CFO (Chief Financial Officer)

Talence Group•Portland, OR

About The Position

Established in 1891, the Port of Portland is a mission-driven public agency that plays a critical role in advancing the region economically, socially, and environmentally. Through its airports, marine terminals, and business parks, the Port connects people and commerce while supporting long-term regional prosperity. While the Port is a public entity, it operates with private-sector rigor and scale. With more than $500 million in annual revenues and approximately 800 employees, the Port supports nearly $10 billion in regional GDP and close to 100,000 jobs across aviation, marine, and commercial development. The Port’s mission is clear: Build shared prosperity for the region through travel, trade, and economic development. This is a senior enterprise leadership role at a pivotal moment for the Port of Portland, with lasting financial, technological, and public impact. It requires the judgment and enterprise perspective to operate at the center of a complex public institution during a defining period of transformation. As CFO, you are trusted not only for financial expertise, but for the ability to shape enterprise decisions with long-term implications. You will serve as a close advisor to the Executive Director, a key partner to the Executive Team, and a credible presence with the Port Commission and external stakeholders. With responsibility for both finance and information technology, you will operate at the intersection of capital stewardship, digital modernization, and public accountability. In this role, you will play a central part in determining how the Port allocates capital, manages risk, modernizes its systems, and delivers on its mission for decades to come.

Requirements

15 or more years of progressive senior financial leadership experience and the enterprise perspective required to lead within a complex, capital-intensive public organization.
Experience operating at the enterprise level, partnering closely with executive leadership and governing bodies to inform strategy, investment decisions, and long-term planning.
A track record of leading financial strategy and capital planning in environments where decisions carry long-term implications and require disciplined governance.
Experience stewarding complex capital structures and public financing mechanisms, with an understanding of affordability, risk, and long-term sustainability.
Exposure to or leadership of large-scale transformation initiatives, including enterprise systems modernization and associated organizational change.
The ability to navigate environments characterized by multiple stakeholders, shared authority, and public accountability, where influence and judgment are critical.
Demonstrated credibility in engaging with external stakeholders, such as regulators, financial institutions, rating agencies, and community partners.
A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field is required.

Nice To Haves

An MBA or equivalent advanced degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the Executive Team, contributing to the overall strategic direction, financial sustainability, and long-term performance of the Port.
Define and steward the Port’s enterprise financial strategy, shaping capital allocation, investment priorities, and long-term funding commitments in alignment with public accountability.
Partner with the Executive Director and Port Commission to develop and execute short- and long-range financial plans that support operational excellence, resilience, and growth across the Port’s business lines.
Hold enterprise accountability for all finance functions, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, audit, risk management, and enterprise analytics.
Oversee the Port’s capital structure and funding strategy, including debt issuance, grants, Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs), Customer Facility Charges (CFCs), and other public financing mechanisms.
Provide executive accountability for the integrity, transparency, and timeliness of financial reporting in accordance with GAAP and applicable public-sector requirements.
Provide enterprise oversight of the Information Technology function, ensuring technology investments materially improve operational performance, resilience, and long-term capability.
Serve as executive sponsor for a multi-year, enterprise-wide ERP implementation, with accountability for governance, financial stewardship, and organizational readiness.
Integrate financial leadership, technology, data, and analytics to strengthen decision-making, execution, and enterprise performance.
Establish and maintain an enterprise-wide risk management framework addressing financial, operational, environmental, and technology-related risks.
Oversee internal audit, insurance, self-insurance, claims management, and business continuity to support sound governance and organizational resilience.
Represent the Port with external stakeholders, including regulators, financial institutions, rating agencies, and community partners.