Director of Finance and Accounting

Sharpe Engineering•Madison, WI

About The Position

The Director of Finance & Accounting leads Sharpe Engineering & Equipment’s financial and risk management functions and is responsible for the company’s financial health. This hands-on executive owns accounting, project-based revenue recognition, financial reporting, cash flow, banking relationships, business insurance, and risk management, while leading and developing the accounting team. The role balances strategic leadership with detailed operational work in a growing company. Reporting to the President, the Director is a member of the executive leadership team and a strategic partner in setting and executing the company’s growth plans. The role interfaces monthly with the Board Chair and quarterly with the Board of Directors, contributes financial input to the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, and owns finance-related policies and procedures within the Business Operation System (BOS). The position works closely with Human Resources, the PMO, Engineering, F&I, Controls leaders, the VP of Sales & Marketing, and the Director of Strategic Partnerships. The Director leads financial planning, reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and acquisition analysis and integration. The position owns project accounting and margin management, including ASC 606 revenue recognition, percentage-of-completion accounting, WIP schedules, estimate-to-complete reviews, billing, and project financial risk. It also oversees cash forecasting, collections, payables, banking relationships, debt and covenant monitoring, accounting controls, GAAP compliance, tax and audit relationships, and accounting and ERP system improvements. Additional responsibilities include managing the company’s weekly financial scorecard and KPIs, providing financial input to S&OP, maintaining finance-related BOS procedures and training, and overseeing business insurance and risk. Human Resources leads payroll, employee benefit plans, and HR compliance; this role partners with HR on payroll accounting, benefit costs, and labor cost reporting.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.
10 or more years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including 5 or more years in senior finance leadership.
Finance leadership experience in a project-based business, such as engineering, construction, or capital equipment.
Hands-on ASC 606 project revenue recognition experience, including percentage-of-completion, WIP, and job costing.
Experience managing banking relationships, debt covenants, audits, insurance, and Board reporting.
Strong business acumen and ability to translate financial results into clear actions for non-financial leaders.
Proficiency with ERP and accounting systems, advanced Excel, and financial modeling.
High integrity, sound judgment, and discretion with confidential information.
Excellent communication skills, including communication with executive teams and Boards of Directors.
Hands-on, collaborative leadership and ability to work across the PMO, Engineering, F&I, and commercial teams.

Nice To Haves

CPA and/or MBA.
Hands-on acquisition experience, including valuation, due diligence, deal financing, and post-close integration.

Responsibilities

Plan, implement, manage, and control the company’s financial activities, and lead and develop the accounting team.
Prepare monthly financial statements and analyses and present results at the monthly management review.
Prepare and present quarterly results and outlook to the Board of Directors and support the Board Chair monthly.
Lead the annual budget and rolling forecast process and report performance against plan.
Partner with the President and Board to shape and execute the acquisition strategy.
Screen acquisition targets and build financial models, valuations, and deal-return analyses.
Lead financial, tax, and quality-of-earnings due diligence with outside advisors.
Lead post-acquisition financial integration and track results against the deal model.
Establish project budgets at contract award and review actuals against budget monthly with each Project Manager.
Own project-based revenue recognition under ASC 606, including percentage-of-completion, monthly estimate-to-complete reviews, WIP schedules, and over- or under-billings.
Report project gross margin against estimate and escalate variances exceeding defined thresholds.
Ensure invoicing follows contract milestone schedules, change orders are billed promptly, and final invoices are issued only with client acceptance documentation.
Partner with the Director of Strategic Partnerships and commercial team on pricing, margin targets, payment terms, and contract financial risk.
Own cash flow forecasting, including weekly forecasts tied to project billing milestones and vendor payment schedules.
Drive collections and manage accounts receivable and accounts payable to optimize net working capital.
Maintain banking relationships; monitor cash, debt, banking requirements, and financial covenants; and manage capital requests.
Establish and maintain internal accounting controls and safeguards.
Maintain records in accordance with GAAP and comply with local, state, and federal reporting and tax requirements.
Maintain relationships with external auditors and tax advisors and resolve their findings and recommendations.
Approve and lead improvements to accounting, ERP, and management information systems.
Own the company’s weekly Scorecard and the financial KPIs reviewed at the monthly management review.
Provide financial input to the S&OP process, connecting backlog, capacity, and cash.
Own finance-related SOPs, Work Instructions, forms, and templates within the BOS, including accounting, invoicing, collection, and audit procedures.
Train project managers and staff on financial procedures, including project budgeting and change order billing, and close gaps through corrective action.
Own business insurance, including brokers, carriers, renewals, and claims, matched to project and field risks.
Identify and mitigate business risks, and review contract insurance, bonding, liability, and indemnity terms.
Partner with Human Resources on payroll accounting, benefit costs, and labor cost reporting.