Chief Financial Officer

Berkley One (A Berkley Company) - Stamford, CT

Full-time - Executive

Stamford, CT

Waste Management and Remediation Services

About the position

Berkley One is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join our team in Stamford, CT. Reporting directly to the Berkley One President, the CFO will be responsible for leading and managing the finance function, serving as a key strategic partner in the development and growth of the organization. This role encompasses oversight of all financial and accounting activities, including management of financial and management reporting, premium collection, and ensuring compliance with SOX, GAAP, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to finance and tax issues. The CFO will also be tasked with building, validating, and documenting all processes, systems, and workflows for finance operations, necessitating a high degree of collaboration with the W.R. Berkley corporate finance team. The CFO will lead comprehensive P&L reporting of revenues, losses, and expenses, supporting the company's short and long-term strategic financial objectives. This includes providing guidance, insights, and strategic direction to the leadership team to meet financial objectives and enhance profitability. The role involves conducting financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting, while managing the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting processes in close collaboration with Berkley One and the WRB corporate finance team to ensure alignment and meet expectations. In addition, the CFO will establish and maintain relationships with internal and external auditors to ensure the company's direction is clearly advised and approved. The position requires proactive collaboration with other senior team members to ensure sound processes affecting financial outcomes. The CFO will also direct the management and documentation of all systems, workflows, and processes for financial and reinsurance accounting, reporting, billing, and premium collection. Leading the finance staff, the CFO will ensure that clear performance objectives and metrics are in place, staffing levels are appropriate, and employees are engaged and developed. Building collaborative relationships with peers and stakeholders across Berkley One and the W.R. Berkley organization is essential to identify and strategize how to manage market dynamics and finance trends. Other duties, projects, and initiatives may be assigned as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive P&L reporting of revenues, losses, and expenses.
• Support company short and long-term strategic financial objectives and provide guidance, insights, and strategic direction to the leadership team to meet financial objectives and enhance profitability.
• Advise on the impact of short- and long-term planning via financial modeling and projections.
• Conduct financial forecasting, budgets, and reporting.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting processes, collaborating with Berkley One and the WRB corporate finance team to ensure alignment and meet expectations.
• Ensure effective controls are in place for credibility of results and compliance with SOX, GAAP, and other laws, standards, and requirements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external auditors to ensure the company's direction is clearly advised and approved.
• Proactively collaborate with other members of the senior team to ensure that processes affecting financial outcomes are sound.
• Direct the management and documentation of all systems, workflows, and processes for financial and reinsurance accounting, reporting, billing, and premium collection.
• Lead finance staff ensuring that clear performance objectives and metrics are in place, staffing levels are appropriate, and employees are engaged and being developed.
• Build collaborative relationships with peers and stakeholders across Berkley One and the W.R. Berkley organization to identify and strategize how to manage market dynamics and finance trends.
• Other duties, projects, and initiatives as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• CPA required.
• 10+ years finance leadership experience required.
• Strong preference for candidates with insurance industry/personal lines (High Net Worth) experience.
• Expertise in the development and analysis of business unit profitability reporting.
• Track record with setting and achieving financial goals.
• Demonstrated data analysis and strategic decision-making skills.
• Ability to translate data into useful information and communicate key findings and assumptions in a concise fashion to senior management for decision-making purposes.
• Experience writing business plans and creating financial cases for investment.
• In-depth knowledge of GAAP, Statutory Insurance Accounting, FASB, and other accounting rules and principles.
• Understanding of reinsurance and the actuarial reserving process preferred.
• Effective leader and motivator who understands how to successfully influence and manage resources and initiatives from initiation through delivery.
• Master at stakeholder management, able to collaborate with corporate senior leaders, peers, subordinates, other internal corporate constituents, customers, and outside vendors to drive portfolio profit and growth.
• Exceptional communication skills; communication style that is flexible to the situation.
• A love of process and optimization; able to identify and resolve challenges and prioritize deliverables to ensure critical milestones are met.
• Calm under pressure with exceptional organizational skills, integrity, and great follow-through on tasks.
• Comfortable challenging norms while working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Strong sense of accountability, fun, and adventure.
• Natural curiosity and a love for learning how things work; always looking for creative and innovative improvements.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the insurance industry, particularly in personal lines (High Net Worth).
• Understanding of reinsurance and the actuarial reserving process.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation plan.
• Robust benefits package for full-time regular employees.