Vice President Finance Accounting

Lumera Search Partners has been retained exclusively by our client, a growing and well respected regional Construction Management Firm, to find their first Vice President of Finance. This is a newly created role to address growth, new opportunities and succession.

Location: Blue Bell, PA or Allentown, PA. Some minimal travel between offices. Onsite 5 Days/Week, after established, hybrid possibilities may be discussed.

Reports to: CFO and CEO

Ownership Transition: 100% ESOP targeted by year-end

The Opportunity

Our client is a highly regarded, relationship-driven construction firm with a strong balance sheet, and an exceptional reputation for quality and reliability. The business benefits from a loyal customer base, significant repeat work, and long-standing and mutually beneficial subcontractor partnerships.

As part of a planned leadership evolution and ownership transition to a 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), the company is seeking a Vice President of Finance to join as a key member of the leadership team. This role is positioned as the successor to the CFO, with an anticipated transition over the next several years.

This is an ideal opportunity for a hands-on, technically strong accounting and finance leader who thrives in a lean, highly collaborative environment and is motivated by the opportunity to help guide a successful company through its next phase of growth and employee ownership.

The Role

The Vice President of Finance will partner closely with the CFO, Controller, the Accounting Team and operational leaders to enhance financial performance, strengthen accounting rigor, and support strategic decision-making.

Given the company’s size and structure, this is a highly engaged, roll-up-your-sleeves role requiring both strategic perspective and day-to-day involvement across accounting, finance, and operations.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Financial Leadership

• Partner with the CFO and executive team to drive financial strategy, planning, and performance
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes
• Provide actionable financial insights to support operational and strategic decisions
• Support execution of the ESOP transaction and ongoing financial governance

Accounting Leadership & Partnership with Controller

• Bring strong technical accounting expertise to complement an experienced (non-accountant) Controller
• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of financial reporting in accordance with GAAP
• Enhance internal controls, policies, and processes where appropriate
• Establish a collaborative, respectful partnership with the Controller, this role is intended to elevate and support the existing team structure

Operational Finance

• Drive best practices in job costing, WIP reporting, and project profitability analysis
• Work closely with project managers and field leadership to improve financial visibility and margins
• Develop and refine KPIs and reporting tools to support operational performance

Systems & Process Improvement

• Assess current financial systems (Sage 300 Construction) and assist with potential ERP evaluation and implementation
• Improve reporting capabilities, data integrity, and process efficiency
• Ensure systems and processes are scalable and aligned with future growth

Treasury & Risk Management

• Oversee cash flow, working capital, and banking relationships
• Support bonding capacity, insurance programs, and financial risk management
• Assist in capital planning related to ESOP structure

Leadership & Culture

• Operate effectively in a lean, highly collaborative environment with frequent interaction across all levels of the organization
• Build strong relationships with the small accounting team, operations,administrative and executive teams
• Contribute to a culture defined by accountability, trust, and teamwork
• Support financial education efforts in an ESOP environment

Succession

• Work in close partnership with the CFO to gain exposure to all aspects of the finance function
• Gradually assume increasing responsibility in preparation for CFO succession

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA strongly preferred
• 10 years of progressive experience, including significant accounting leadership
• Demonstrated experience in construction or a project-based environment
• Deep expertise in job costing, percentage-of-completion accounting, and WIP reporting
• Experience working in lean organizations with high cross-functional collaboration

Preferred Experience

• Experience with ESOPs or ownership transition environments
• ERP system selection and implementation experience
• Familiarity with Sage 300 or comparable construction accounting systems

Personal Characteristics

• Hands-on, low-ego leader who leads through collaboration and influence
• Strong technical accounting capability beyond a typical VP Finance profile
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trust across diverse teams
• Practical, solutions-oriented mindset with strong business acumen
• Comfortable operating in an onsite, highly interactive environment

Why This Role

This opportunity offers the ability to step into a critical leadership role within a financially strong, well-respected construction company at a pivotal moment in its evolution. The successful candidate will play a central role in the company’s transition to employee ownership while positioning themselves to assume the CFO role in the coming years.