Chief Financial Officer

Location: Northridge

At Areté, we are on the forefront of developing innovative solutions, with great minds from all backgrounds, to help solve the nation's most complex security challenges. We strive for an inclusive, collaborative team environment that approaches differences as opportunities for innovation and excellence. As an employee-owned company, we foster an atmosphere that propels diverse career opportunities and professional growth.

Discover your future with us.

We are seeking a strategic and operationally minded Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to lead all financial functions for our growing $250 million organization operating under a hybrid ownership structure-partially privately held and partially employee-owned through an ESOP. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in government contracting, FAR/DFARS compliance, project accounting, and long-range financial planning in a growth-oriented environment. This executive will serve as a key member of the leadership team, responsible for driving financial discipline, involved with strategic decision-making, and ensuring continued value creation for both private shareholders and employee-owners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic financial leadership, partnering with the CEO and executive team to support long-term growth, profitability, and operational efficiency.
• Direct all financial operations, including accounting, budgeting, forecasting, audit, tax, contracts and risk management.
• Ensure full compliance with government contracting regulations, including FAR, DFARS, DCAA audit requirements, and other applicable oversight bodies.
• Oversee program finance, job costing, indirect rate development, and margin analysis for a portfolio of government contracts (cost-plus, fixed-price and T&M).
• Lead the development and management of annual operating plans, multi-year financial models, and enterprise financial dashboards.
• Manage all ESOP-related financial responsibilities, including valuation oversight, trustee coordination, regulatory compliance, benefit administration, and employee communication-while balancing requirements of private shareholders.
• Manage corporate real estate strategy, including evaluating, negotiating, and overseeing the purchase and/or lease of corporate facilities.
• Oversee administration of tenant leases within company-owned buildings, ensuring proper billing, compliance, renewals, and financial reporting.
• Interface with banking partners, auditors, legal counsel, and external stakeholders to ensure accurate reporting and a strong control environment.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across accounting and financial processes, systems, and reporting tools.
• Provide clear, actionable insights to support pricing strategies, capital investments, and corporate strategic initiatives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance, accounting and contracts team.

We have an impressive range of benefits, programs, and perks that we offer:

Health & Wellness:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Life and Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Vision Reimbursement
• Fitness Reimbursement

Financial:

• Company-funded 5% contribution to your 401(k) retirement plan
• Company-funded 5% contribution to your Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• Continuing Education Funds

Work-Life Balance:

• Flexible Scheduling
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Parental and Bereavement Leave

What We Value:

• Creativity and innovation in solving challenges
• Integrity and responsibility in all actions
• Collaboration across teams and specialties
• Responsiveness in fast-paced environments
• Passion for national security and excellence

Experiences and Background We Look For (Required Skills):

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, CPA, or CMA strongly preferred.
• 15+ years progressive finance leadership experience with at least 7 years in a senior executive or divisional CFO role.
• Experience with in a government contracting organization of similar or greater scale ($150M-$500M).
• Demonstrated expertise in FAR/DFARS, and DCAA audits.
• Experience in an ESOP or hybrid-ownership environment strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in financial planning, operational finance, cash management, and risk mitigation.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to…