Senior Director of Financial Planning & Analysis

Description

 The Senior Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) is a key member of the Finance & Accounting leadership team responsible for leading enterprise financial planning, forecasting, analysis, and business performance management across Detroit Defense. This hands-on role will provide financial leadership and decision support across multiple business units and functional areas, partnering closely with executive leadership and operational leaders to drive critical financial visibility, and support strategic decision-making.

The Senior Director will lead the Company's enterprise budgeting and forecasting processes as both an individual contributor and leader and manage cash flow modeling processes and treasury-related activities. This key contributor will develop financial and operational reporting, and provide analysis supporting strategic initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions. The role will establish consistent financial planning practices across the organization while ensuring that financial information is accurate, timely, actionable, and aligned with business objectives.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in government contracting and a strong working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, cost principles, contract structures, and the financial requirements associated with government-funded programs.

Requirements

Essential Responsibilities:

Enterprise FP&A Leadership

• Build and lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Company's enterprise FP&A function and establish forecast methodologies for all business units and corporate functions. 

• Own the annual enterprise budgeting process, including development of timelines, assumptions, templates, guidance, and deliverables, and implement best practices throughout the budgeting process. 

• Partner with executive leadership and business unit leaders to support development of annual operating plans, budgets, and long-range financial plans. 

• Implement and lead monthly, quarterly, and annual forecasting processes and provide visibility for the leadership team into financial performance and emerging trends. 

• Develop and maintain financial models that support business planning, scenario analysis, resource allocation, and strategic decision-making. 

• Identify financial risks, opportunities, trends, and performance gaps and proactively communicate them to executive leadership. 

• Develop meaningful financial and operational KPIs to measure business performance and support accountability. 

Cash Flow & Treasury Management

• Lead enterprise cash flow forecasting and modeling, including short- and long-term liquidity planning. 

• Partner with the CFO and Accounting team to optimize cash management, developing maintaining cash flow models that incorporate revenue, backlog, billing, collections, expenditures, payroll, capital requirements, and other key business drivers. 

• Monitor cash flow performance against forecast and identify potential liquidity risks or opportunities. 

• Support treasury activities, and liquidity planning, and provide visibility into cash requirements and working capital requirements.

Financial & Ancillary Reporting

• Partner with the CFO and Accounting team to develop comprehensive financial reporting package. 

• Work with the CFO and Accounting team to develop reporting packages that provide clear visibility into revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, EBITDA, backlog, cash flow, working capital, headcount, and other key performance indicators. 

• Translate complex financial information into concise business insights and recommendations. 

Business Partnership & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a strategic financial partner to business unit and functional leaders across the enterprise. 

• Work with business leaders to evaluate performance against budget, forecast, and strategic objectives, and support leaders in understanding financial drivers and making data-informed decisions. 

• Develop strong relationships across the organization and promote financial accountability at all levels. 

M&A & Strategic Analysis

• Lead financial analysis and modeling supporting business initiatives including mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions. 

• Support financial due diligence and evaluate historical and projected financial performance of potential acquisition targets. 

• Partner with executive leadership, Finance, Legal, Contracts, and external advisors throughout the M&A process. 

• Support post-acquisition financial planning, reporting, and performance management. 

• Conduct ad hoc financial analysis to support strategic investments, capital allocation, pricing, organizational decisions, and other enterprise initiatives. 

Government Contracting & Defense Industry

• Apply knowledge of government contracting requirements and incorporate all elements of contract performance into financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and business analysis. 

• Maintain a strong working knowledge of FAR and DFARS, including their financial and cost-related implications. 

• Understand government contract structures, and partner with our teams in Contracts, Program Management, Accounting, and Business Development to understand contract economics and financial risk. 

• Provide support to contract proposals, program performance, pricing, and contract modifications as needed

Leadership & Process Improvement

• Implement best practices in developing scalable financial planning processes, tools, and systems that support a growing multi-business-unit organization. 

• Identify opportunities to automate and improve financial reporting, forecasting, and analysis 

• Mentor and develop finance professionals and establish a culture of analytical rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement. 

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. MBA, CPA or CFA required

• 10+ years of progressive finance experience, with significant experience in FP&A, financial analysis, or corporate finance. 

• Experience in defense/government contracting or other government contracting environment including indirect rate development and analysis .

• Experience with CostPoint/Deltek or similar government-contracting ERP systems. 

• Demonstrated hands-on financial modeling expertise and experience leading an enterprise-level budgeting and forecasting process including indirect rate structures 

• Demonstrated experience developing financial models and executive-level financial reporting. 

• Experience supporting M&A analysis, financial due diligence, and strategic transactions. 

• Experience working with executive and operational leaders across multiple business units and functional organizations. 

• Strong working knowledge of FAR and DFARS and government-contracting financial requirements including indirect rate development and analysis, and experience supporting DCAA or other financial audits. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial leaders. 

• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, changing, and highly collaborative environment. 

• Ability to obtain a Common Access Card (CAC) or security clearance if needed.

Leadership Competencies:

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic Thinking: Connects financial performance to the Company's broader business strategy and long-term objectives. 

• Enterprise Leadership: Works effectively across business units and functional boundaries rather than operating solely within Finance. 

• Business Acumen: Understands the operational, contractual, and financial drivers of a defense business. 

• Analytical Rigor: Uses data, modeling, and sound financial judgment to identify risks and opportunities. 

• Executive Presence: Communicates complex information clearly and confidently with senior leaders. 

• Collaboration: Builds trusted relationships across Finance and the broader organization. 

• Accountability: Establishes clear expectations, drives results, and holds teams accountable. 

• Continuous Improvement: Builds scalable processes and uses technology and automation to improve financial visibility and efficiency.