Chief Financial Officer

Job Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Location: Lexington or Louisville, Kentucky 
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

SUMMARY: The Chief Financial Officer will lead the Firm’s strategic financial strategy and manage daily operational needs of the Firm and Accounting Department. This role is a vital component of the Firm leadership team and has the opportunity to leverage Firm resources to support business growth internally and externally for a large multi-state Firm. The CFO will be responsible for communicating, designing, supporting and directing the strategic financial operations of a growing Firm. While this opportunity will be built upon a framework of actionable policies and guidelines, the ideal candidate will have the opportunity to bring a fresh innovative perspective to current and future best practices.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES – Chief Financial Officer:

• Communicate Firm financial performance to Firm leadership, attorneys, and staff as applicable.
• Strong attention to detail, ability to resolve general ledger issues and assist with identifying transactions needing proper coding, etc.
• Candidate should have a solid understanding of depreciation and how to record it properly. Should also understand impact of phantom income on equity member income amounts.
• Collaborate with Firm leadership on strategic acquisitions and provide financial oversight and leadership when working with possible acquisition targets.
• Work closely with Firm leadership to ensure strategic vision of Firm, including financial performance, is on track and meeting predetermined expectations.
• Look for opportunities to innovate current processes and/or technology in an effort to support Firm and team most effectively.
• Experience with utilizing business intelligence tools for reporting and data collection.
• Understand needs of a professional service firm, including member compensation practices.
• Recommend and implement best practices. Establish data quality policies, standards, and processes for managing information in a structured format.
• Prepare reports on financial status, potential financial risk issues, and compliance activities as required/needed for best practices.
• Develop strategies and protocols for ensuring the classification, confidentiality, privacy, security, retention, and disposition of Firm financial information.
• Identify and leverage technology to support the accounting team’s effectiveness. Encourage ongoing training and skills enhancement for accounting team members.
• Establish metrics for the accounting team, monitor progress, and recommend changes that improve the department’s effectiveness, ensuring continuous improvement.
• Provide a cohesive business case for the adoption of policies and practices to gain Firm-wide support for best practices.
• Collaborate with members to achieve highest level of efficiency while supporting Firm needs.
• Develop training programs and serve as a subject matter expert for Firm financial matters.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, including Firm Financial Analyst, regarding reporting, budgeting, and Firm planning to ensure financial metrics are attainable and applicable to current business climate.
• Research and recommend the latest financial governance approaches, methodologies, technology, policies, and procedures to achieve continuous improvement.
• Travel to all office locations to provide information, offer training on financial governance and support accounting department policies and procedures as needed.
• Manage the recruitment, selection, orientation, and retention of employees within the Accounting Department.
• Collaborate with Human Resources to manage employee performance by coaching, counseling, and motivating employees to achieve the highest levels of productivity and job satisfaction. Participate in periodic and annual performance and salary reviews. Solve employee relations issues and participate in disciplinary action when necessary.
• Ensure timely completion of necessary administrative duties, procedures, and preparation of monthly management reports as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• High level of expertise in financial reporting, year-end close, equity member analysis and distributions, Firm budgeting and forecasting for current and upcoming year.
• Partner with the Finance Committee Chair to ensure committee has all required financial information for each meeting. Prepare information for Annual Meeting and participate in annual Firm update with the Finance Chair.
• Strong general knowledge of financial accounting, preferably in a professional services setting. 
• Excellent Microsoft Windows (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Access) skills required. Ability to analyze data with data reporting tools.
• Experience with enterprise technology solutions used for the management of both physical and electronic information.
• Ability to articulate strategic direction and mission of the Firm in a manner that promotes consensus and conformity.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and workflow to ensure accuracy and quality.
• Demonstrated ability to execute process improvements.
• Proven record of accomplishment of successfully supervising, developing, and training staff.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, attorneys and senior leadership and clients (if applicable).
• Strong attention to details.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to multitask and manage time effectively.
• Position also requires the ability to work under pressure to meet strict deadlines, effectively prioritize multiple tasks.
• Comfortable working in a demanding environment where priorities change frequently.
• Excellent independent, decision-making capabilities and a solution-oriented attitude.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Exceptional customer service and people skills.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree is required in addition to CPA designation.
• 10+ years' experience in financial services sector, preferably in professional services setting.
• Professional certification such as a CPA, CFA is required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires sitting for the majority of the workday. May require lifting up to 5 – 10 lbs when working with in-house data.

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:

• SKO Chief Operating Officer and/or Managing Director of SKO.

 The statements contained in this job description are not necessarily all-inclusive; additional duties may be assigned, and requirements may vary from time to time.