organization:
Chief Financial Officer
CONFIDENTIAL — Ohio-based
Reporting Relationship: The Chief Financial Officer will be a member of the executive team and will
report directly to the President.
Basic Responsibilities:
The Chief Financial Officer will be the senior financial executive responsible for directing all corporate
financing and treasury functions leading to the most advantageous allocation of resources supporting the
company's strategic growth plans.
In this role, the Chief Financial Officer will oversee all accounting functions and must maximize the financial
opportunity and performance of the firm.
The position requires both strategic and operations perspective, proactively forecasting and identifying
potential opportunities for the firm.
The successful candidate will act as a true business partner with the company’s President on all decisions
related to finances of the company. As a member of senior management, the Chief Financial Officer will work
on business strategy and will support the operating side of the business.
Additionally, the Chief Financial Officer will be responsible for:
Manage the overall financial operations of the company, including operating and capital budgets, finance and
control, treasury (including collections and cash management), accounts payable, payroll activities and
purchases, and the information technology function.
Lead and manage the integration of all financial operations for anticipated growth, which includes evaluating
product and market development and expansion opportunities. Identify options to develop organically or
provide evaluation and input for joint venture negotiations and business partnerships.
Identify and evaluate acquisition targets for synergies in manufacturing, marketing, product line extension
and distribution channels. Evaluate business scenarios with and without acquisition to determine potential
financial performance if transaction occurred. The CFO will be the primary contact point for due diligence and
ultimate transition activities.
Ensure the accounting and financial operations provide accurate and timely financial statements and all
related financial and administrative information required within the company policies.
Maintain strong internal controls that ensure the integrity of financial transactions, protect assets from loss,
and warn of potential losses due to theft or mistakes.
Manage companywide cost reduction efforts. Ensure spending remains within authorized budgets. Meet with
staff regularly to ensure timely and accurate tracking and publishing results. Ensure Executive Staff remains
focused on cost controls and cash flow, and that cost center managers plan, spend and track spending
responsibly, with an understanding of their impact on the balance sheet.
Provide overall leadership to employees, successfully motivating, coaching, and infusing spirit, thus positively
impacting the company bottom line.
Develop and maintain outstanding relationships with the business community.
Ensure the Company reaches agreed upon revenue targets that reflect the annual and longer-term sales and
business plan
Professional Qualifications:
We are seeking a highly strategic and analytical financial leader with outstanding communication skills. The
ideal candidate will possess a minimum of 10-15 years financial experience, preferably obtained in a
manufacturing industry. He/She will have a demonstrated and successful background as the senior financial
officer and possess managerial experience with a highly regarded, aggressive company. As a result, the
successful candidate will have been exposed to a multitude of financial transactions and managerial
disciplines, and an excellent working knowledge of both the Treasury/Deal-making and Cost Accounting/
Reporting disciplines.
Additionally, the individual must have a strong foundation in both strategic and operational management and
a willingness to "roll up the shirt sleeves" and get the job done. It is essential that the successful candidate
appreciate the nuances of working within a lean, entrepreneurial environment.
Other desired experience includes:
Strong internal finance skills including, but not limited to, cost accounting, tax, internal and external controls,
budgeting and planning, treasury, financial systems and management reporting, and information technology.
History of effectively communicating with Board-level contacts and all stakeholders; outstanding internal and
external communication skills with a demonstrated ability to connect with people on financial issues.
Proven track record of successfully operating during active financial activity, including acquisitions and largescale investments or joint ventures.
Led or participated in due diligence; managed and/or assisted in the implementation of a company’s financial
strategy through the entire due diligence process.
Personal Attributes:
An individual of unquestioned honesty and integrity, the new Chief Financial Officer will exhibit a strong
business presence with a superior ability to effectively communicate to all company stakeholders.
Ability to develop a vision for the business; have a broad perspective; maintain a long-term big picture view.
Anticipate likely obstacles and recognize creative ways to get around them; view problems in new and unique
ways; generate breakthrough ideas; willingness to entertain alternative structures to achieve strategic
objectives.
Exceptional technical and managerial skills including strong leadership, human relations skills, as well as a
teamwork orientation and flexibility in a high performance culture.
High energy level, strong presentation skills, and the ability to inspire confidence among those with whom
he/she deals, including customers, peers, subordinates, etc.
Makes good decisions based upon available data; anticipates problems. Uses judgment to make sound
strategic and tactical choices – knows when to emphasize and balance the organization’s long-term strategic
objectives; makes timely, tough decisions. Then executes.
Excellent communication skills and the presence and innate ability to represent the company in a wide variety
of forums.
The capacity for strategic positioning and strategic thinking with strong financial and management abilities.
An entrepreneurial instinct balanced by mature understanding of financial instruments and negotiations.
Education: While the successful candidate will be required to have an undergraduate degree in Accounting,
a CPA or an advanced financial degree is desirable.
Compensation: A competitive compensation package will be offered that is commensurate with the
successful candidate’s experience and qualifications.
Contact:
Terry McAleer
McAleer Gray
Denver, CO
303.717.2684
tmcaleer@mcaleergray.com
Brad Gray
McAleer Gray
Denver, CO
303.333.3736 (direct)
bgray@mcaleergray.com
About McALEER GRAY LLC
McALEER GRAY is a boutique retained executive search firm whose principals have extensive experience in the executive search
industry. The Firm's clients extend across many industries, and assignments focus on Board of Directors to all C-level functions, and
their direct reports. www.mcaleergray.com