OVERVIEW
Kinkead & Stilz, a growing law firm with 36 attorneys across four Kentucky offices, is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to serve as the firm's senior administrative and financial executive. Reporting directly to the Executive Committee, the CFO is responsible for the full scope of the firm's financial operations, including accounting, reporting, payroll, and compliance, as well as firm-wide human resources and benefits administration.
This is a broad, high-visibility role that carries meaningful responsibility across multiple functional areas. While the primary focus is on financial integrity and people operations, the CFO also serves as the firm's senior point of accountability for technology coordination, risk and compliance, executive governance support, and select strategic and operational functions. These secondary areas are expected to be assumed progressively as the CFO develops familiarity with the firm's operations and systems.
The ideal candidate is a credentialed finance professional who brings technical rigor, sound judgment, and genuine versatility across business administration. Prior experience in a law firm or professional services environment is strongly preferred.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
The following functional areas represent the core focus of this role and the firm's highest-priority expectations for the CFO from day one.
FINANCE & ACCOUNTING
- Prepare and present monthly and annual financial reports to Executive Committee.
- Lead annual budgeting process and maintain ongoing budget versus actual monitoring and variance analysis throughout the year.
- Maintain financial models, KPI dashboards, and management reports that provide actionable insight into firm performance.
- Monitor firm cash flow, banking relationships, and working capital position.
- Maintain chart of accounts and general ledger integrity.
- Prepare ad hoc financial analysis and scenario modeling as requested by Executive Committee.
- Administer member capital accounts, track balances, and coordinate distributions in accordance with firm ownership structure.
- Coordinate year-end close and tax preparation with firm's outside CPA firm.
- Prepare and distribute monthly attorney billing realization reports; produce monthly profitability reporting by practice group and timekeeper.
- Oversee the firm's billing, accounts payable, and accounts receivable team, providing strategic direction and serving as the escalation point for complex issues.
- Monitor billing realization, collections performance, and AR aging; present findings to the Executive Committee and recommend corrective action as needed.
PAYROLL & COMPENSATION ADMINISTRATION
- Own end-to-end payroll administration in coordination with the firm's third-party payroll processor, ensuring accurate and timely processing for all attorneys and staff.
- Process payroll changes including new hires, terminations, rate adjustments, garnishments, levies, and court-ordered deductions.
- Lead the firm-wide compensation review process for staff in coordination with the Practice Area Leaders, including market benchmarking and budget modeling.
- Oversee 401(k) and profit-sharing plan administration, including coordination with the plan's third-party administrator and annual compliance requirements.
HUMAN RESOURCES
- Oversee HR policies, procedures, and compliance with applicable federal and Kentucky employment law across all firm locations.
- Manage full-cycle recruiting for non-attorney staff, including job postings, candidate screening, interview coordination, and offer administration.
- Lead onboarding and offboarding processes to ensure consistent, professional transitions for all attorneys and staff.
- Design and coordinate the annual performance review process, including timeline management, form administration, and coordination with practice area leaders and the Executive Committee.
- Manage employee disciplinary process, FMLA and leave of absence requests, accommodation requests, and related documentation with the support of the Firm’s HR compliance partner.
- Lead annual staff compensation review and market benchmarking.
- Maintain and annually update the employee handbook.
- Manage workers' compensation claims, unemployment claims, and responses to state agency inquiries.
- Manage the firm's Summer Clerk program from recruitment through end-of-summer close with support of assigned Partners and Associates.
- Respond to day-to-day employee HR questions and policy inquiries; maintain employee personnel files.
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
- Manage employee benefits programs, including coordination of annual health, dental, vision, life, LTD, and ancillary insurance renewals in partnership with the firm's benefits broker.
- Manage the annual open enrollment process, including employee communications, elections, and carrier submission.
- Process benefits enrollments, changes, and terminations for life events and new hires.
- Serve as primary point of contact for employee benefits questions and claims issues.
- Process and submit 401(k) employee deferrals and employer contributions; coordinate annual compliance testing with the TPA.
- Manage profit-sharing contribution calculation, eligibility, and distribution.
SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES
The following functional areas are carried by this role in its current form. Given the breadth of primary responsibilities, these areas are expected to be assumed progressively as the CFO becomes comfortable with the firm's operations. Depth of execution in these areas will grow over time.
EXECUTIVE GOVERNANCE & STRATEGY
- Prepare agendas, materials, and supporting information for Executive Committee meetings; maintain EC meeting minutes and manage open action items.
- Serve as liaison between day-to-day administrative operations and Executive Committee, ensuring alignment between strategic priorities and execution.
- Coordinate new member admission processes from administrative, financial, and systems setup standpoints.
- Maintain and update firm governance documentation, including operating agreement and internal administrative policies.
- Manage office lease obligations and landlord relationships.
- Lead annual attorney rate review and pricing strategy process; support strategic planning and growth initiatives with financial analysis and modeling.
- Support attorney succession planning and retirement transition coordination.
- Provide financial modeling and integration planning support for lateral attorney recruitment and potential merger or group acquisition considerations.
RISK & COMPLIANCE
- Manage firm insurance renewals across relevant lines, including professional liability, general liability, cyber, and employment practices, in coordination with the firm's broker.
- Ensure IOLTA compliance and trust account integrity.
- Oversee firm-wide data privacy and security compliance; maintain and coordinate cybersecurity policies with the firm's IT provider.
- Maintain business continuity and disaster recovery planning in coordination with the firm's IT provider.
- Oversee firm-wide ethics wall and screen procedures for conflict situations.
- Coordinate mandatory compliance training across all offices.
TECHNOLOGY COORDINATION
- Serve as firm's primary internal liaison with the external managed service provider for escalations, strategic technology decisions, and major initiatives.
- Oversee evaluation and selection of major vendor platforms and firm-wide technology investments, ensuring alignment with operational needs and financial objectives.
- Evaluate and develop business cases for new technology investments; manage major software renewal decisions and vendor contract negotiations.
- Ensure Centerbase reporting accuracy and financial data integrity; oversee electronic and physical records management programs.
- Oversee the firm's cybersecurity posture in coordination with the IT provider, including policy compliance and incident response planning.
- Coordinate attorney and staff technology training initiatives.
GENERAL OPERATIONS & MARKETING
- Oversee day-to-day operational functions across all four offices, including facilities coordination, vendor management, and office services.
- Coordinate firm-wide internal communications, announcements, and annual all-firm or all-attorney meeting logistics.
- Provide strategic direction and oversight for the firm's marketing and business development activities, including external presence, directory submissions, client events, and business development calendar.
- Coordinate development of standard pitch materials and RFP responses in partnership with attorneys and firm leadership.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required; CPA designation strongly preferred.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including financial modeling, pivot tables, and management reporting.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in accounting, financial management, or firm administration, with demonstrated experience managing operations in a multi-location environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present financial information clearly to non-financial audiences.
- Prior law firm or professional services experience strongly preferred.
- High degree of professional judgment, discretion, and attention to detail.
- Experience with legal billing systems and practice management platforms such as Centerbase or similar is a strong plus.
- Genuine versatility and comfort managing across multiple functional areas simultaneously.
- Based in Lexington, KY with occasional travel to other firm offices.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Kinkead & Stilz offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, paired with a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellbeing of our team. Benefits include fully paid employee health, dental, and vision insurance as well as long-term disability coverage; a 401(k) guaranteed contribution along with profit-sharing; paid time off; paid parking; paid continuing education courses; and access to additional supplemental insurance options.
