Chief Financial Officer

Freestate Electric • Full-time • Laurel, MD, US • 3w ago

Position Summary

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic and operational executive leader responsible for the financial health, integrity, and scalable growth of the company. This role requires deep experience in construction management and a strong understanding of subcontractor operations, including job costing, progress billings, retainage, change orders, and labor-intensive project environments.

The CFO will lead and direct the Controller and Accounting/Finance Department, oversee payroll operations, and drive disciplined, company-wide project cost control processes. This executive will partner closely with operations and project management teams to ensure profitability, mitigate contract risk, and enhance financial performance across all projects.

The ideal candidate combines executive-level financial strategy with hands-on subcontractor accounting expertise and operational cost control leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

Executive Financial Leadership

Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and operational decision-making.
Develop and execute financial strategies aligned with company growth and profitability objectives.
Provide financial forecasting, budgeting, and multi-year planning support.
Present financial performance, risk analysis, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and stakeholders.

Subcontractor & Project Financial Oversight

Lead company-wide project cost control processes and enforce margin accountability.
Oversee job costing, WIP reporting, backlog analysis, and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.
Manage subcontract agreements, progress billings, pay applications, and retainage tracking.
Partner with project managers to monitor labor productivity, material costs, subcontractor/vendor performance, and job profitability.
Evaluate and manage financial risk within contracts, change orders, and claims.
Develop and maintain KPIs tied to gross margin, labor efficiency, backlog conversion, and project cash flow.

Accounting & Department Leadership

Direct and lead the Controller and Accounting/Finance Department, including:
General Ledger
Accounts Payable & Receivable
Job Cost Accounting
Payroll
Financial Reporting
Establish strong internal controls specific to subcontractor and construction accounting environments.
Ensure timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting.
Develop and mentor a high-performance finance team.

Payroll & Workforce Cost Management

Oversee payroll operations, including union and/or prevailing wage environments (if applicable).
Ensure compliance with certified payroll and labor regulations.
Monitor labor burden allocation and workforce cost accuracy within job costing systems.
Analyze labor productivity trends and support operational improvement initiatives.

Cash Flow, Bonding & Capital Management

Manage cash flow forecasting aligned with billing cycles and collections.
Oversee banking relationships, credit facilities, and bonding capacity.
Maintain insurance programs and risk management strategies.
Optimize working capital and financial leverage to support growth.

Risk Management & Compliance

Ensure compliance with GAAP and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
Oversee audits, tax filings, and regulatory reporting.
Implement strong contract review procedures to mitigate financial exposure.
Strengthen internal financial and operational controls.

Systems & Process Improvement

Improve and standardize financial systems, reporting tools, and ERP/job cost platforms.
Increase financial visibility across projects through enhanced dashboards and reporting.
Drive automation and process improvements to support scalability and efficiency.
Strong working knowledge of FASB, SOX, IRS, Federal, State and City regulations as they apply to the functions of this position.

Qualifications:

Required Experience

5-10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience within the construction industry.
Direct experience working for a contractor or subcontractor organization.
Strong background in subcontractor project accounting, job costing, and WIP reporting.
Proven experience managing, directing, and leading a Controller and full Accounting/Finance Department.
Experience overseeing payroll operations in a labor-intensive construction environment.
Demonstrated success driving company-wide project cost control processes and improving margins.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
MBA in Accounting, Finance, or related academic discipline preferred.
CPA preferred.

Technical Skills

Deep knowledge of GAAP and construction accounting principles.
Experience with construction ERP systems (e.g., Sage, Viewpoint, CMiC, Procore, etc.).
Strong financial modeling and forecasting capability.
Advanced Excel and financial reporting proficiency.
Advanced Computer/Technical Skills with various accounting applications (full life cycle of accounting and finance departments)

Leadership Competencies

Strategic thinker with operational execution capability
High integrity and financial stewardship
Strong cross-functional collaborator
Data-driven decision maker
Results-oriented and process improvement focused
Executive presence with strong communication skills
Possess an executive level knowledge and understanding of the financial, accounting, and operational functions of the organization, and support the CEO and executive management team in achieving the organization’s vision, goals, and objectives.

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