Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Who we are:

Raft (https://goraft.tech) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in Reston, VA. Our range of clients include innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting edge tech stack, and cloud native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

We’re looking for an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to support our growing efforts and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers. This is a unique opportunity to help build and shape a game-changing organization where we put our customers and people first.

About the role:

The CFO will lead all day-to-day financial & accounting operations, with functional responsibility for accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and provide support to external auditors on annual and quarterly financial statement reviews.  Responsibilities also include production of recurring financial reports to support the broader executive team and board, proper maintenance of accounting records, accurate processing of financial transactions, administration of a comprehensive set of controls and annual budget process designed to support strategic decision making, actively monitor corporate investment spending & research and development for the high ROI, mitigate risk, ensure that reported results comply with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and other regulatory agencies, adhere to contract management standards.

What we are looking for: 

• Leads from a CFO seat or has significant, high-quality senior finance experience in comparable companies.
• Successful track record working in high-growth, technology focused companies.
• Experience at one or more companies backed by venture capital or private equity firms, with an understanding of best practices and processes surrounding institutional investors, ideally with quality growth-oriented sponsors investing with a similar growth stage thesis.
• Strong understanding of best practices in private equity ecosystems, including ability to budget against investments, manage the company towards and articulate key components of an investment thesis, and support value creation initiatives (i.e., tuck-in or transformative M&A, growth investments, among others)
• Demonstrated ability navigating a firm’s transition from small business or set-aside contracts to prime full and open work.
• Experience accelerating top line revenue while also expanding gross margins and EBITDA.
• Preferred experience with both service and product offerings, with an understanding of leveraging IP and proprietary technology across a customer base
• Experience defining, reporting, and exceeding KPIs to Board, executive leadership team, and broader company, with the ability to both monitor quantitatively and craft a narrative behind the financials.
• Strong preference, but not required, to have led at least one exit, ideally to a strategic acquirer.
• Demonstrated ability and successful track record of identifying, leading and improving financial planning best practices.
• High level of qualitative messaging in connection with financial reporting that communicates a point of view and cogent story of company’s position.
• Strong understanding of M&A process with ability to work in conjunction with and support sponsor workstreams on various components of an acquisition process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership to all accounting and finance areas of the organization.
• Provide useful financial insights, analysis, and recommendations to assist management in formulating and executing business plans and achieving goals.
• Provide financial analyses and models, as needed, for pricing decisions, contract negotiations and various investment decisions.
• Ensure that all financial transactions are processed accurately, in a timely manner, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, maintaining a strong system of record for all financial accounts and transactions.
• Develop, implement, and maintain processes and controls that are current best practices related to transaction processing.
• Prepare and analyze accurate monthly financial and management reports, involving month-end closing procedures and reconciliations, including income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, budget and variance, and projections and forecast.
• Maintain control of the following areas: general ledger, accounts payable, expense reports, billing, inventory, payroll, among others.
• Prepare and assist with the development of audit schedules for financial audits, as well as assist with various government reporting obligations.
• Supervise one employee and assign tasks relevant to purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, new-hire onboarding, benefits administration, and other functions as determined by management. Prepare a variety of ad hoc financial scenarios as requested.

Intangible Characteristics:

• Leadership- Exhibits confidence in self and others. Inspires and motivates others to perform to the best of their ability. Effectively influences actions and opinions of others. Accepts feedback from others. Gives appropriate recognition to others. Seeks to effectively drive the decision-making process. Engaging, articulate, self-starter. Partnership mindset toward CEO and Board.
• Communication – Possesses the ability to convey information to others in a clear, decisive and understandable way. Responsible for communicating with employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking:Bring the ability to see the big picture and understand how your work fits into the company’s goals and the long-term effects of your decisions and actions, particularly with respect to an investment thesis and working towards specific long-term commercial and financial targets.
• Professionalism- Approaches others in a tactful manner. Reacts well under pressure. Treats other with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position. Accepts responsibility for their own actions and follows through on commitments.
• Standards of Excellence- Outstanding consultative and operational abilities and excellent interpersonal and presentation skills with executive level customers and partners. Proactive, resourceful, and flexible in a fast-paced work environment, excellent work ethic including high results-orientation, attention to detail, strong customer focus and an exemplary level of professionalism. History of followership and making strong hiring choices.

Highly Preferred:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field, with ten + years of previous related financial management experience.
• MBA or other advanced degree or certification preferred (e.g., CPA, CFA, etc.)
• Extensive experience working with private equity firms within a operating businesses at the senior level within the finance function of the portfolio company

Clearance Requirements:

• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

Work Type: 

• Headquartered in Reston, VA. As a member of the Executive team, this is NOT a remote position.

Salary Range:

• $225,000 - $275,000 
• The determination of compensation is predicated upon a candidate's comprehensive experience, demonstrated skill, and proven abilities

What we will offer you:

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage + 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs
• Monthly box of yummy snacks to eat while doing meaningful work
• Remote, hybrid, and flexible work options
• Team off-site in fun places!
• Generous Referral Bonuses
• And More!

Our Vision Statement:  

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.