Entry Cfo Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Description

W.S. Darley & Co. is seeking a seasoned Chief Financial Officer to provide financial leadership, capital discipline, and strategic insight as the company enters its next phase of growth. The CFO will partner closely with the President/CEO and Board of Directors to ensure Darley consistently makes sound, well-timed decisions around capital deployment, liquidity, and enterprise risk.

This role is designed for a judgment-oriented CFO who excels at decision framing, governance, and leadership-not a transactional or back-office operator. The CFO will be responsible for the company's financial integrity, credibility, and performance narrative, ensuring leaders and directors receive clear, decision-ready insights rather than backward-looking explanations.

Requirements

The CFO owns liquidity management and capital allocation across the enterprise, including cash forecasting, credit facilities, covenant compliance, capital expenditures, M&A activity, and supplier prepayments. The role requires evaluating trade-offs using cash flow, return on invested capital, and risk exposure rather than relying solely on margin or accounting metrics. Anticipating risks and preserving strategic and financial flexibility are core expectations.

The CFO leads the company's planning and forecasting discipline, including rolling forecasts and scenario analysis, and sets the financial structure and narrative for Quarterly Business Reviews. Business leaders are expected to clearly own their financial commitments, risks, and opportunities, with the CFO providing pressure-testing, insight, and accountability.

The CFO prepares concise, decision-oriented materials for the Board and supports governance discussions focused on trade-offs, capital decisions, and long-term value creation. Externally, the CFO serves as the primary executive interface with banking partners, insurance carriers, auditors, tax advisors, and valuation firms, maintaining proactive relationships that protect credibility and flexibility.

As a strategic partner, the CFO provides independent, fact-based perspectives on pricing strategy, market and geographic exposure, major customer and supplier decisions, and merger and acquisition opportunities, including valuation logic, deal structure, diligence, and integration risks.

The CFO is responsible for building and leading a high-performing finance organization, setting expectations for accuracy, timeliness, and true business partnership. Success in this role requires developing strong FP&A, treasury, and controllership capabilities while reviewing and coaching work rather than personally producing analyses. The CFO also partners with IT and operations to ensure reliable financial systems, clean data, and analytics that improve decision speed and quality. The company has a strong, high-performing Controller and has made meaningful progress on business continuity; the key capability the new CFO must bring is elevated financial reporting.

The ideal candidate brings senior finance leadership experience, deep expertise in liquidity and capital allocation, and experience working directly with Boards and executive teams. Strong judgment, communication skills, and the ability to lead through influence are essential.

Success in this role is defined by the absence of financial surprises, faster and clearer capital decisions, disciplined risk management, and Board-level confidence that the company's financial direction is well understood and well governed.

Experience and qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting required
• Master's degree in Finance or Accounting strongly preferred
• Registered or Licensed CPA preferred
• 10+ years of senior finance leadership experience (CFO, Divisional CFO, or equivalent), preferably with government contracting or Defense and Aerospace experience.
• Deep expertise in liquidity management, capital allocation, and financial reporting.
• Experience working closely with Boards of Directors and senior executives.
• Strong judgment, communication skills, and business acumen.
• Proven ability to lead through influence rather than control

Benefits

• PTO
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health & Wellness Reimbursement
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life & Disability
• HSA with Darley contribution
• FSA
• 401K/Roth with match and profit sharing
• Darley paid life insurance

AAP/EEO Statement

Darley is an equal opportunity organization. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law