Finance Compliance and Transformation Manager

CAE USA; Arlington (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Work-life balance

Job summary

CAE USA is seeking a Compliance & Transformation Lead in the United States to drive financial strategy and regulatory compliance across programs. The role partners with internal and external stakeholders to deliver results, shaping plans and ensuring adherence to FAR/DFARS, CAS, and pricing standards.

The ideal candidate brings at least 8 years in financial management within defense-focused tech markets, with strong FP&A, forecasting and cost-estimating capabilities, and a pragmatic, hands-on

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years in a progressive financial management role.
• Experience in rapid growth technology markets, with emphasis on U.S. defense industry.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting; MBA desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives to enhance financial processes, technology, and operational excellence.
• Promote collaboration and global execution within the finance team.
• Ensure compliance with customer RFPs, FAR/DFARS, CAS, and internal pricing policies.
• Guide teams on regulatory interpretation and develop compliant proposal responses.
• Support audits and prepare compliance documentation.
• Improve forecasting, cost estimating, and pricing submissions.
• Identify training needs and foster a high-performance culture.
• Refine compliance tools, best practices, and processes.

Skills

Financial leadership

Forecasting

FP&A

Project management

Regulatory interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's in Finance/Accounting

MBA desirable

Tools

Cognos

Costpoint

Job description

Who We Are:

• CAE Vision: Our vision is to be the worldwide partner of choice in defense and security, and civil aviation by revolutionizing our customers' training and critical operations with digitally immersive solutions to elevate safety, efficiency and readiness.

• CAE Defense & Security Mission: CAE's Defense and Security business unit focuses on helping prepare military customers to develop and maintain the highest levels of mission readiness.

• CAE Values: Empowerment, Innovation, Excellence, Integrity and OneCAE make us who we are and we strive to make a difference in the world while helping each other succeed.

What We Have to Offer:

• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package and flexibility that promotes work-life balance

• A work environment where all employees are valued, respected and safe

• Freedom to succeed by enabling team members to deliver, take initiatives and make decisions

• Recognition, professional development, advancement and having fun!

Company Overview

At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying software-based simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, cabin crew, airlines, defense and security forces and healthcare practitioners to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we're everywhere customers need us to be with more than 13,000 employees in approximately 250 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents more than 75 years of industry firsts-the highest-fidelity flight, mission and medical simulators and training programs powered by digital technologies. We embed sustainability in everything we do. Today and tomorrow, we'll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.

Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, CAE has built an excellent reputation and long-standing customer relationships based on experience, strong technical capabilities, a highly trained workforce, and global reach. CAE's shares are traded on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges (TSX: CAE; NYSE: CAE).

Defense & Security

CAE's Defense & Security is a $1B employee business operating under a Special Security Agreement (SSA) to mitigate foreign ownership, control or influence in order to allow the execution of classified work and research and development in the United States. CAE Defense & Security is now the largest platform-agnostic, global training and simulation pure play organization, dedicated to supporting worldwide defense customers maintain the highest levels of mission readiness.

CAE's Defense & Security (D&S) business unit focuses on helping prepare its customers to develop and maintain the highest levels of mission readiness. CAE is a world-class training systems integrator offering a comprehensive portfolio of training centers, training services and simulation products across the air, land, naval and public safety market segments. The D&S business unit serves its global defense and security customers through regional operations in Canada, the United States/Latin America, Europe/Africa, and Asia-Pacific/Middle East; all of which leverage the full breadth of CAE's capabilities, technologies and solutions.

CAE is a global leader in the development and delivery of integrated live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) training solutions for defense forces. Most militaries leverage a combination of live training on actual platforms, virtual training in simulators, and constructive training using computer-generated simulations.

The solutions provided by CAE's Defense and Security business unit typically include a combination of training services, simulation products and software tools designed to cost effectively maintain and enhance safety, efficiency, mission readiness and decision-making capabilities.

Position Summary

CAE USA is at the front-end of a newly reset five-year strategic plan to profitably grow. The Compliance & Transformation Lead will lead through influence, and successfully partner with internal and external program, functional, and government stakeholders to deliver results. This candidate will be responsible for providing thought leadership and financial and operational strategies to ensure the achievement of the business plans and objectives.

Specific Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives to enhance financial processes, technology, and operational excellence.
• Promote collaboration and global execution within the finance team.
• Ensure compliance with customer RFPs, FAR/DFARS, CAS, and internal policies for proposals and pricing.
• Guide teams on regulatory interpretation and develop compliant proposal responses.
• Support audits and prepare compliance documentation.
• Improve forecasting, cost estimating, and proficiency in pricing submissions.
• Identify and address training needs, fostering a culture of high performance.
• Continuously refine compliance tools, best practices, and processes.

Professional Experience/Qualifications

• A minimum of 8 years of work experience on a progressive career growth path, with much of that time in a financial management position.
• Significant experience in rapid growth technology markets, with emphasis on the U.S. defense industry, both domestic and international. Experienced in taking a company forward in a fast growth environment, providing insight for direction and managing change effectively.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting. An MBA is desirable.
• Ability to multi-task with a high degree of versatility and flexibility.
• Experience with Cognos and Costpoint a plus.
• Hands‑on pragmatic approach to business, asset management, cash flow and profitability.
• Comprehensive understanding of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR/DFAR).
• Strong conceptual and business analytical skills.
• Broad range of financial experience to include rate development, budgeting, FP&A and program finance.
• Ability to prioritize and produce superior results under deadline pressure.
• Due to U.S. Government contract requirements, only U.S. citizens are eligible for this role.

Preferred Skills

• Articulate, persuasive, and able to build confidence with the financial staff, the executive management team, business unit managers, and the financial/investment community.
• The candidate should offer a good balance of risk‑taking and judgment, and be aggressive, entrepreneurial, self‑confident, and decisive.
• Enthusiastic, energetic, and self‑motivated individual with a strong work ethic and a willingness to learn and collaborate with others.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate - verbal & written - at all levels of the organization.
• Possess excellent leadership qualities and have demonstrated strong project management skills.
• Strong analytical and planning skills with vision beyond the task at hand
• Results oriented.
• A professional of unquestionable integrity, credibility, and character who has demonstrated high moral and ethical behavior.

Security Responsibilities

Must comply with all company security and data protection / usage policies and procedures. Personally responsible for proper marking and handling of all information and materials, in any form. Shall not divulge any information, or afford access, to other employees not having a need-to-know. Shall not divulge information outside company without management approval. All government and proprietary information will be accessed and stored electronically on company provided resources.

• Incumbent must be eligible for DoD Personal Security Clearance.

Due to U.S. Government contract requirements, only U.S. citizens are eligible for this role.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for their job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

CAE USA Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including disability and protected veteran status, as defined under federal, state, or local laws.

CAE is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. At CAE, everyone is welcome to contribute to our success.

Position Type

Regular

Equal Opportunity Employer

Privacy Statement | CAE

As part of our process, we may use AI-supported tools to help review applications, with human decision-making at every step. CAE thanks all applicants for their interest. However, only those whose background and experience match the requirements of the role will be contacted.