Finance Director

Finance Director

Farnsworth Group is seeking a Finance Director to join our team. In this role, the Finance Director provides strategic financial leadership and oversees all aspects of financial management, planning, analysis, and reporting for the organization. This role partners closely with the CFO, executive leadership, and business unit leaders to drive financial performance, support growth initiatives, and ensure the integrity of financial operations. The Finance Director plays a critical role in mergers and acquisitions, capital planning, captive insurance modeling, real estate financial management, and enterprise-wide budgeting and forecasting.

What You'll Do:

• Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
• Lead financial due diligence for potential acquisitions and strategic partnerships / joint ventures.
• Develop and maintain financial models to evaluate enterprise valuations, deal structures, valuations, synergies, and return on investment.
• Coordinate with legal counsel and internal constituents throughout the transaction lifecycle.
• Prepare executive-level M&A memos, deal summaries, and board presentation materials.
• Support post-close integration activities including financial systems consolidation and reporting alignment.

• Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
• Budgeting & Financial Planning
• Own and manage the annual enterprise-wide budgeting process in collaboration with department and business unit leaders.
• Develop multi-year financial plans aligned with organizational strategy and capital allocation priorities.
• Establish budgeting timelines, templates, and governance processes to ensure consistency and accuracy.
• Monitor budget-to-actual performance and proactively communicate variances and recommended actions to leadership.

• Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
• Lead the FP&A function, delivering monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting packages to senior leaders / group leaders.
• Develop rolling forecasts and scenario analyses to support strategic decision-making.
• Provide analytical support for major capital investments, pricing decisions, and new business opportunities.
• Design and maintain KPI dashboards and financial metrics that align with operational and strategic objectives.

• Variance Analysis & Management Reporting
• Conduct detailed variance analyses comparing actuals to budget, forecast, and prior-period results.
• Identify root causes of financial variances and present findings with actionable recommendations.
• Prepare monthly management reporting packages including executive summaries, trend analyses, and commentary.
• Support department leaders in understanding financial results and driving corrective actions where needed.

• Cash Flow Modeling & Treasury
• Build and maintain dynamic cash flow models to project short- and long-term liquidity needs.
• Monitor daily cash positioning and optimize working capital across the organization.
• Partner with banking relationships to manage S-T investments, marketable securities, credit facilities, shareholder distributions, and investment activity.
• Partner with Senior Controller on cash flow forecasting processes that integrate accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll cycles.

• Captive Insurance & Risk Management
• Serve as the primary financial liaison for the organization's captive insurance program.
• Oversee captive financial reporting, premium allocations, loss reserve reviews, and regulatory filings.
• Coordinate with captive managers, actuaries, and legal counsel on program structure, compliance, and renewals.
• Analyze captive performance metrics and provide strategic recommendations to optimize deductibles, coverage limits, and policy effectiveness.

• Real Estate Lease Management
• Manage the financial aspects of the organization's real estate portfolio including lease accounting under ASC 842.
• Review, analyze, and model financial implications of new leases, renewals, terminations, and amendments.
• Partner with facilities and operations on real estate strategy, occupancy cost analysis, furniture expenditures, and space optimization.

• Capital Expenditures (CapEx)
• Develop and manage the annual capital expenditure budget in coordination with department leaders and operations.
• Establish and maintain a CapEx approval framework, including project justification, prioritization, and authorizations
• Build and maintain CapEx models to evaluate ROI, payback periods, and NPV for proposed investments
• Track and report on CapEx spending versus approved budgets and provide variance analyses
• Support long-range planning cycles for equipment replacement, fleet vehicles, and office upgrades

• Financial Memos & Executive Communications
• Draft and review financial memos, education sessions, and board materials with clarity and precision.
• Translate complex financial data into concise narratives tailored to executive audiences.
• Prepare investment committee materials, and strategic analysis documents as needed.

What You'll Need:

• Education
• Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, or a business-related field required.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an alternative option to a bachelor's degree in business.

• Experience
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive finance experience, with at least 35 years in a senior finance leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience leading M&A financial due diligence and integration efforts.
• Proven track record managing FP&A, budgeting, and cash flow modeling for a mid-size organization ($100M- $500M in annual sales).
• Experience with captive insurance program preferred.
• Familiarity with commercial real estate leases.
• 3- 5 years of Treasury and Portfolio management experience.

• Technical Skills
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including complex financial modeling and data analysis.
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., Deltek Vantagepoint, Oracle, SAP, NetSuite, Infor, MS Dynamics) and financial reporting platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 suite including Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
• Experience with business intelligence and data visualization tools a plus.

Compensation to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, as well as internal and external equity.

Illinois Pay Transparency

$175,000 - $215,000 USD

Join Farnsworth Group, a nationally recognized architectural engineering and surveying firm where your career can thrive! For eleven consecutive years, we've been certified as a Great Place to Work, and our engineers, architects, surveyors, and scientists channel their passion and expertise into making meaningful contributions to the world around us. With more than 650 talented professionals across 24 offices, we collaborate with clients ranging from small communities to some of the world's largest brands. Our success is built on our people - their passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence. Here, you'll find a supportive culture that champions your growth, embraces challenges, values work-life balance, and empowers you to make a lasting impact for our clients and communities. Join us and move your career forward.

A Great Place to Work Certified

For eleven consecutive years, Farnsworth Group has earned the prestigious Great Place to Work certificationthanks to our employees! Each year, our staff participate in a survey administered by the Great Place to Work organization, measuring perceptions of credibility, respect, pride, fairness, and camaraderie. The results are benchmarked against the nation's leading companies, and only top performers receive the certification. Insights from the survey help us continually enhance our work environment and foster a culture that makes Farnsworth Group an even greater place to work.

Full-time regular employee benefits and perks include:

• 401(k) with 100% Company Match up to 5%
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Short & Long-Term Disability
• Maternity and Paternity Leave
• Professional Development and Training
• Mentoring Program
• Paid Time Off
• Wellness/Fitness Reimbursements
• Pet Insurance Plan