Director of Finance

XSTAR Aviation•Shreveport, LA

4d•Remote

About The Position

The Director of Finance is XSTAR's senior financial planning, analysis, and compliance leader, responsible for translating operational performance into financial insight and ensuring XSTAR maintains a strong government contract compliance posture. This role bridges enterprise strategy and day-to-day accounting, operating with a 1–3 year planning horizon and partnering directly with both the CFO and the Controller/Company Accountant. This role focuses on financial performance, decision support, and compliance oversight. It does not own: Deltek Costpoint accounting operations, system administration, or data entry; or monthly financial statement preparation or accounting close processes.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in finance, FP&A, or operational finance
Strong financial modeling, forecasting, and cash management experience
Deltek Costpoint proficiency required - must be able to interpret outputs, validate program cost data, and identify discrepancies
DCAA/DCMA audit experience required - including direct involvement in audit preparation, response, and compliance management
Working knowledge of government contract finance, including FAR/CAS compliance, CAS Disclosure Statements, indirect rate structures, and program-level cost tracking
Ability to translate operational data into clear financial insight for non-finance audiences

Nice To Haves

Experience in asset-heavy or operationally complex businesses (aviation, logistics, defense, or similar) preferred

Responsibilities

Own XSTAR's annual budgeting process and maintain a rolling 24–36 month financial outlook
Build and maintain a 13-week rolling cash forecast, incorporating incremental ALIN funding timelines, WAWF payment receipt tracking, and subcontractor payment obligations
Monitor liquidity and proactively identify cash flow risks, escalating to the CFO as needed
Support the CFO with financial modeling inputs for capital raises, aircraft financing, and lender reporting
Own financial performance tracking across active programs, including ALIN/ASLIN burn rates, indirect rate performance, and variance against contract assumptions
Develop and maintain executive dashboards covering: Sortie production vs. plan, Aircraft utilization and cost per flight hour, Contribution margin per flight hour, Subcontractor spend tracking against budget
Identify variances early and provide clear root-cause analysis to leadership
Monitor financial performance at the aircraft level, including utilization, cost per hour, and debt service coverage
Support analysis for fleet growth, staffing decisions, and operational scaling
Partner with Operations to ensure financial models reflect actual execution patterns
Own compliance coordination across all XSTAR DoD contracts, including OTAs, FAR-based contracts, and any hybrid vehicles
Manage FAR/CAS compliance requirements and ensure consistent application across the full contract portfolio
Prepare and maintain CAS Disclosure Statements as required upon crossing applicable thresholds
Own XSTAR's posture on DCAA audit readiness, including coordination of incurred cost submissions and forward pricing rate proposals with the CFO
Manage DCMA contract administration compliance obligations, including required reporting and corrective action responses
Coordinate with the Controller/Company Accountant on accounting documentation, audit response packages, and compliance recordkeeping
Ensure program-level financial practices align with applicable regulatory requirements across all contract types
Provide clear, data-driven recommendations to executive leadership on: Hiring and staffing levels, Aircraft acquisition timing, Operational scaling decisions, Contract execution risks and capital exposure
Challenge assumptions and surface risks proactively - this role functions as a candid advisor, not a reporting function
Partner with Operations, Program Management, and the Controller/Company Accountant to ensure alignment between operational performance, financial forecasts, and accounting outputs
Serve as the financial interface between program execution and executive decision-making
Maintain working familiarity with Deltek Costpoint sufficient to interpret outputs, validate program cost data, and identify discrepancies
Support the CFO with business unit-level financial modeling and reporting
Provide inputs for capital planning, enterprise-level decisions, and investor or lender materials
Operate as the CFO's primary analytical resource for operational finance questions