Divisional Finance Manager- Knoxville, Tennesee

Divisional Finance Manager

Position Summary

The Divisional Finance Manager (DFM) partners with one or more Division Vice Presidents within Sylvan's U.S. MEP operations to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and reporting of divisional financial performance. This role oversees month-end close, job costing, forecasting, work-in-progress (WIP), EBITDA, and SG&A, providing financial insight that supports strategic decision-making and operational success.

The DFM works closely with Project Managers, divisional leadership, and Corporate Finance to identify risks, evaluate performance trends, and improve financial discipline across the business. Depending on division size and complexity, this role may support multiple divisions and report to the Director of Operations Finance.

Location: On-site based in Knocksville, TN with anticipated travel to Southfield, MI as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Analysis

• Lead the month-end close process for assigned division(s).
• Ensure accurate reporting of revenue, job costs, margins, SG&A, and EBITDA.
• Maintain and update project financial data, including contract values, Estimated Cost at Completion (ECAC), and other forecasting metrics.
• Partner with Project Managers to review project performance, job costing, forecasts, and margin expectations.
• Analyze financial results and identify key variances, trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Support Division Vice Presidents in preparing monthly financial reports and performance reviews.
• Provide clear explanations behind financial results and performance drivers.

Financial Partnership & Decision Support

• Provide financial insights related to profitability, cost structure, backlog conversion, revenue pacing, and margin performance.
• Support leadership with forecasting, budgeting, and operational decision-making.
• Identify financial risks and recommend corrective actions.
• Deliver data and analysis to support resource planning, staffing decisions, and divisional growth strategies.

SG&A & Cost Management

• Monitor divisional SG&A expenses to ensure proper coding, allocation, and budget alignment.
• Track overhead trends and investigate significant variances.
• Ensure divisional EBITDA accurately reflects operational performance and allocated costs.
• Partner with leadership to maintain financial discipline and cost awareness.

Process Improvement & Compliance

• Promote consistent financial practices across divisions.
• Ensure compliance with company accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting accuracy, efficiency, and financial visibility.
• Support ongoing financial process improvement and standardization initiatives.

Corporate Finance Collaboration

• Serve as the primary financial liaison between divisional leadership and Corporate Finance.
• Ensure timely completion of forecasts, budgets, financial reporting, and audit requests.
• Support special projects, management reviews, and ad hoc financial analyses as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Strong financial analysis, accounting, and reporting experience.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, and financial performance metrics.
• Understanding of job costing, WIP reporting, profitability analysis, and operational finance.
• Ability to communicate financial information effectively to operational and non-financial leaders.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Construction, contracting, or project-based accounting experience.
• MEP industry experience.
• Strong understanding of EBITDA, overhead management, and job-driven financial models.
• Experience supporting multiple business units or divisions.
• Experience working in a growing organization undergoing process improvement and standardization.

Your Foundation for Success

• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships with operational leaders.
• Strong business acumen and financial judgment.
• Proactive approach to identifying risks and opportunities.
• Ability to translate complex financial information into actionable business insights.
• Commitment to accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.