Director of Finance Job Vista area,California USA,Finance & Banking

Key Responsibilities

-Design and manage ALE's capital structure, including evaluation of equipment and asset-based financing appropriate to a capital-intensive battery manufacturing operation.
- Develop and own ALE's financial strategy, multi-year financial model, and capital plan to fund production scale-up, capacity expansion, and working capital needs of a growing manufacturing operation.
-Own and directly oversee the finance and accounting organization, working alongside the Controller and Accountant(s), including hands-on ownership of day-to-day accounting operations and cost accounting execution, and ensuring GAAP-compliant financial statements, strong internal controls, and accurate reporting.
-Own the annual budgeting and forecasting process, working closely with Operations, Manufacturing, and Sales to align financial plans with production capacity and customer commitments.
-Manage banking relationships, credit facilities, and treasury/cash management, including cash flow forecasting appropriate to a capital-intensive manufacturing business.
-Own enterprise risk management, including financial, operational, and compliance risk, and report key risk areas to the CEO and Board.
-Ensure financial practices and internal controls meet AS9100 quality system requirements and applicable government contract cost accounting standards (FAR/CAS) given ALE's DoD and defense customer base.
-Serve as ALE's primary financial point of contact for existing investors and the Board of Directors, including investor relationship management, board reporting, and board deck preparation.
-Report financial results to investors and the Board of Directors on a regular cadence, including financial statements and key performance metrics.
-Lead audit relationships (financial and, where applicable, government/DCAA-type audits); ensure timely, accurate financial reporting to the Board, investors, and lenders.
-Build and scale the finance and accounting organization as ALE grows, including hiring, developing, and managing the Controller, Industrial Accountants, and future finance hires.
-Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of financial systems and ERP infrastructure to support accurate financial reporting, cost accounting, and scale as production volume increases.
-Own day-to-day accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and monthly close, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of financial records.
-Partner with HR to ensure payroll processing and pay practices comply with California wage-and-hour law, including meal and rest period requirements, overtime calculations, and timely final pay.
-Partner with the CEO and executive team on M&A, strategic partnerships, pricing strategy, and other corporate finance matters as they arise.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; MBA or CPA strongly preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive finance/accounting leadership experience, including prior experience as a Director of Finance, Controller, or similar senior finance role.
- Finance and accounting background with direct, hands-on experience executing day-to-day cost accounting within a manufacturing or hardware environment.
- Experience presenting financial performance and reporting to a Board of Directors, investors, or senior leadership team.
- Strong GAAP knowledge and experience overseeing audited financial statements.
- Proven ability to build and scale financial systems, processes, and a finance/accounting team through a period of rapid company growth.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with ERP evaluation, selection, and/or implementation, ideally in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong working knowledge of California wage-and-hour law and payroll compliance requirements or demonstrated ability to partner effectively with HR on these matters.

Preferred Qualifications .

- Experience in battery, energy storage, aerospace, or other advanced manufacturing sectors.
- Corporate financial management experience related to mining, mineral exploration, or raw material supply chains relevant given ALE's reliance on lithium and other critical battery materials.
- Experience with government contract accounting (FAR/CAS) and DoD or other government customers. Prior experience operating in an AS9100- or ISO 9001-certified environment.
- Experience with ITAR/export-controlled business environments.
- Direct experience implementing or administering ADP Workforce Now or a comparable…