Chief Financial Officer

Department: Executive

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job Summary

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as the organization's senior financial executive and a key strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors. The CFO is responsible for safeguarding the financial strength of the company through disciplined financial planning, capital allocation, liquidity management, internal controls, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk oversight.

As a member of the executive management team, the CFO leads the finance and accounting functions while partnering across departments to align financial strategy with operating priorities, broadband expansion initiatives, and long-term organizational goals. The role combines executive-level strategic leadership with operational accountability for financial reporting, budgeting, financing, taxation, and financial governance.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead all financial operations of the company, including accounting, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax coordination, and financial reporting.
• Prepare and deliver accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, management reports, and Board-level financial materials.
• Direct the annual operating and capital budget processes and maintain multi-year financial forecasts aligned with strategic and operational plans.
• Lead financial strategy related to broadband infrastructure investment, including business-case development, rate-of-return analysis, funding-source evaluation, and long-range capital planning.
• Oversee liquidity planning, debt management, lender compliance, and relationships with financial institutions, auditors, and other external stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with loan covenants, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS) borrower requirements, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reporting obligations, and other applicable financial and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee financial administration and compliance for federal and state broadband funding programs, and other applicable grant or reimbursement programs.
• Direct grant financial reporting, drawdown processes, audit readiness, documentation standards, and internal controls associated with restricted or reimbursable funding.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve internal controls, accounting policies, financial procedures, and approval authorities to protect company assets and preserve the integrity of financial data.
• Identify, assess, and monitor enterprise financial risks, including liquidity, covenant compliance, audit exposure, grant compliance, tax exposure, fraud risk, and financial control weaknesses.
• Oversee tax planning and compliance, including federal and state income tax matters, property taxes, and telecommunications-specific tax obligations.
• Support executive leadership with financial modeling, scenario analysis, pricing and investment evaluation, contract review, and decision support for major strategic initiatives.
• Lead financial due diligence, valuation, and integration planning for acquisitions and other growth opportunities, partnering with the CEO to strengthen the Cooperative's long-term value for its members.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop finance and accounting staff; establish performance expectations, ensure cross-training, and build a high-performing, service-oriented finance team.
• Direct financial consolidation, reporting, and controls across all companies in the Cooperative's affiliated organization, and administer patronage capital allocation, retirement, and member equity accounting.
• Monitor industry, regulatory, and economic developments that could affect the company's financial performance, capital structure, or strategic direction.
• Serve as executive sponsor of the Cooperative's NISC enterprise billing and ERP platform, putting financial systems and data to work toward the operational efficiencies the Cooperative is driving across the organization.
• Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the scope and level of the position.

The duties and responsibilities outlined herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. This list is not exhaustive, and the employee may be required to perform other duties as assigned to meet the organization's needs.

Leadership & Accountability

The CFO is expected to serve as an enterprise leader, not solely as the head of accounting. This Cooperative is innovative, adaptive, and driven, and it expects the same of its officers - serving as a strategic partner who both challenges and supports the CEO and executive team, not merely a scorekeeper of results. Success in the role includes translating financial results into practical recommendations, supporting disciplined capital deployment, improving financial processes, and strengthening the organization's ability to make timely, well-informed decisions.

Core accountability areas include the timely close and reporting cycle, budget discipline, cash and debt planning, lender and grant compliance, internal control effectiveness, audit readiness, and the quality of decision support provided to executive leadership and the Board.

As a staff officer of the Cooperative, the CFO reports to and through the CEO, partners closely with the Board's Audit Committee and full Board of Directors on financial governance, and serves alongside multiple fellow vice presidents on the executive leadership team.

Above all, the Cooperative is looking for a growth-minded financial partner - someone energized by new opportunities across our affiliated companies, at home in a fast-moving cooperative rather than a static corporate finance seat and committed to helping the Cooperative live out its mission and vision every day.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), financial reporting standards, internal control practices, and executive-level financial governance.
• Knowledge of rural telecommunications, broadband, utility, or similarly regulated financial environments, including USDA RUS requirements, FCC obligations, and applicable state regulatory expectations.
• Knowledge of cooperative governance and finance, including patronage capital, member equity, and Board and Audit Committee reporting.
• Knowledge of broadband funding programs and related financial compliance, grant administration, reporting, reimbursement, and audit support requirements.
• Strong skill in budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, capital investment analysis, cash forecasting, and financial modeling.
• Skill in evaluating infrastructure and construction-intensive investments, including return analysis, funding structures, and long-term financial impacts.
• Skill in evaluating acquisitions and other growth opportunities, including due diligence, valuation, and integration planning.
• Skill in financial systems, spreadsheet modeling, reporting tools, and accounting platforms; experience with utility, broadband, or telecommunications billing environments is preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial information clearly to senior leadership, Board members, lenders, auditors, and regulatory agencies.
• Ability to establish and enforce effective internal controls, policies, procedures, and documentation standards.
• Ability to supervise, coach, and develop staff while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and make data-driven decisions in a dynamic operating and regulatory environment.

Education & Experience

Minimum Qualifications:

Valid driver's license. Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field. Professional certification such as CPA or CMA strongly preferred; equivalent advanced financial credentials may be considered. Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive financial management experience, including at least three (3) years in a senior financial leadership role with responsibility for financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and staff supervision.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in a rural telecommunications, utility, cooperative, infrastructure, or similarly regulated operating environment. Familiarity with USDA RUS loan and grant programs, broadband funding compliance, and construction-related financial oversight. Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other advanced degree in finance, accounting, or business. Experience leading or supporting mergers, acquisitions, or other significant growth transactions. Experience presenting to Boards of Directors, lenders, auditors, and regulatory stakeholders.

Compensation Philosophy

The Cooperative's compensation philosophy is straightforward: pay competitively, pay for the value created for our members, and back it with a strong cooperative benefits package. Compensation for this role reflects performance and impact rather than tenure alone.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Work is primarily performed in an office environment.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time.
• Must be able to operate a computer and other standard office equipment.
• Must be able to communicate and collaborate effectively with coworkers and business partners in person, virtually, and by telephone in a professional manner.
• Occasional travel, extended hours, or additional time commitments may be required to support Board meetings, lender engagements, audits, regulatory matters, project reviews, or other business needs.

*To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.