Finance Director

Finance Director

Location: Emeryville, CA

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

A well-established architecture and planning firm in Northern California is seeking a Finance Director to lead firm-wide financial strategy and provide strategic financial guidance to senior leadership and project teams.

This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, project finance, financial reporting, compliance and accounting oversight. The Finance Director will partner closely with the Board, Principals, Project Managers and Accounting team to support sound financial decision-making and the firm's long-term growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute firm-wide financial strategy and capital planning.
• Partner with the Board, Management Committee and Principals on financial and operational decisions.
• Lead annual operating and capital budgets, forecasts and financial scenario planning.
• Analyze project backlog, historical performance and financial trends to support business planning.
• Partner with Project Principals and Project Managers on project financial performance, resource planning, billing and fee recovery.
• Monitor project variances and identify opportunities to improve financial performance and reduce write-offs.
• Manage cash flow and working capital, with particular attention to long A/R cycles.
• Oversee GAAP-compliant accounting and timely monthly closes in partnership with the Accounting Manager.
• Maintain strong internal controls and oversee audit, tax and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee banking, insurance, tax and legal relationships.
• Provide monthly financial reporting and KPIs at the firm, practice-area and project levels.
• Develop and improve financial dashboards, reporting tools and processes.
• Lead financial systems and process modernization, including use of Deltek Vantagepoint or similar enterprise software.
• Oversee accounting staff and support departmental development.
• Partner with the Board on payroll structure, compensation analysis and cost-of-living considerations.
• Translate financial information into clear, actionable recommendations for both financial and non-financial stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field required.
• 10+ years of financial management and administrative operations experience.
• Experience within a mid-sized to large organization.
• Architecture, engineering or other project-based professional services experience strongly preferred.
• Strong FP&A, budgeting, forecasting and scenario-planning experience.
• Strong cash-flow and working-capital management experience.
• Deep knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, audit and tax compliance.
• Experience with Deltek Vantagepoint or a similar enterprise/project accounting system .
• Strong understanding of project-based financial management, including project budgets, fee tracking, billing, variances and write-offs.
• Experience overseeing accounting operations and/or accounting personnel.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical skills, judgment and problem-solving ability.
• Demonstrated experience improving financial systems, processes and reporting.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic finance leader who combines strong FP&A, accounting and project-finance expertise with the ability to serve as a trusted business partner to senior leadership.

Experience in a project-based professional services environment is particularly valuable, including familiarity with project profitability, backlog, WIP, fee recovery, billing cycles, write-offs and resource planning.

What We Offer

• Strategic leadership role with direct exposure to senior leadership and the Board
• Opportunity to influence firm-wide financial strategy and business performance
• Established and collaborative professional-services environment
• Hybrid work arrangement
• Retirement and profit-sharing benefits
• Generous PTO, including 16 Fridays off annually
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities
• Long-term career growth opportunity