Chief Financial Officer

Conexus; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 285,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Conexus partners with a private equity-backed firm to recruit a Chief Financial Officer in San Diego. The CFO will lead finance across multiple entities, serving as a strategic partner to the CEO and PE ownership.

This executive will drive profitability, implement scalable financial processes, and oversee treasury, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Strong project-based accounting and hands-on leadership are essential to succeed.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a broad finance function at senior level (CFO/Head of Finance).
• Strong background in project-based financial reporting and construction accounting.
• Expertise in revenue recognition, cost-to-complete, and profitability analysis.
• Leadership across multi-location, multi-entity environments with change management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee accounting, financial reporting, treasury, budgeting, forecasting, and planning.
• Standardize financial processes, controls, and reporting across entities.
• Lead monthly/annual close, consolidated statements, and management reporting.
• Strengthen WIP, percentage-of-completion, project costing, and revenue recognition.
• Analyze project economics, budgets, labor, material spend, and margins.
• Drive financial planning, cash flow, and long-term models.
• Provide strategic financial guidance to executives and PE owners.

Skills

Construction accounting

WIP accounting

Job costing

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Executive leadership

Education

CPA designation

Public accounting background

Tools

ERP systems

Finance software

Job description

COMPENSATION: $285K–$320K Base Salary + 35% Bonus + Equity

LOCATION: San Diego, CA (Onsite with regular travel to additional operating locations)

Company:

A private equity-backed business operating within the construction and industrial services sectors has partnered with Conexus to identify a Chief Financial Officer to help lead its next phase of growth and operational development.

The organization has an established market presence, longstanding customer relationships, and multiple operating businesses serving commercial customers. With continued investment in its leadership team and operational infrastructure, the company is focused on improving financial performance, strengthening internal processes, and creating greater alignment across its operations.

This opportunity offers significant exposure to executive leadership and private equity ownership, along with the ability to influence strategic initiatives, improve profitability, and build a more scalable financial organization. The CFO will play an integral role in the company's continued evolution and long-term value creation.

Purpose Of Your Position:

The Chief Financial Officer will report directly to the CEO and assume responsibility for all financial and accounting activities across a multi-entity organization. This executive will serve as both a strategic business partner and a hands-on financial leader, helping improve operating performance while establishing the financial infrastructure necessary to support future growth.

The position requires a leader who understands the financial complexities of project-based businesses and can connect accounting results with operational decision-making. The CFO will work closely with business leaders to improve project economics, enhance financial visibility, strengthen accountability, and develop a more cohesive finance function.

This is a highly visible opportunity to help shape the direction of an established organization while participating in meaningful financial and operational transformation.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide executive oversight of accounting, financial reporting, treasury, budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities across multiple operating businesses.
• Establish greater consistency in financial processes, reporting methodologies, internal controls, and accounting practices throughout the organization.
• Direct monthly and annual financial close activities, including consolidated financial statements, account reconciliations, management reporting, and related financial analysis.
• Strengthen construction-related accounting practices, including work-in-progress (WIP) reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, project costing, and revenue recognition.
• Improve financial oversight of project performance through detailed analysis of estimated completion costs, billing positions, contract profitability, and margin trends.
• Collaborate with operational leadership to evaluate project budgets, labor utilization, material expenditures, contract modifications, and other factors influencing financial performance.
• Develop more effective financial planning capabilities, including annual budgets, rolling forecasts, cash flow projections, and longer-term financial models.
• Create meaningful financial and operational performance measures that provide leadership with greater insight into profitability, working capital, project execution, and overall business performance.
• Identify opportunities to enhance EBITDA, improve cash conversion, reduce operational inefficiencies, and strengthen financial discipline.
• Partner with business unit leaders and project management teams to proactively address cost overruns, unfavorable project trends, and emerging financial risks.
• Lead efforts to align accounting practices and financial operations across historically independent business units while maintaining effective partnerships with local leadership.
• Evaluate existing financial systems and reporting infrastructure, leading initiatives to modernize technology, consolidate platforms, and reduce reliance on manual processes.
• Establish scalable financial processes and controls that improve reporting accuracy, efficiency, and transparency across the organization.
• Oversee cash management, working capital optimization, collections, financial compliance, and relationships with external accounting and advisory partners.
• Prepare and communicate financial performance, business outlooks, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership, investors, lenders, and other key stakeholders.
• Evaluate existing accounting and finance resources, mentor team members, and establish a stronger organizational structure with clearly defined responsibilities and expectations.
• Serve as a trusted financial advisor to executive and operational leadership, translating financial information into practical recommendations that support business decisions.
• Support broader strategic initiatives, including business integration, operational improvement, financial due diligence, and potential future ownership transactions.

Requirements:

• Significant progressive experience in accounting and finance leadership, including prior responsibility for overseeing a broad finance function as a CFO, Head of Finance, or comparable senior executive.
• Strong construction accounting background with direct experience managing WIP schedules, percentage-of-completion accounting, job costing, and project-based financial reporting.
• Comprehensive understanding of contract revenue recognition, over/under billings, estimated costs to complete, and project-level profitability analysis.
• Experience leading financial operations within commercial construction, specialty contracting, project-based manufacturing, or related environments.
• Demonstrated success improving financial reporting, accounting processes, internal controls, and operational financial visibility.
• Strong command of financial planning and analysis, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, working capital, and financial performance measurement.
• Ability to work directly with operational leaders and project managers to evaluate business performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Experience operating in decentralized, multi-location, or multi-entity business environments with varying financial processes and reporting structures.
• Proven ability to lead organizational improvements, implement change, and establish accountability across different operating teams.
• Hands-on leadership approach with the technical accounting expertise and willingness to personally work through complex financial and operational matters.
• Experience developing accounting and finance personnel while building stronger financial capabilities across an organization.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with executive leadership, operational management, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work onsite in San Diego and travel regularly to other company locations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous financial leadership experience within a private equity‑backed or investor‑owned organization.
• CPA designation or prior public accounting experience.
• Background supporting specialty construction, contracting, fabrication, or other businesses operating under complex project‑based revenue models.
• Experience integrating separate business units, standardizing accounting policies, and improving consolidated financial reporting.
• Demonstrated involvement in ERP implementations, financial systems conversions, or broader finance transformation initiatives.
• Track record of improving operating margins, project profitability, and financial performance within complex business environments.
• Experience working with established management teams through organizational change and operational integration.
• Familiarity with investor reporting, lender relationships, board presentations, and strategic financial planning.
• Exposure to acquisition integration, transaction readiness, or private equity exit processes.