Chief Financial Officer

Sequoia Financial Group · Akron, OH · 1 mo ago

Finance$50/hrFull-time

About the role

This role can sit in either Akron, Mayfield Heights or Westlake, OH. At Sequoia, the CFO helps the whole firm see itself clearly. This is a senior leadership role responsible for building a finance function that matches where we're headed — sharpening our discipline, strengthening our profitability, and, just as importantly, translating our numbers into a story our people can rally around.

We're an RIA approaching $50 billion in AUM, which means real scale, complexity, and a lot of moving parts across our acquired firms. That calls for a CFO who brings precision and discipline to how we plan, forecast, and report — while keeping pace with our growth goals of 40% annually (25% inorganic, 15% organic).

Core Responsibilities

Enterprise Financial Strategy & Value Creation
Lead execution of the value creation plan, with a focus on EBITDA expansion and cash flow
Translate firm strategy into clear financial targets, KPIs, and accountability
Find and act on margin improvement opportunities (pricing, cost structure, productivity)
Bring data-driven insight to strategic conversations at the executive and Board level
Help shape the financial narrative that supports our growth and acquisition activity
Run a fully-integrated PMO Business Case process, including:
Project portfolio linked to the Annual Planning Process and Executive Committee priorities
Benefit realization tracking
Benefits tied to capacity model and gearing ratios through our financial tracking systems
Communicating Financial Performance & Our Vision 2030 Story
Turn financial results into a clear, honest narrative the whole firm can understand — not just the Executive Committee
Regularly share how we're tracking toward Vision 2030, so every team can see how their work fits into the bigger picture
Make financial performance approachable — turn complex data into insight people can actually use, regardless of their background in finance
Champion a culture where understanding how we're doing is shared broadly, not held close in Finance
Advanced FP&A & Performance Management
Lead a high-functioning FP&A team with institutional-grade rigor
Build driver-based forecasting models covering:
Net flows (organic + inorganic)
Fee realization and pricing tiers
Advisor and firmwide headcount and productivity
Client segmentation and profitability
Deliver monthly business reviews (MBRs) with insights people can act on
Standardize KPI frameworks across business units and acquired firms
Improve forecast accuracy and forward visibility (debt and covenant thresholds, capital needs, scenario analyses)
M&A Integration & Platform Standardization
Support our acquisition strategy with financial diligence and structuring input
Track integration savings, growth, and synergy realization
Standardize chart of accounts, revenue recognition, billing process and cadence, and compensation structures (in partnership with Organization Development)
Track and report deal performance against the underwriting case
Help eliminate operational redundancies across the platform
Accounting, Controls & Audit Readiness
Keep our financials clean, consistent, and audit-ready under GAAP
Lead the annual audit and support quality of earnings (QoE) work
Strengthen internal controls and governance
Ensure our financial reporting aligns with RIA regulatory requirements (in partnership with Compliance)
Advisor Economics & Compensation Execution
Partner closely with the President and Head of Advisors on headcount, productivity, capacity, and compensation planning, so advisor workforce decisions are backed by sound financial thinking
Refine compensation structures to align incentives with firm profitability, support recruiting and retention, and balance growth with margin discipline
Analyze client-level and segment-level profitability
Provide insight into pricing strategy and fee compression dynamics
Systems, Data & Infrastructure
Lead the evolution toward one integrated financial, capacity, and data ecosystem
Oversee financial tracking systems, data management, and reporting tool enhancements — including AI that automates process and surfaces deeper financial insight
Build toward a single source of truth for financial and operational data
Enable real-time or near-real-time visibility into performance
Support scalability for continued acquisitions and growth
Capital Structure & Sponsor Relations (Supporting Role)
Support the CEO and President in managing relationships with our private equity sponsors and lenders
Monitor debt facilities, covenant compliance, and leverage ratios
Offer input on capital structure decisions as they relate to our growth and risk profile
Assist with refinancing, recapitalization, or exit-readiness work as needed
Team Leadership & Development
Build and lead a strong, scalable finance organization (FP&A, accounting, treasury, shareholder services)
Recruit and develop top finance talent, building the bench strength the team needs to grow into Vision 2030
Assess and grow talent to meet the evolving needs of Vision 2030
Establish clear processes, accountability, and performance management
Shareholder Services & Workplace Facilities
Oversee shareholder services, including cap table administration, equity holder recordkeeping, and shareholder communications and reporting
Ensure shareholders have a clear, well-supported experience, from routine questions to major equity events
Oversee workplace facilities across our office locations, making sure our spaces support the team experience and our growth

Qualifications

Experience CFO or senior finance executive at a scaled organization with $500M+ in annual revenue and multi-entity complexity — financial services experience is a plus, not a requirement
Experience in private equity–backed environments
A track record of leading post-acquisition integration and multi-entity consolidation
Solid grounding in debt financing, capital structure, and lender relations
Experience getting a company audit-ready and through QoE
Deep understanding of AUM-based revenue models and billing complexity
Familiarity with advisor compensation and recruiting economics
Understanding of organic vs. inorganic growth drivers and margin dynamics in wealth management
Strong financial modeling and data analytics capabilities
Familiarity with regulatory and compliance frameworks for RIAs is a plus, not a requirement

Leadership Profile

Bridges strategic thinking with hands-on execution
Drives accountability across a distributed, growing organization
Genuinely strong communicator — someone who can turn complexity into a story the whole firm can follow and connect to Vision 2030
Skilled at recruiting and developing talent, with a track record of building teams people want to stay on
Ideal location in Northeast Ohio
Knowledge of what it takes to meet Sequoia's growth commitments

Success Metrics

Consistent EBITDA margin expansion, free cash flow conversion, and cash flow growth
High forecast accuracy and financial predictability
Successful integration and performance tracking of acquisitions
Clean audits and exit-ready financials (QoE readiness)
Improved advisor productivity and profitability metrics
A firm where people at every level understand how we're performing and why it matters to Vision 2030
Scalable systems and processes that support continued growth