JEAN (JOHN) NEFTIN, MBA

New York, NY § 917-***-****

acux51@r.postjobfree.com § www.linkedin.com/in/jeanneftin

CHIEF FINANCIAL & ACCOUNTING OFFICER

A global strategic leader with entrepreneurial spirit and a proven track record in management of finance, operations, marketing, business development while seamlessly directing all accounting functions for both established and startup companies. Driver for operational and financial efficiency, with extensive experience in raising capital & business restructuring, leveraging technology for maximum business impact. Team building, managing & mentoring specialist with an exceptional communication and interpersonal skill set. Analytical and creative decision-maker with strong work ethic, praised for flexibility and aptitude to quickly grasp complexities of diverse industries.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Finance & Accounting Management

New Business Development

Raising Capital

Budget & Cost Management

Modeling & Forecasting

Growth & Expansion Strategies

Process Design & Re-Engineering / BPO

Banking & Trade Finance Compliance

Turnaround & Crisis Management

Contract Negotiation & Strategic Alliances

Demand Planning & Management

Talent Retention & Team Building

Financial & Business Analytics

M & A Integration

Accounting Controls

Project Management

Strategic Sourcing

Capacity Planning

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Interim Chief Accounting Officer (Controller)

MULTIPLE CLIENTS – NY, NY 04/2016 – Present

Support NYC clients (professional services & eCommerce) in performance optimization. As a true business partner to the President and CEO, assess performance against both the annual budget and long-term strategy. Ensure tax compliance.

Direct all daily financial and accounting operations, including G/L, A/P, A/R, collections and billing, treasury, budgeting, MIS and administrative functions

Supervise accounting and MIS staff

Produce GAAP-compliant monthly financial statements and analysis for President / Owners

Attract funding with effective compliance presentations and investor pitches

Delivered a 17% profit increase in 1 month through establishment of cost-effective inventory / SKU management

Maximized efficiency of B2B & B2C distribution channels 35% by optimizing fulfillment and customer service procedures

Mentored and developed a team, managed work allocation, training, problem resolution, performance evaluation, and building of an effective team dynamic

Chief Financial & Accounting Officer (CFO / Controller)

NEWSWEEK / INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES – NY, NY 11/2015 – 04/2016

Recruited to elevate accounting team performance, to ensure best practices and achievement of business objectives for IBT Media US-based companies (400+ employees & freelancers): Newsweek, International Business Times, Fashion Times, Medical Daily and iDigital. Expedited opening of satellite offices in San Francisco and Washington, DC.

Monitored daily activities of accounting & finance department; coached accounting team on efficiency, accountability & deadlines to improve overall performance (A/P, A/R, bank & credit card reconciliations, GL entries, cash management, payroll)

Supervised accounting team of 5, including the Director of Finance

Presented regular updates to CEO and COO on Cost Of Goods Sold to bring down overall COGS and waste

Generated 15% revenue increase during interim appointment as Chief Revenue Officer by launching revenue incentives for sustainable growth and establishing KPIs to track revenue-related activities

Conducted contract reviews in conjunction with General Counsel and verified accuracy of client invoicing

Trained a dedicated A/R collections representative to effectively resolve issues with clients and improve collection efforts while preserving client relationships

Reduced bad debt by 99% & increased accounts receivable turnover by 70%

Reviewed multi-company / department profit and loss statements (P&L) on monthly basis

Guaranteed payment deadlines, commission payments, revenue shares are completed in timely manner through department's master calendar reorganization

Provided strategic financial input to CEO while evaluating 5 companies for potential acquisition, merger, or re-licensing, including Japan Newsweek, Mexico Newsweek, South Korea Newsweek, Poland Newsweek and Pakistan Newsweek. Increased revenue by 20% as a result of license contract renegotiation

Advised department heads how to diminish costs / reduce expenses; formalized new travel & entertainment expense policies, reduced travel costs by 25% domestic & 17% international respectively

Chief Financial & Accounting Officer (CFO / Controller)

THE NEXUS GROUP LLC – Clifton, NJ 05/2014 – 11/2015

Promoted to CFO 3 months after being recruited as a Controller for this international social media marketing agency with offices in US and Europe. Provided strategic and tactical business guidance to CEO and COO, resulting in new business development and substantial revenue increase. Attracted investors, secured starting capital for a new venture (Red Labs Nutra).

Oversaw all daily financial and accounting operations (G/L, A/P, A/R, invoicing and collections), planned and analyzed business activities related to cash flow, with focus on forecasting and revenue increase. Managed year-end tax filing

Re-engineered business processes to promote transparency, efficiencies, excellent customer service; established accounting policies to ensure efficient audit and effective cost control

Generated and organized complex business data into concise internal and external reports for executive, investor and client review

Collected $2.5M in unpaid client fees in just 1 month by optimizing A/R function

Evaluated contracts; ensured invoicing of clients for advertizing, marketing and software development services

Delivered 98% bad debt reduction & further improved A/R collections by establishing KYC / CIP compliance function to conduct due diligence and risk-assessment on potential clients

Spearheaded company's inversion to USVI

Performed SaaS project cost management (PCM); gathered and analyzed business requirements

Reinforced strategic alliances with vendors through contract and price negotiations

Collaborated in all developmental aspects of eCommerce nutrition & sport supplement subsidiary, Red Labs Nutra: raising capital, business intelligence gathering & in-depth marketing research, supply and demand planning (procurement, conversion & logistics); cultivated new strategic alliances with vendors

Controller

HOWARD SLOAN SEARCH – NY, NY 06/2012 – 04/2014

Engaged by one of the most respected nationwide executive search firms to deliver organizational leadership & change management, financial planning and analysis.

Directed daily accounting practices, payroll, cash management / treasury, business insurance and HR (health insurance, COBRA, etc.) for 150+ employees. Acted as 401(k) administrator. Recruited and trained high-performance accounting team

Orchestrated post-acquisition integration of 2 companies, restructuring reporting, A/P, A/R & HR processes

Decreased payroll processing time by 45% through implementation of ADP Workforce Now

Ensured compliance with US GAAP; supervised monthly, quarterly & fiscal year-end close processes & preparation of P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow statements. Prepared and presented quarterly, annual forecasting & business models for analysis with CEO

Secured $300K credit line through financial compliance presentation to bolster company's financial position

Oversaw regular reviews of all contracts with CEO and guaranteed accurate invoicing of clients

Maximized efficiency of A/R, & collected over $250K in revenue

Strengthened vendor relationships through contract negotiations. Managed relationships with banks and Landlord

Revitalized sales efforts & improved sales team morale by forging a rapport with 60+ sales people. Conducted an internal audit of commission records to ensure timely, accurate payments

Negotiated with business insurance and achieved 25% cost reduction

Chief Financial & Global Accounting Officer (CFO / Global Controller)

CORPORATE FUNDING PARTNERS – NY, NY 01/2007 – 05/2012

Initially appointed Global Controller for this premier boutique trade finance services firm, subsequently earning promotion to CFO.

Handled all facets of financial and daily accounting operations; oversaw hiring & training of staff. Improved operations and provided a competitive advantage through implementation of best business practices

Oversaw the finances of European subsidiaries. Introduced multi-currency accounting system & implemented consolidated financial reporting under IFRS and US GAAP for US-based company & 5 international subsidiaries

Increased profitability 50% - 70% by opening a financial institution in New Zealand to issue letters of credit; set up new banking (NOSU level) SWIFT connection BIC: TMTCNZ2A

Strengthened transaction processing through recapturing of essential corporate SWIFT connection BIC: CFNYUS33

Enhanced client / bank confidence by creating comprehensive compliance presentations / decks, resulting in $6M line of additional credit with several top lending institutions

Collaborated with accounting and law firms on international audits and year-end tax filing

Prepared short-term & long-term revenue forecasting models to CEO and investors

Confirmed Service Level Targets & Service Level Objectives within SLAs are met

Acted as a Compliance Officer, developed and reviewed company's government & banking compliance: AML, KYC, CIP & Patriot Act Certification; created training manuals for management and employees

Examined master transaction agreements and monitored invoicing to domestic / international clientele

Spearheaded the development of a compliance software (SaaS) package as a CRM / DMS solution (conception / design / implementation / management of a virtual global team of developers / project cost analysis) & generated $700K+ in revenue as a third-party service for trade finance companies & reduced client complaints by 97%, with 56% improvement in transaction efficiency and workflow

Improved sales team effectiveness & increased close rate by 15%

Controller

GIANT SECURITY INC.– NY, NY 03/2005 – 12/2006

Employed by physical and digital security solutions service provider & retailer to reorganize accounting and commission payment processes for multi-site operation. Directed company operations during the extended absence of the CEO.

Automated billing and accounting system, using QuickBooks Pro. Reconciled all accounting and bank records, including complex commissions to tech consultants; oversaw timely processing of purchase orders; employee expense reports and payroll

Spearheaded management of benefits and business insurance

Implemented effective internal controls to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations for financial/tax reporting in all locations; achieved high scores on external audit

Negotiated Service Level Requirements & Service Level Agreements with clients. Performed regular billing for services rendered. Maintained and developed new relationships with corporate clients

Produced reports, compared actual cost vs. forecasted projections, with supporting charts and analysis, showing key business trends. Presented clear concise actionable reports to the owner; promoted business excellence and competitive service pricing

Financial / Accounting Manager

BLADE FENCING EQUIPMENT – NY, NY 09/1997 – 03/2005

Hired by global sporting equipment manufacturer & retailer to handle diverse financial, operational and marketing projects, as well as to manage company’s accounting operations & entry into e-Commerce sector.

Handled all accounting functions, including G/L, A/P, A/R, billing and collections

Delivered effective internal controls, optimum efficiency, improvement of processes, and compliance with US GAAP

Developed business planning, sales analytics and vendor management processes within 3 months of being hired & promoted strategic partnerships with new manufacturers to reduce Cost Of Goods Sold

Ensured timely financial, inventory and performance reports

Oversaw onsite manufacturing & fulfillment facility (purchasing; inventory / SKU management; order processing; invoicing; shipping).

Expanded customer base by 20% with a new line of historical weapons for collectors and historical reenactment hobbyists

SOFTWARE

Microsoft Dynamics GP § SAP § NetSuite § Intacct § Xero § QuickBooks § Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, Project, Visio, PowerPoint, Outlook) § StatTools § HitPath § Lime Light CRM § Trello § eCommerce Platforms (Amazon, Shopify) § Marketing Plan Pro § Paychex § ADP - Certified ADP Workforce Now Payroll Administrator

EDUCATION

Actively pursuing Certified Public Accountant Licensure within NYS

M.B.A., Strategic Business Management – HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY, Hempstead, NY

Beta Gamma Sigma

Graduated with Distinction (Top 3% of Graduating Class)

Winner of Capstone Competition

B. S., Legal Studies – JOHN JAY COLLEGE, New York, NY

Magna Cum Laude

Dean's List (every semester)

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