Director / VP Finance and Operations

Ascension Search Partners has been retained by a highly respected market leading services firm serving Fortune 1000 clients across transformation initiatives. The business is on target to more than double over the next 2–3 years and as such, the organization is entering an exciting phase of growth and operational sophistication. 

Position Overview

This is not a traditional head-of-finance role.

The Vice President of Finance will serve as a strategic business partner to the CEO, combining deep financial and accounting expertise with operational leadership and commercial acumen. The ideal candidate is a hands-on finance leader who understands professional services economics, can translate financial data into business decisions, and is eager to build scalable infrastructure that supports the company's next stage of growth.

The successful candidate will own financial reporting, forecasting, pricing strategy, profitability analysis, budgeting, accounting oversight, and operational enablement while helping shape the company's strategic direction and growth initiatives. 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Finance & Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CEO and executive leadership team.
• Translate financial results into actionable business recommendations.
• Provide insight into growth strategy, profitability, pricing, utilization, staffing, and resource planning.
• Participate in executive-level business planning and strategic decision making.
• Help shape the company's growth strategy as it scales toward $20M in revenue.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes.
• Develop KPI dashboards and operational reports that drive accountability and behavioral change.
• Analyze revenue, gross margin, utilization, contractor economics, and project profitability.
• Improve visibility into business performance across service lines and engagements.
• Develop reporting capabilities that support executive decision making.

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Oversee accounting operations and mentor the Accounting leadership.
• Ensure integrity and accuracy of financial statements and reporting processes.
• Guide month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities.
• Strengthen financial controls, policies, and procedures.
• Partner with external accountants, tax advisors, and outsourced finance resources.
• Drive the organization toward fully audited financial statements and enhanced financial rigor. 

Pricing, Commercial Finance & Services Economics

• Partner with business leaders on pricing strategy and proposal development.
• Evaluate contractor rates, engagement economics, and gross margin opportunities.
• Support the company’s evolving business model.
• Help establish financial discipline around project management and profitability.
• Bring a commercial mindset that balances client success with financial performance. 

Department & Infrastructure Building

• Build scalable finance infrastructure to support rapid growth.
• Reduce key-person dependency and institutionalize best practices.
• Professionalize financial reporting and operational support capabilities.
• Evaluate and improve systems, workflows, and internal processes.
• Help establish additional support functions including billing, reporting, and operational enablement. 

Systems & Process Improvement

• Support the organization's migration and optimization efforts.
• Drive automation, reporting enhancements, and process efficiencies.
• Implement tools and reporting mechanisms that improve decision quality and organizational productivity. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline.
• CPA strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting leadership experience.
• Strong controllership, accounting, and financial reporting foundation.
• Experience within professional services, project-based businesses, or other service organizations.
• Deep understanding of:
  • Professional services
  • Gross margin management
  • Forecasting and budgeting
  • Operational reporting
  • Pricing strategy
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic business partner rather than solely a back-office finance leader.
• Experience leading teams and building finance infrastructure in growth-oriented organizations.
• Strong analytical, communication, and executive presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Big Four public accounting experience.
• Experience in professional services or project-based services environments.
• Experience supporting businesses in the high growth middle market.
• Prior responsibility for audited financial statements.
• Experience transitioning organizations from small business mindset to scalable operational frameworks. 

Leadership Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• A proactive problem solver who identifies issues before they become problems.
• Highly accountable with a strong ownership mentality.
• Comfortable operating in a lean, entrepreneurial environment.
• Curious, analytical, and intellectually rigorous.
• Scrappy and willing to roll up their sleeves when needed.
• Low ego, team-oriented, and collaborative.
• Focused on outcomes rather than titles.
• Passionate about turning numbers into actionable business insights.
• Equally comfortable discussing debits and credits, profitability, pricing, strategy, and growth.

Why This Opportunity?

This position offers a unique opportunity to become a true right-hand partner to an accomplished executive leader while helping shape the next chapter of a highly respected professional services firm. The role provides significant visibility, strategic impact, and the ability to build and influence a growing organization from the inside out.