Chief Financial Officer

ALIGN PRECISION•Tempe, AZ

About The Position

Position Summary: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic and operational leader responsible for the financial stewardship of an aerospace and defense manufacturing organization. The CFO will oversee all financial functions while partnering closely with the CEO and senior leadership to drive operational excellence, margin improvement, disciplined growth, and regulatory compliance. This role requires deep experience in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, and aerospace/defense quality and compliance standards. Additionally, this role has oversight of the IT function in the organization. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, providing financial insight to support strategy, capital allocation, and long-range planning. Translating business strategy into financial plans, forecasts, and performance metrics. Partnering with operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, and program management to drive profitable growth and operational efficiency. Leading all accounting, finance, FP&A, treasury, tax, audit, and risk management activities. Ensuring timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting in accordance with GAAP. Maintaining strong internal controls and financial governance appropriate for a regulated A&D manufacturing environment. Overseeing external audits, lender relationships, and compliance reporting. Owning and continuously improving cost accounting systems, including: Standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory valuation Labor, overhead absorption, and work-in-process (WIP) accounting Bill of materials (BOM) and routing accuracy Driving visibility into product and program profitability. Partnering with operations to identify cost-reduction opportunities and improve margins. Ensuring financial integrity of ERP systems supporting manufacturing operations. Ensuring compliance with relevant A&D requirements, including: FAR/DFARS, government contracting cost principles AS9100 / ISO quality standards (financial support and audit readiness) ITAR/EAR financial and operational implications Supporting pricing, proposals, and contract reviews for government and commercial customers. Overseeing compliance related to cost allowability, audits, and customer requirements. Managing cash flow, working capital, and inventory levels to support manufacturing operations. Leading budgeting, forecasting, and capital expenditure planning. Supporting financing activities, including debt, credit facilities, and potential M&A activity. Building, mentoring, and leading a high-performing finance organization with strong manufacturing and cost accounting capabilities. Fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. Developing scalable finance processes to support growth and operational complexity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related field; CPA or MBA strongly preferred.
10+ years of progressive finance leadership experience, with significant experience in a manufacturing environment.
Direct experience in aerospace and/or defense manufacturing highly preferred.
Demonstrated expertise in: Cost accounting and standard costing in a manufacturing setting Inventory, WIP, and variance analysis Supporting quality systems such as AS9100
Experience with ERP systems supporting manufacturing (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Epicor).
Strong understanding of GAAP and internal controls.
Ability to operate effectively in a highly regulated environment.
Experience with government contracting and FAR/DFARS compliance.
Private equity–backed or high-growth manufacturing experience highly preferred.
M&A, integration, or multi-site manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities

Serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, providing financial insight to support strategy, capital allocation, and long-range planning.
Translating business strategy into financial plans, forecasts, and performance metrics.
Partnering with operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, and program management to drive profitable growth and operational efficiency.
Leading all accounting, finance, FP&A, treasury, tax, audit, and risk management activities.
Ensuring timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
Maintaining strong internal controls and financial governance appropriate for a regulated A&D manufacturing environment.
Overseeing external audits, lender relationships, and compliance reporting.
Owning and continuously improving cost accounting systems, including: Standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory valuation Labor, overhead absorption, and work-in-process (WIP) accounting Bill of materials (BOM) and routing accuracy Driving visibility into product and program profitability.
Partnering with operations to identify cost-reduction opportunities and improve margins.
Ensuring financial integrity of ERP systems supporting manufacturing operations.
Ensuring compliance with relevant A&D requirements, including: FAR/DFARS, government contracting cost principles AS9100 / ISO quality standards (financial support and audit readiness) ITAR/EAR financial and operational implications Supporting pricing, proposals, and contract reviews for government and commercial customers.
Overseeing compliance related to cost allowability, audits, and customer requirements.
Managing cash flow, working capital, and inventory levels to support manufacturing operations.
Leading budgeting, forecasting, and capital expenditure planning.
Supporting financing activities, including debt, credit facilities, and potential M&A activity.
Building, mentoring, and leading a high-performing finance organization with strong manufacturing and cost accounting capabilities.
Fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.
Developing scalable finance processes to support growth and operational complexity.