Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

We are seeking an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to serve as a key member of the executive leadership team for a complex, multi-entity engineering organization. This executive will provide strategic financial leadership while overseeing accounting, financial planning and analysis, tax, enterprise risk management, ESOP administration, financial systems, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. The CFO will partner closely with executive leadership and the Board to drive long-term financial performance, operational excellence, and sustainable growth while supporting an employee-owned (ESOP) business structure and maintaining S-Corporation compliance. The ideal candidate should have experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute long-term financial strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Drive profitability through pricing improvements, margin enhancement, overhead management, and operational efficiencies.
• Evaluate financial returns for capital investments, expansion opportunities, and new business initiatives.
• Lead enterprise-wide automation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing finance, accounting, tax, audit, risk, and ESOP teams.
• Partner with operational leadership to improve project profitability, billing processes, cash flow, and resource utilization.
• Provide financial oversight for government contracting compliance.

• Direct all accounting and financial reporting activities in accordance with GAAP.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes across multiple business entities.
• Present financial results, forecasts, KPIs, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership, the Board, and ESOP trustees.
• Maintain strong internal controls and enterprise-wide financial governance.
• Standardize accounting practices across subsidiaries and ensure audit readiness.
• Improve financial processes, reporting capabilities, and workflow efficiency.
• Provide financial guidance on major contracts and capital asset decisions.
• Establish and maintain enterprise financial policies covering procurement, capital expenditures, approvals, intercompany transactions, expense management, and transfer pricing.
• Lead updates to accounting policies supporting the organization's ERP platform and financial systems.

• Lead external financial audits and serve as the primary contact for auditors, valuation firms, regulators, and ESOP trustees.
• Oversee internal audit activities, risk assessments, compliance reviews, and corrective action plans.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state financial regulations.
• Partner with legal, operations, and safety teams to strengthen enterprise risk management and insurance strategies.
• Support claims management and financial reserve oversight.

• Develop tax strategies while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Oversee corporate tax reporting and external tax advisors.
• Ensure continued compliance with S-Corporation requirements.
• Manage ESOP governance, annual valuations, fiduciary compliance, and long-term sustainability planning.
• Support employee-owner education and financial literacy initiatives.

• Provide executive oversight of enterprise financial systems, including ERP and integrated finance platforms.
• Ensure financial systems support accurate reporting, internal controls, and business intelligence.
• Lead finance automation initiatives and data governance improvements.
• Evaluate new technologies that improve financial reporting and executive decision-making.

• Lead financial due diligence for acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
• Support valuation analysis, transaction structuring, purchase accounting, and post-acquisition integration.
• Ensure acquisitions align with tax strategy, ESOP requirements, and long-term capital planning.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Extensive executive-level financial leadership experience within a complex, multi-entity organization.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, and corporate governance.
• Experience leading budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and strategic analysis.
• Demonstrated experience with mergers and acquisitions, financial due diligence, and integration.
• Experience working with enterprise ERP systems and financial transformation initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication, and executive presentation skills.
• Experience supporting government contracting financial compliance.
• Ability to lead large, cross-functional teams and drive organizational change.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CMA, MBA, or other advanced financial credential.
• Experience with ESOP organizations.
• Knowledge of S-Corporation governance and tax requirements.
• Background in engineering, professional services, construction, or government contracting industries.
• Experience implementing or optimizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations or similar ERP platforms.
• Experience in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries.

Key Skills Required

• Executive Financial Leadership
• Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
• GAAP Financial Reporting
• Corporate Governance
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Tax Strategy & Compliance
• ERP & Financial Systems Leadership
• Internal Controls & Audit Management
• Strategic Planning & Business Partnership

Additional Information

• Relocation assistance is available.
• Annual performance bonus opportunity of 2025%.
• The client is seeking candidates with operating company CFO experience rather than private equity-focused backgrounds

Why This Location?

Chantilly, Virginia, offers convenient access to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area while providing a suburban lifestyle. Residents enjoy extensive parks and outdoor recreation, diverse dining options, shopping, museums, cultural attractions, and excellent transportation access. The area also offers strong professional opportunities and a high quality of life.