Finance Director

Farnsworth Group is seeking a Finance Director in the posting locations below. In this role, the Finance Director provides strategic financial leadership and oversees all aspects of financial management, planning, analysis, and reporting for the organization. This role partners closely with the CFO, executive leadership, and business unit leaders to drive financial performance, support growth initiatives, and ensure the integrity of financial operations.

The Finance Director plays a critical role in mergers and acquisitions, capital planning, captive insurance modeling, real estate financial management, and enterprise-wide budgeting and forecasting.

Posting Locations:
Champaign, Lisle, Normal, Peoria, Springfield, IL;
Dallas, TX;
St. Louis, MO;
Waukee, IA

What You'll Do:

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

* Lead financial due diligence for potential acquisitions and strategic partnerships / joint ventures.

* Develop and maintain financial models to evaluate enterprise valuations, deal structures, valuations, synergies, and return on investment.

* Coordinate with legal counsel and internal constituents throughout the transaction lifecycle.

* Prepare executive-level M&A memos, deal summaries, and board presentation materials.

* Support post-close integration activities including financial systems consolidation and reporting alignment.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

* Budgeting & Financial Planning

* Own and manage the annual enterprise-wide budgeting process in collaboration with department and business unit leaders.

* Develop multi-year financial plans aligned with organizational strategy and capital allocation priorities.

* Establish budgeting timelines, templates, and governance processes to ensure consistency and accuracy.

* Monitor budget-to-actual performance and proactively communicate variances and recommended actions to leadership.

Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

* Lead the FP&A function, delivering monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting packages to senior leaders / group leaders.

* Develop rolling forecasts and scenario analyses to support strategic decision-making.

* Provide analytical support for major capital investments, pricing decisions, and new business opportunities.

* Design and maintain KPI dashboards and financial metrics that align with operational and strategic objectives.

Variance Analysis & Management Reporting

* Conduct detailed variance analyses comparing actuals to budget, forecast, and prior-period results.

* Identify root causes of financial variances and present findings with actionable recommendations.

* Prepare monthly management reporting packages including executive summaries, trend analyses, and commentary.

* Support department leaders in understanding financial results and driving corrective actions where needed.

Cash Flow Modeling & Treasury

* Build and maintain dynamic cash flow models to project short- and long-term liquidity needs.

* Monitor daily cash positioning and optimize working capital across the organization.

* Partner with banking relationships to manage S-T investments, marketable securities, credit facilities, shareholder distributions, and investment activity.

* Partner with Senior Controller on cash flow forecasting processes that integrate accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll cycles.

Captive Insurance & Risk Management

* Serve as the primary financial liaison for the organization's captive insurance program.

* Oversee captive financial reporting, premium allocations, loss reserve reviews, and regulatory filings.

* Coordinate with captive managers, actuaries, and legal counsel on program structure, compliance, and renewals.

* Analyze captive performance metrics and provide strategic recommendations to optimize deductibles, coverage limits, and policy effectiveness.

Real Estate Lease Management

* Manage the financial aspects of the organization's real estate portfolio including lease accounting under ASC 842.

* Review, analyze, and model financial implications of new leases, renewals, terminations, and amendments.

* Partner with facilities and operations on real estate strategy, occupancy cost analysis, furniture expenditures, and space optimization.

Capital Expenditures (Cap Ex)

* Develop and manage the annual capital expenditure budget in coordination with department leaders and operations.

* Establish and maintain a Cap Ex approval framework, including project justification, prioritization, and authorizations

* Build and maintain Cap Ex models to evaluate ROI, payback periods, and NPV for proposed investments

* Track and report on Cap Ex spending versus approved budgets and provide variance analyses

* Support long-range planning cycles for equipment replacement, fleet vehicles, and office upgrades

Financial Memos & Executive Communications

* Draft and review financial memos, education sessions, and board materials with clarity and precision.

* Translate complex financial data into concise narratives tailored to executive audiences.

* Prepare investment committee materials, and…