Director of Finance

Job Description

Job Description

Location: Smyrna/Cumberland, Georgia
Work arrangement: Hybrid, with regular onsite presence required
Employment type: Full-time
Compensation: Estimated base salary of $145,000 to $170,000, commensurate with depth of relevant experience, AEC or project-based accounting expertise, ERP fluency, credentials, and demonstrated leadership scope. 

 

About the opportunity

A well-established, privately held architecture and design firm is conducting a confidential search for a hands-on Director of Finance. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a finance professional who enjoys combining sound accounting operations with strategic analysis, disciplined project financial management, and practical partnership with executive and operational leaders. 

The Director of Finance will lead core accounting and finance activities while helping the firm strengthen financial visibility, operating discipline, cash management, project profitability, and decision-making. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable reviewing the details of the accounting cycle, guiding a finance team, improving systems and controls, and translating financial information into clear, actionable guidance for leaders and project teams. 

This role is particularly well suited to a finance leader with experience in architecture, engineering, construction, consulting, or another project-based professional-services environment.

 

What you will lead

• Direct day-to-day accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, collections, payroll coordination, cash disbursements, fixed assets, general ledger activity, and accurate financial records.
• Prepare and oversee accurate monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial statements and management reporting in accordance with GAAP.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow planning, variance analysis, and financial-performance reporting for senior leadership.
• Analyze key performance indicators, including profit and loss results, operating profit on net revenue, utilization, labor multipliers, overhead rate, net revenue per employee, employee cost, collection cycle, current ratio, return on equity, and related operating measures.
• Partner with project managers and principals to improve project setup, billing, fee allocation, budget tracking, profitability analysis, work-in-progress review, and overall project financial performance.
• Oversee project accounting formats, customer billings, project financial files, owner agreements, consultant agreements, and required insurance documentation.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve internal controls, audit disciplines, policies, and procedures that safeguard firm assets and support accurate reporting.
• Manage the daily cash position, commercial banking relationships, credit resources, purchasing discipline, and financial risk considerations.
• Provide financial models and analysis to support strategic initiatives, capital expenditures, investments, special projects, and business decisions.
• Manage and develop finance and accounting team members while building productive relationships across leadership, project teams, operations, and external financial stakeholders.
• Identify systems, process, and reporting improvements that increase efficiency, visibility, compliance, and confidence in the firm’s financial information.

 

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline.
• At least five years of senior-level accounting or finance-management experience, with progressive responsibility for accounting operations, financial reporting, budgeting, cash forecasting, controls, and analysis.
• Hands-on command of the full accounting cycle, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, reporting, billing, collections, and cash management.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, financial statement preparation, and budget-to-actual analysis.
• Experience in architecture, engineering, construction, consulting, or another project-based professional-services setting is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated project accounting, job-costing, professional-services billing, or profitability-analysis experience.
• Advanced proficiency with an integrated ERP system. Experience with BQE, Deltek Vantagepoint, or comparable project-based ERP platforms is highly preferred.
• Strong analytical judgment and the ability to make complex financial information understandable and useful to non-finance stakeholders.
• Experience working with senior leadership, outside auditors, banking partners, and other external financial stakeholders.
• CPA or comparable professional credential is preferred but not required.
• Authorization to work in the United States without present or future employer sponsorship.

 

Why consider this role

This is an opportunity to shape the financial foundation of an established, mission-driven professional-services firm at an important point in its growth. The successful candidate will have visibility with leadership, meaningful influence over systems and operating practices, and the ability to connect disciplined finance operations with the success of project teams and clients.

 

The role offers a hybrid work structure with regular onsite collaboration in the Smyrna/Cumberland area.