Construction CFO

JHM Certified Public Accountants; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

JHM Certified Public Accountants in Chattanooga, TN seeks an Accounting Manager to lead financial planning, reporting, and controls. The role partners with the CFO or executive team to drive profitability and ensure accurate project cost tracking in a construction-focused environment.

The ideal candidate will bring supervisory experience, strong communication, and deep knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Supervisory experience required.
• Progressive experience in accounting and financial leadership roles.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and internal controls.
• CPA, CMA, or other relevant professional certification preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior financial leader to the President/CEO and executive leadership team.
• Develop and execute financial strategies that support growth and profitability.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management processes.
• Monitor financial performance, analyze variances, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Oversee year-end close, audits, and tax preparation with external partners.
• Manage banking relationships, bonding, insurance, and risk management.
• Provide financial insights on projects, backlog, and capital needs.

Job description

* JHM is assisting a client search for an Accounting Manager in Chattanooga, TN. *

Position Summary

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the overall financial leadership and strategic direction of the company. This position oversees financial planning, accounting, cash flow management, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, risk management, banking relationships, and long-term financial strategy.

The CFO serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and partners with the President/CEO and other members of management to drive profitability, support business growth, manage financial risk, and ensure the company's financial resources are effectively managed.

The ideal candidate will have strong financial leadership experience, excellent business acumen, and the ability to translate financial information into actionable business recommendations. Construction accounting experience is preferred, with a strong understanding of job costing, WIP reporting, project profitability, retainage, and construction-related financial practices highly valued.

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the company's senior financial leader and strategic financial advisor to the President/CEO and executive leadership team.
• Develop and execute financial strategies that support the company's short- and long-term objectives.
• Provide financial guidance regarding growth opportunities, expansion, capital expenditures, acquisitions, financing, and other major business decisions.
• Monitor company-wide financial performance and identify trends, risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Establish financial goals, performance metrics, and key financial indicators.
• Provide executive leadership with timely and accurate financial analysis and recommendations.
• Participate in strategic planning and executive leadership meetings.

Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead the company's annual budgeting process.
• Develop and maintain short- and long-term financial forecasts.
• Monitor actual financial performance against budgets and forecasts.
• Analyze significant variances and provide recommendations for corrective action.
• Develop financial models to support business planning and decision-making.
• Forecast cash flow, revenue, expenses, profitability, and capital requirements.
• Evaluate the financial impact of proposed projects, contracts, investments, and business opportunities.
• Oversee financial management of construction projects and company operations.
• Monitor project profitability, margins, budgets, and financial performance.
• Review and analyze WIP schedules and project forecasts.
• Monitor job costing, committed costs, estimated costs to complete, and projected gross profit.
• Partner with operations and project management to identify potential cost overruns and margin erosion.
• Review financial implications of change orders, claims, retainage, subcontractor costs, and other project-related matters.
• Establish financial controls and reporting processes that promote accountability at the project level.
• Provide leadership with financial insight regarding backlog, pipeline, and project performance.

Cash Flow & Treasury Management

• Oversee company-wide cash flow management and liquidity.
• Develop and maintain cash flow forecasts.
• Monitor accounts receivable, accounts payable, working capital, and collections.
• Establish strategies to optimize cash flow and working capital.
• Oversee banking relationships, credit facilities, lines of credit, and financing arrangements.
• Evaluate financing and capital structure options.
• Monitor the company's cash position and ensure adequate liquidity to support operations.

Banking, Bonding & Insurance

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with banks, bonding companies, sureties, insurance providers, and other financial partners.
• Oversee financial reporting and documentation required for bonding and banking relationships.
• Monitor bonding capacity and financial requirements.
• Provide financial information to sureties, lenders, and other external stakeholders.
• Assist with insurance and risk-management strategies.
• Evaluate and manage financial risks associated with company operations.
• Oversee the preparation of accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Review financial statements and provide meaningful analysis to executive leadership.
• Monitor revenue, gross profit, overhead, EBITDA, cash flow, and other key financial metrics.
• Establish and maintain financial reporting standards and controls.
• Coordinate year-end close, audits, reviews, and tax preparation with external accounting professionals.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and financial requirements.
• Establish and maintain appropriate internal financial controls.
• Identify financial, operational, and project-related risks.
• Develop strategies to minimize financial exposure and protect company assets.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and financial accountability.
• Oversee company policies related to financial controls, purchasing, expenditures, and approvals.
• Work with legal, insurance, tax, and other professional advisors as needed.
• Lead, manage, and develop the company's finance and accounting team.
• Establish department goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures.
• Hire, train, coach, and evaluate finance and accounting personnel.
• Develop a strong and effective finance team capable of supporting the company's growth.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and organizational structure.
• Promote a culture of accuracy, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Oversee the company's accounting and financial systems.
• Evaluate opportunities to improve financial processes, reporting, automation, and efficiency.
• Partner with operations and technology teams to improve integration between accounting, project management, and other business systems.
• Lead financial systems implementations, upgrades, and process improvements as needed.
• Ensure the company maintains accurate and reliable financial data.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
• Supervisory experience is required.
• Progressive experience in accounting and financial leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience managing financial operations and providing strategic financial guidance.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and internal controls.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate financial information effectively to both financial and non-financial leaders.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications

• Construction accounting experience preferred.
• Previous CFO, VP of Finance, Controller, or comparable senior financial leadership experience.
• Experience with job costing, WIP reporting, percentage-of-completion accounting, retainage, and project profitability.
• Experience working with banks, lenders, sureties, and bonding companies.
• CPA, CMA, or other relevant professional certification.
• Master's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business.
• Experience with construction accounting or ERP software.
• Strategic financial leadership
• Business and financial acumen
• Cash flow management
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Financial analysis
• Decision-making
• Leadership and team development
• Communication
• Integrity and confidentiality

Physical & Work Environment

• Primarily office-based with occasional visits to construction sites or other company locations.
• May require occasional travel for company meetings, banking relationships, bonding/surety meetings, conferences, or other business needs.
• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.