Fast Track Finance: Driving Hands-On Impact in Orthodontic Innovation

The Client

Our client is a fast-growing, private equity-backed manufacturer of orthodontic and dental products. Leveraging proprietary metal injection molding techniques, the company produces high-quality components designed to reduce patient treatment times and improve clinical outcomes.

With a global sales footprint and double-digit growth, the company is scaling rapidly. Backed by a leading private equity sponsor, it has ambitious plans to expand market share, optimize operations, and elevate financial performance across geographies.

The Challenge

To support this next stage of growth, the CEO sought a hands-on, up-and-coming Chief Financial Officer to lead all finance and accounting functions. This was not a traditional oversight role—the CFO would need to be both a strategic partner and an operational “doer,” actively involved in the day-to-day work of forecasting, budgeting, reporting, and controls.

Key responsibilities included:

• Overseeing all finance, accounting, audit, tax, and compliance activities
• Leading budgeting, forecasting, and lender reporting with strong attention to covenant compliance
• Managing financial reporting for the CEO, private equity investors, and external accounting firms
• Establishing and improving internal controls, cost accounting systems, and working capital processes
• Supervising and mentoring junior finance team members while personally executing high-priority workstreams

The ideal candidate would pair a strong accounting foundation (CPA preferred) with deep experience in cost accounting, ERP systems (e.g., MS Dynamics), and operational finance in a manufacturing environment. A bias toward action, scrappiness, and a collaborative approach were non-negotiable.

Our Approach

We conducted a targeted search focused on finance leaders who had proven themselves in high-growth, asset-intensive industries—especially within private equity-backed or multi-site manufacturing businesses.

Search criteria included:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in finance and accounting, with at least 5 years in leadership roles
• Demonstrated success in managing ABL relationships, compliance reporting, and board-level communication
• Deep fluency in standard costing, inventory management, and working capital optimization
• Strong ERP system experience (e.g., NetSuite, MS Dynamics GP), ideally including implementation
• A hands-on, low-ego leadership style suited for small, fast-paced organizations with lean teams

We emphasized candidates who could build credibility across functions quickly, drive meaningful financial change, and align tightly with both investor goals and company culture.

The Placement

We placed a seasoned CFO with over 15 years of experience leading finance teams in private equity-backed, multi-site manufacturing and agriculture businesses. A CPA and former controller, she brought:

• Expertise in standard costing, capital planning, and asset-based lending
• A track record of optimizing month-end close, payroll, and AP processes through automation
• Experience implementing and upgrading ERP systems (NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics GP)
• A deep understanding of financial reporting, board communication, and KPI development tailored to investor expectations
• A hands-on leadership style rooted in operational finance and strategic collaboration with CEOs and executive teams
  

Her ability to translate complex data into actionable insight made her a trusted voice across departments and a critical driver of financial discipline.

The Outcome

The CFO quickly partnered with both the CEO and private equity sponsors to align financial strategy with broader business goals. Key outcomes included:

• Reversing a multi-quarter EBITDA decline through cost control and margin improvement
• Delivering monthly and quarterly financial reports and dashboards tailored to investor KPIs
• Strengthening banking relationships, renegotiating terms, and achieving ABL covenant compliance within six months
• Leading successful financial audits and enhancing internal controls
• Building a capable finance team while remaining closely involved in tactical execution
• Helping the business navigate COVID-era disruptions, ensuring continuity, protecting cash flow, and maintaining alignment across finance, operations, and sales

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Under her leadership, the company regained financial stability and positioned itself for sustainable, value-driven growth.