Director of Finance

Overview

This role involves owning the organization’s finance function in a hands-on capacity within an early-stage environment. Responsibilities span annual planning and budgeting, forecasting and executive reporting, oversight of external accounting partners, grant management, audit leadership, project financing support, and tax credit compliance.

Responsibilities

Strategic Fiscal Leadership & Financial Operations

• Lead the organization’s annual budgeting process in close partnership with executive leadership, developing dynamic budgets at the organizational, project, and departmental level.
• Build rolling monthly and quarterly financial forecasts; analyze variances, surface strategic insights, and deliver executive-level reporting.
• Partner with external bookkeeping and accounting service providers to ensure smooth, accurate day-to-day operations, including A/P, A/R, payroll, month-end close, and reconciliations.
• Help select and onboard internal team members as the organization grows.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance financial systems, workflow automation, and internal controls to support growth.

Grant Management

• Take end-to-end ownership of grant and financing compliance, serving as the primary authority on allowable spending and reporting across state, federal, and foundation grants and contracts.
• Lead the financial design and narrative development for grant applications across state, federal, private foundation, and corporate donors.
• Monitor grant spending and allowable costs to keep programs on budget and fully compliant with funder terms.
• Produce timely, accurate financial reports for grantors in compliance with donor requirements.
• Maintain structured, accessible financial records for all grant agreements to support continuous compliance and reporting.

Financial Governance, Compliance, Audit Readiness, and Portfolio Management

• Serve as the primary lead for external audits, including federal Single Audits under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200 / FAR Part 31), managing audit preparation, documentation gathering, and resolution of audit findings.
• Maintain a proactive, year-round internal control environment and updated fiscal policies to safeguard organizational assets and support an audit-ready posture.
• Oversee begin-construction and safe-harbor documentation, placed-in-service deadline tracking, prevailing wage and apprenticeship records, domestic content, prohibited foreign entity (PFE) material-assistance requirements and recapture tracking.
• Structure and execute project financing with leadership and financing partners, including capital stacks that combine tax credits and other grant funding; review term sheets and transaction documents with advisors.
• Coordinate with an outsourced tax firm to prepare and submit relatively complex multi-entity returns with multiple SPVs.
• Own ITC and other tax credit submissions and compliance, including credit transfers and Direct Pay (elective pay) elections.
• Work with specialist advisors on buyer diligence, tax credit insurance, and bridge financing against expected credits.

Requirements

• 6+ years of progressive finance experience, including hands-on project finance or finance leadership in commercial solar, storage, or comparable energy development.
• Proven multi-funder grant accounting experience, managing budgets across state and federal grants, or foundations.
• Hands-on experience using class, division, or customer/project fields to manage expense allocations by program and funder.
• Familiarity with federal grant compliance mechanisms, including Single Audits under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
• Experience managing project economics, multiple entities, and construction/long-term financing.
• Fluency with modern cloud-based finance technology stacks (e.g., QuickBooks Online, Ramp) and a passion for automating and streamlining manual workflows.
• Experience working in high-growth startup environments delivering results with a small team and outside advisors.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to translate complex financial data, forecasts, and accounting nuances for non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong command of U.S. GAAP, financial statements, and project accounting; ability to review technical work and own the numbers.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Detail-oriented, strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, with sound business judgment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Clean energy project finance experience.
• Tax credit transfers (ITC).
• Audit preparation experience.
• Federal/state grant accounting experience (including 2 CFR 200).
• Experience managing multiple sets of books and implementing automation in finance workflows.
• CPA and/or MBA.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: $150,000–$200,000
• Annual performance bonus and profit-sharing plan
• Placement within the range depends on relevant experience and qualifications.

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, vision, and 401k
• Competitive paid time off
• Flexible work schedule / remote work

Location

Remote work with a flexible schedule.