Chief Financial Officer

Riv Solar • Full-time • Orange, California, United States • $150k / year • 2w ago

About RIV Solar:

RIV Solar is a rapidly scaling solar company built around a high-performance, door-to-door sales organization. We manage a large 1099 sales force, provide housing, payroll infrastructure, and backend systems, and are focused on aggressive, disciplined national expansion.

RIV Solar is founder-led, operator-driven, and built for scale. This is not a corporate solar environment, this is a performance organization.

Role Overview:
Ignite your leadership potential as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the strategic architect steering our organization’s financial future. In this vital role, you own the entire financial ecosystem of RIV Solar, working directly with the CEO (vision & growth) and COO (execution & operations).

This is a hands-on CFO role, not a passive reporting position. You will design, protect, and scale the financial engine that supports rapid growth, commission-heavy payouts, and multi-state operations.

We are looking for someone who has already sat in a CFO or senior finance leadership seat, ideally with exposure to solar, door-to-door, or commission-driven businesses.

Location & Work Structure:

This position is fully remote for candidates located in Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego, with limited in-person meetings (1–2) in Orange County for financial reviews, strategic alignment, and expectation setting with the CEO and COO.

Core Responsibilities:

Financial Strategy & Leadership:

Serve as the strategic financial partner to the CEO and COO.
Translate growth plans into executable financial strategies
Build short-term and long-term financial roadmaps
Stress-test expansion decisions (new markets, housing, headcount)

Cash Flow & Profitability Management:

Own cash flow forecasting and liquidity planning
Ensure commissions, housing, payroll, and overhead scale responsibly
Monitor burn rate and margin protection in real time
Deliver weekly and monthly financial health reports. Lead the preparation of detailed financial reports, interpret complex financial data, and communicate insights clearly to executive leadership.
Develop and execute comprehensive financial strategies aligned with organizational goals to foster sustainable growth and operational excellence.
Oversee corporate accounting functions, ensuring adherence to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), IAS (International Accounting Standards), and other regulatory frameworks such as ASC 606 and COSO.
Direct treasury management activities—cash flow forecasting, banking relationships, investment strategies, and liquidity management—to optimize fiscal resources.
Lead mergers & acquisitions efforts by conducting market analysis, valuation assessments, due diligence, and integration planning to support strategic growth initiatives.
Oversee budgeting processes, cost control measures, expense management, and revenue cycle management to maximize profitability and operational efficiency.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement through strategic planning sessions, financial analysis, business development initiatives, and leadership in financial software implementation.

Commission & Payout Systems:

Design, manage, and optimize:

1099 rep commission structures
Dealer splits and overrides
Bonus and incentive programs

Maintain absolute clarity between:

Company revenue
Rep commissions
Dealer earnings
Prevent payout leakage, disputes, or misaligned incentives

Accounting & Financial Systems:

Oversee and optimize QuickBooks and financial infrastructure
Manage Chart of Accounts, Classes, and Location tracking
Ensure accurate monthly closes and reconciliations
Coordinate with bookkeeping, CPA, and tax teams
Prepare financials for lenders, partners, and leadership

Payroll, Compliance & Risk:

Oversee 1099 payroll processes and compliance
Ensure tax and regulatory compliance across multiple states
Implement internal controls and financial safeguards
Support audits, insurance reviews, and regulatory requirements

Reporting & Decision Support:

Build financial dashboards for:

CEO (high-level visibility)
COO (operational efficiency)
Department leaders (budget accountability)
Provide real-time insights — not lagging reports
Convert financial data into actionable decisions

Scaling & Expansion Support:

Financial modeling for:

New state launches
Housing expansion
Sales headcount growth
Support capital strategy (credit lines, SBA loans, reserves)
Prepare RIV Solar for long-term national scale and operational maturity

Ideal Candidate Profile - Required Experience:

5 years in finance leadership roles
Prior experience as a CFO, VP of Finance, or Director of Finance
Strong background in commission-based or high-payout businesses
Advanced proficiency with QuickBooks and financial systems
Proven experience in financial leadership roles with a strong background in managing large teams and complex organizations.
Extensive knowledge of financial concepts including profit & loss management, forecasting techniques, cost management, and revenue management.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret detailed financial reports and develop strategic recommendations based on data insights.
Excellent negotiation skills combined with business development acumen to foster partnerships and expand organizational impact.
Exceptional leadership qualities—visionary thinking paired with the ability to motivate teams—supporting a collaborative environment aligned with organizational values.
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or related field; advanced certifications such as CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), or CMA (Certified Management Accountant) are highly preferred.

Highly Preferred (Bonus):

Experience in: