Fractional CFO

About the role

This is a build-the-framework role, not a clean sheet build. The fundamentals are already in place: an external accounting firm handles statutory reporting, tax and year end, and an internal finance assistant covers purchasing and procurement. Budget templates exist and are reasonable. What the business does not yet have is a senior finance partner inside it.

Responsibilities

• Financial control framework. Design and implement the internal financial governance structure, including policies, procedures, approval workflows and segregation of duties, sized appropriately for a small, fast-moving business entering production.
• Job costing and project accounting. Move the business away from rough estimates toward a proper costing model: hourly labor rates, amortization of people versus materials, cost of sale, margin and profitability by job.
• Budgeting and oversight. Take ownership of existing budget templates and turn them into a regularly managed, actively reviewed process with clear visibility of what is being spent and why.
• Government contract financial management. Build the financial reporting framework required for large government and agency contracts, including structured draw-down and invoicing packages tying hours, labor, materials and deliverables to contract milestones, and audit-ready supporting documentation.
• Cash and spend control. Establish cash management, procurement and expense authorization practices appropriate to a company holding significant cash reserves and scaling its purchasing activity.
• Executive reporting. Produce a clear, consistent reporting pack for the CEO and co-founder, and an efficient month-end close.
• External partners. Work alongside the incumbent accounting firm, feeding them clean, well-structured information. Over time there is scope to bring elements of reporting and compliance in house.
• Future state. Advise on finance team structure, systems and staffing as the company scales, and be ready to step into a larger role as contract awards land.

Requirements

A career finance leader at CFO, Finance Director or equivalent level, ideally with experience gained in a larger organization and now looking for a focused, high-impact fractional engagement. Demonstrable experience of financial control and financial management for government contracts. This is essential. Examples include NASA contractors, defense primes, or suppliers into either, where you have owned the financial side of contract compliance, cost reporting and payment draw-downs. Strong job costing and project accounting experience in a manufacturing, hardware or engineering environment. Proven track record of putting structure, process and controls into a fast-moving business without slowing it down. Solid GAAP grounding and comfort working with ERP and accounting platforms. Able to be onsite in Brevard County, Florida for the majority of the engagement, at least initially. Understanding the operation in person is a requirement, not a preference. Space sector experience is not essential but is a significant advantage.