Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Description

W.S. Darley & Co. is seeking a seasoned Chief Financial Officer to provide financial leadership, capital discipline, and strategic insight as the company enters its next phase of growth. The CFO will partner closely with the President/CEO and Board of Directors to ensure Darley consistently makes sound, well-timed decisions around capital deployment, liquidity, and enterprise risk.

Requirements

• Owes liquidity management and capital allocation across the enterprise, including cash forecasting, credit facilities, covenant compliance, capital expenditures, M&A activity, and supplier prepayments.
• Evaluates trade-offs using cash flow, return on invested capital, and risk exposure rather than relying solely on margin or accounting metrics.
• Anticipates risks and preserves strategic and financial flexibility.
• Leads the company’s planning and forecasting discipline, including rolling forecasts and scenario analysis, and sets the financial structure and narrative for Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Business leaders are expected to clearly own their financial commitments, risks, and opportunities, with the CFO providing pressure-testing, insight, and accountability.
• Prepares concise, decision-oriented materials for the Board and supports governance discussions focused on trade-offs, capital decisions, and long-term value creation.
• Serves as the primary executive interface with banking partners, insurance carriers, auditors, tax advisors, and valuation firms, maintaining proactive relationships that protect credibility and flexibility.
• Provides independent, fact-based perspectives on pricing strategy, market and geographic exposure, major customer and supplier decisions, and merger and acquisition opportunities, including valuation logic, deal structure, diligence, and integration risks.
• Buys and leads a high-performing finance organization, setting expectations for accuracy, timeliness, and true business partnership.
• Develops strong FP&A, treasury, and controllership capabilities while reviewing and coaching work rather than personally producing analyses.
• Pairs with IT and operations to ensure reliable financial systems, clean data, and analytics that improve decision speed and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting required
• Master’s degree in Finance or Accounting strongly preferred
• Registered or Licensed CPA preferred
• 10+ years of senior finance leadership experience (CFO, Divisional CFO, or equivalent), preferably with government contracting or Defense and Aerospace experience
• Deep expertise in liquidity management, capital allocation, and financial reporting
• Experience working closely with Boards of Directors and senior executives
• Strong judgment, communication skills, and business acumen
• Proven ability to lead through influence rather than control