Director of Finance

Inspired Flight•San Luis Obispo, CA

26d•$150,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Finance owns Inspired Flight’s financial planning, cost control, and accounting operations. This hands-on role will build the company’s operating model, manage expense discipline across the business, and develop the accounting team. The Director partners with the executive team and leaders in Operations, Go-to-Market, Product & Engineering, and Corporate Administration to use financial insight to inform production, purchasing, investment, and growth decisions. The position is based in-office at Inspired Flight’s headquarters in San Luis Obispo, California, and reports directly to the SVP / President. The role includes financial planning and analysis, company-wide spend management, accounting oversight and team development, and reporting support for leadership, the board, investors, lenders, and strategic partners. Success is measured by forecast accuracy, timely monthly close, expense performance against departmental budgets, gross margin and unit costs against targets, cash forecast accuracy and runway visibility, and clean audit or review results.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressive finance experience, including at least 3 years in a finance leadership role.
Proven ability to build a three-statement financial model from scratch and use it to drive decisions.
Hands-on experience owning budgets, forecasts, and spend controls across multiple departments.
Strong command of GAAP and the month-end close process.
Track record of managing and mentoring accounting staff.
Clear communication skills, including the ability to explain financial results to non-finance leaders.
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience in UAV, aerospace, defense, or other hardware manufacturing environments, including cost accounting, inventory, and COGS analysis.
Hands-on experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP for close, reporting, and cost analysis.
Experience supporting equity or debt financings through diligence.
Familiarity with government contracting finance, including FAR and DCAA.
CPA or MBA.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a three-statement operating model with driver-based revenue, production, and headcount assumptions.
Lead the annual budget and rolling forecasts, and deliver monthly budget-versus-actual reporting with variance explanations.
Manage cash flow forecasting and runway planning, flagging risks early to the SVP / President.
Develop product- and unit-level cost analysis, including COGS, margins, and bill-of-materials cost trends.
Provide scenario and sensitivity analysis for pricing, purchasing, hiring, and investment decisions.
Own company-wide spend management, including approval workflows, purchasing policy, and departmental budget accountability.
Review vendor contracts and recurring spending, and identify and drive cost savings.
Partner with Operations on inventory, purchasing, and production costs to protect gross margin.
Establish department budgets and hold budget owners accountable through monthly reviews.
Oversee the monthly close and ensure accurate, timely financial statements.
Mentor and develop the accounting team, building technical skills and expanding their scope over time.
Strengthen internal controls, policies, and documentation as the company scales.
Coordinate with outside CPAs on tax filings and any audit or review.
Build KPI dashboards and a monthly reporting package for leadership and the board.
Prepare financial models, historical financials, and supporting analysis for investors, lenders, and strategic partners, keeping records diligence-ready.
Partner with Operations, which owns the ERP, to maintain accurate financial data and improve data flows into reporting.