Chief Financial Officer

About Nanometrics

Nanometrics (www.nanometrics.ca) is a privately owned company that provides monitoring solutions and equipment for studying manmade and natural seismicity. We’re headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices in Calgary, Beijing and Houston and have representatives worldwide.

Their customers are what motivate and inspire them, and have always been, first and foremost, their partners in scientific discovery. They’re confident not only in the outstanding quality and performance of the instrumentation, but they entrust them with what’s most important: their science. Together, they’ve found solutions to the most difficult monitoring challenges, developing new products and services along the way. Working with the world’s leading scientific institutions, universities, and geological surveys, as well as some of the world’s largest energy producers, Nanometrics has been changing the way the world does seismology for over 30 years. 

The company began as a seismic instrumentation company. Our founder, Robin Hayman, previously spent 15 years at the Geological Survey of Canada where he saw the benefits of digitizing seismic data. In 1986 he founded Nanometrics, and developed the RD-3 digitizer, the first of many revolutionary products that we’re proud to have designed and built. 

Over the years the company has evolved into the full-service, integrated solutions provider we are today, offering turnkey seismic networks, industry-leading precision instrumentation, complete data processing and analysis services, and software applications. Nanometrics innovative technology is used in mission-critical seismic arrays and tsunami warning systems in over 90 countries across the globe. 

Scope

The role of this Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has evolved significantly and is very operationally focused. We are not looking for just number crunchers, but strategic partners deeply involved in the company's overall operations. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior financial and operations executive that will help lead growth in a truly international market. As a privately held Canadian company with a powerful brand, strong balance sheet and a wide global reach we are masters of our own destiny.

In this role, you will provide strategic leadership and roll up your sleeves and get involved in the details where necessary. In essence, a good operational CFO is a strategic partner who can bridge the gap between finance and operations, driving sustainable growth and profitability.

You will provide financial leadership to the company, identifying and using operational levers to ensure financial plans and ROI metrics are realized throughout the company. In addition, you will ensure that cross functional processes and tools are optimized to ensure seamless operations from business development to cash.

As a member of the executive team, you will help develop the strategy and measure the execution of the operating plan. You will work in collaboration with the executive team to maintain and expand our global presence through the development of new products and new international markets. This includes areas such as international finance, taxation, trade compliance, and commercial contracts. This may require some travel to negotiate and facilitate financial operations in foreign countries.

We are looking for someone with a curious mind, an entrepreneur with business acumen, strong people skills and proven international experience who will be effective within a collaborative, high functioning team.

Competencies

Strategic Thinking and Vision:

● Forward-Looking:

○ They don't just analyze past performance; they forecast future trends and develop strategies to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks.

○ They contribute to the company's long-term strategic plans.

● Business Acumen:

○ They understand the company's business model, industry dynamics, and competitive landscape.

○ They can translate financial data into actionable business insights.

Operational Expertise:

● Understanding of Operations:

○ They possess a deep understanding of the company's operational processes and how they impact financial performance.

○ They can identify areas for improvement in efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

● Data-Driven Decision Making:

○ They leverage data analytics to drive operational decisions and optimize resource allocation.

○ They can create and interpret financial models to assess the impact of operational changes.

Leadership and Communication:

● Effective Communication:

○ They can clearly communicate complex financial information to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.

○ They can build strong relationships with internal and external partners.

● Leadership Skills:

○ They can lead and motivate finance teams to achieve organizational goals.

○ They can influence decision-making at the executive level.

● Collaborative nature:

○ They can work well with all departments of the company.

Financial Acumen and Integrity:

● Financial Expertise:

○ They possess a strong understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, and regulatory requirements.

○ They can manage financial risks and ensure compliance.

● Integrity and Ethical Behavior:

○ They maintain the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct.

○ They foster a culture of transparency and accountability.

● Risk assessment skills:

○ They can properly assess and manage financial risk.

Key Objectives and Responsibilities

● Provide financial leadership including processes and control over the assets of the company.

● Develop financial plans, ensure progress is measured and highlight course corrections where required to ensure a success-oriented, accountable environment.

● Facilitate international growth by ensuring the company can operate effectively in foreign countries and markets.

● Leading M&A projects.

● Responsible for enabling international growth which may involve establish entities, international tax, etc.

● Build and maintain our global infrastructure to ensure compliance with foreign market regulations and laws.

● Ensure that the company has the operational infrastructure of systems, processes, policies and personnel to accommodate its business objectives.

● Responsible for establishing and measuring internal and external processes using effective key performance indicators.

● Managing the Finance and Administration organization while championing the corporate risk profile.

● Post graduate qualification in a relevant discipline, CA required and an MBA preferred.

● Experience in Mergers and Acquisitions.

● Experience in international business finance is required.

● Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership position demonstrating the ability to negotiate contracts, influence internally and build strong collaborative relationships.

● Ability to develop and follow through on detailed business plans and programs.

● Strong business, entrepreneurial and financial acumen.

● Strong oral and written communication skills.

● Proven ability to learn, mentor and build on feedback.