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ECS Group of Companies · 1 day ago

Chief Financial Officer

Chantilly, VA

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

15+ years exp

ECS Group of Companies is a leader in professional engineering consulting, and they are seeking a Chief Financial Officer to develop and execute long-term financial strategies aligned with corporate objectives. The CFO will lead financial reporting, compliance, and governance while driving profitability initiatives and ensuring sustainable growth.

Civil Engineering

Responsibilities

Develop and execute long-term financial strategy aligned with corporate objectives and ESOP goals

Drive profitability initiatives including margin expansion, overhead optimization, pricing discipline, and project-level improvements

Lead ROI modeling for capital investments, service-line development, and geographic expansion

Champion enterprise-wide cost-saving, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives

Provide long-term financial leadership focused on sustainable, profitable growth and enhanced employee-owner value

Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams across Finance, Accounting, Tax, ESOP, Risk, and Audit functions and work in close partnership with Treasury leadership to ensure alignment across capital, liquidity, and enterprise risk initiatives

Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence

Build organizational capability through professional development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development

Responsible for government contracting oversight, including compliance with accounting and reporting requirements

Partner with operations to improve project profitability, billing accuracy, cash cycle performance, and resource utilization

Enhance cost management, pricing strategies, overhead allocation methodologies, and margin optimization across all geographies and business lines

Direct all financial reporting functions, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and GAAP compliance

Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close cycles across all subsidiaries and business units

Present financial results, forecasts, KPIs, and strategic analyses to the CEO, Board, ESOP trustees, and executive leadership

Ensure corporate practices - including distributions, ownership structure, and M&A activity comply with requirements necessary to maintain S-Corporation status

Maintain a strong internal control environment, ensuring robust policies, procedures, and segregation of duties to mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risks

Ensure cross-company consistency and audit readiness across all financial operations

Improve processes and systems to streamline workflows, reduce manual effort, and enhance financial visibility

Champion enterprise-wide cost-saving, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives

Review contracts as required and provide financial input on significant commercial terms

Oversee company-owned real estate assets and participate in lease versus buy decisions for capital equipment

Establish and enforce corporate financial policies such as delegations of authority, capitalization, procurement, intercompany transactions, expense management, and transfer pricing

Ensure that accounting policies related to claims management - including claims loss tracking methodologies, reserve-setting processes, set-aside calculations, and rules governing the use or release of claims accruals - are consistently defined, tracked, and accounted for across the enterprise in coordination with Risk Management, HR, Operations, and subsidiary leadership

Own all accounting policies across the enterprise, including documentation, communication, enforcement, and training

Oversee the review, modernization, and simplification of accounting policies

Lead an immediate, comprehensive update of all accounting and financial policies to align with the new ERP system (D365 F&O), including financial dimensions, workflows, approval hierarchies, and internal controls

Ensure policies are consistently applied across all subsidiaries and offices, support audit readiness, and meet regulatory requirements

Lead planning, coordination, and completion of external financial audits. Serve as primary liaison with external auditors, ESOP trustees, valuation consultants, and regulatory agencies

Oversee ESOP audits and ensure compliance with ERISA, Department of Labor, and IRS requirements

Direct internal audit activities including controls testing, risk assessments, compliance reviews, and remediation efforts

Ensure compliance with federal and state audits, maintaining proper documentation and timely responses

Evaluate risk financing options, including captives, self-insurance layers, and deductible programs

Partner with Legal, Risk, Safety, and Operations to reduce claim frequency and ensure alignment between contract requirements, risk exposures, and insurance coverage

Collaborate with the Legal team to manage significant claims, ensure appropriate financial reserves, and align settlement decisions with both legal risk and fiduciary responsibilities

Develop and implement tax strategies that optimize the company's tax position while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations

Oversee preparation and review of all corporate tax filings, disclosures, and supporting documentation

Advise leadership on tax implications of business initiatives, acquisitions, ESOP transactions, and capital structures

Maintain practices required to preserve S-Corporation election, including shareholder requirements, reasonable compensation, distribution policies, and ownership structure

Manage relationships with external tax advisors and stay current on tax issues affecting engineering firms, ESOPs, and S-Corps

Ensure compliance with ESOP regulations and fiduciary requirements

Oversee annual ESOP valuations

Evaluate long-term ESOP sustainability - including repurchase obligations, liquidity planning, demographic impacts, and capital requirements

Partner with trustees, plan administrator, valuation firms, and ESOP legal counsel to advise the Board on ESOP strategy and plan evolution

Support employee-owner engagement and financial literacy programs that reinforce the value of ownership and long-term value creation

Serve as executive sponsor for all financial and operational systems including D365 F&O, Solver, ExFlow, treasury tools, and integrated receivables platforms

Ensure system architecture supports GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, financial dimensions, and efficient workflows

Oversee master data governance, chart of accounts structure, financial dimensions, and integration architecture across subsidiaries

Lead automation and digital transformation across Finance to reduce manual work and improve data quality and reporting capabilities

Work collaboratively with IT, Treasury, and Operations leadership to ensure systems support accurate financial reporting, cash visibility, internal controls, and enterprise decision making

Evaluate emerging financial technologies that enhance automation, visibility, and executive decision-making

Lead all financial due diligence of acquisitions and partnerships

Work collaboratively with the EVP of Corporate Development on valuation modeling, deal structuring, purchase accounting, and transaction execution

Ensure M&A activity aligns with S-Corp rules, ESOP requirements, tax strategy, and long-term capital planning

Partner with M&A team to promote synergy realization, post-acquisition integration, and financial reporting of acquired entities

Qualification

S-Corporation expertiseGAAP accountingFinancial modelingCPA licenseMicrosoft DynamicsMulti-entity consolidationsM&A transactionsAnalytical skillsCivil engineering backgroundFAR audits experienceESOP compliance knowledgeCommunication skillsTeam mentoring

Required

15+ years of related experience

Bachelor's degree in Accounting (Master's preferred), Business Administration or Finance

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is preferred

If driving for, or on behalf of, any ECS subsidiary, a valid driver's license is required

Demonstrated mastery of S-Corporations, GAAP accounting, multi-entity consolidations, and financial reporting, with experience managing audits, tax, and regulatory compliance across complex organizations

Advanced financial modeling and analytical skills with high proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Dynamics; skilled in designing and implementing systems that improve accuracy and efficiency in financial operations

Proven ability to translate detailed financial data into insights for executive decision-making, including building and maintaining budgets, forecasts, cash flow models, and scenario analysis

A record of bringing structure, discipline, and accountability to finance operations; comfortable working at both strategic and detailed levels to ensure timely, high-quality outcomes while empowering the team to perform at high levels

Demonstrated success in mentoring and developing high-performing teams through consistent communication of goals, feedback, and strategic direction

Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial concepts clearly to senior leadership and boards

Experience supporting or leading M&A transactions, including financial due diligence and integration

Background in civil engineering, professional services, or project-based firms

Experience with FAR audits

Strong understanding of ESOP compliance, valuations, and employee communication strategies