Chief Financial Officer

OVERVIEW

Kinkead & Stilz, a growing law firm with 36 attorneys across four Kentucky offices, is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to serve as the firm's senior administrative and financial executive. Reporting directly to the Executive Committee, the CFO is responsible for the full scope of the firm's financial operations, including accounting, reporting, payroll, and compliance, as well as firm-wide human resources and benefits administration.

This is a broad, high-visibility role that carries meaningful responsibility across multiple functional areas. While the primary focus is on financial integrity and people operations, the CFO also serves as the firm's senior point of accountability for technology coordination, risk and compliance, executive governance support, and select strategic and operational functions. These secondary areas are expected to be assumed progressively as the CFO develops familiarity with the firm's operations and systems.

The ideal candidate is a credentialed finance professional who brings technical rigor, sound judgment, and genuine versatility across business administration. Prior experience in a law firm or professional services environment is strongly preferred.

FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

• Prepare and present monthly and annual financial reports to Executive Committee.
• Lead annual budgeting process and maintain ongoing budget versus actual monitoring and variance analysis throughout the year.
• Maintain financial models, KPI dashboards, and management reports that provide actionable insight into firm performance.
• Monitor firm cash flow, banking relationships, and working capital position.
• Maintain chart of accounts and general ledger integrity.
• Prepare ad hoc financial analysis and scenario modeling as requested by Executive Committee.
• Administer member capital accounts, track balances, and coordinate distributions in accordance with firm ownership structure.
• Coordinate year-end close and tax preparation with firm's outside CPA firm.
• Prepare and distribute monthly attorney billing realization reports; produce monthly profitability reporting by practice group and timekeeper.
• Oversee the firm's billing, accounts payable, and accounts receivable team, providing strategic direction and serving as the escalation point for complex issues.
• Monitor billing realization, collections performance, and AR aging; present findings to the Executive Committee and recommend corrective action as needed.

PAYROLL & COMPENSATION ADMINISTRATION

• Own end-to-end payroll administration in coordination with the firm's third-party payroll processor, ensuring accurate and timely processing for all attorneys and staff.
• Process payroll changes including new hires, terminations, rate adjustments, garnishments, levies, and court-ordered deductions.
• Lead the firm-wide compensation review process for staff in coordination with the Practice Area Leaders, including market benchmarking and budget modeling.
• Oversee 401(k) and profit-sharing plan administration, including coordination with the plan's third-party administrator and annual compliance requirements.

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Oversee HR policies, procedures, and compliance with applicable federal and Kentucky employment law across all firm locations.
• Manage full-cycle recruiting for non-attorney staff, including job postings, candidate screening, interview coordination, and offer administration.
• Lead onboarding and offboarding processes to ensure consistent, professional transitions for all attorneys and staff.
• Design and coordinate the annual performance review process, including timeline management, form administration, and coordination with practice area leaders and the Executive Committee.
• Manage employee disciplinary process, FMLA and leave of absence requests, accommodation requests, and related documentation with the support of the Firm’s HR compliance partner.
• Lead annual staff compensation review and market benchmarking.
• Maintain and annually update the employee handbook.
• Manage workers' compensation claims, unemployment claims, and responses to state agency inquiries.
• Manage the firm's Summer Clerk program from recruitment through end‑of‑summer close…