VP Finance/Strategic Controller

The right candidate for this position is ready to live and work in Santa Barbara, CA.

An aviation management company with over two decades worth of success serving their discerning clientele is seeking a rare kind of financial leader—someone who can step into complexity, impose clarity, and build a financial engine that matches the sophistication of a world-class private aviation company. This is not a maintenance role; it is a build-and-evolve mandate at the intersection of finance, operations, and strategy.

About Our Client

Based in Santa Barbara, they are a premier private aviation company delivering bespoke flight experiences to a discerning global clientele. The company operates in a high-value, asset-intensive environment where precision, discretion, and operational excellence are non-negotiable.

About The Opportunity

The Widroe Group has been retained to identify and recruit a VP Finance / Strategic Controller who can fundamentally elevate their financial infrastructure. This role is designed for a builder—someone who sees beyond existing systems and constructs what the business truly needs to scale intelligently.

You will operate as both a hands-on financial leader and a strategic partner to executive leadership, with a mandate to create clarity, accountability, and forward-looking insight across the organization.

What You’ll Do

• Architect Financial Infrastructure: Redesign and implement scalable financial systems, reporting frameworks, and controls aligned with a complex aviation business
• Own Financial Reporting & Accuracy: Deliver timely, precise, and decision-useful financials across multiple entities and asset classes
• Drive Strategic Insight: Translate financial data into actionable recommendations that influence growth, pricing, and operational decisions
• Partner with Operations: Work closely with flight operations, maintenance, and asset management teams to align financial performance with real-world activity
• Lead Planning & Forecasting: Build dynamic forecasting models that reflect the realities of an asset-heavy, variable-demand business
• Establish Controls & Discipline: Create processes that ensure accountability without slowing down a fast-moving organization
• Evaluate Profitability at Every Level: From individual aircraft to client programs, deliver clear visibility into performance drivers
• Build and Mentor Team: Develop a high-performing finance function as the company scales

What Makes This Role Different

This is not a traditional controller role, and it is not a purely strategic CFO track position. It sits in the space between—requiring both precision and vision.

We need one person who can walk in, see the system for what it is, and build the financial infrastructure the company actually needs — not manage the one that exists. The right candidate is rare. They combine the precision of a controller with the architecture instincts of a CFO and the operational fluency of someone who has lived inside a high-stakes, asset-heavy operating environment. This is not a role for someone looking for a stable accounting leadership position. This is a role for someone who is energized by complexity, accountable for outcomes, and capable of building something that outlasts their onboarding.

Ideal Background

• 10 years of progressive finance leadership experience, including controller-level ownership
• Experience in asset-intensive or operationally complex industries (aviation, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, or similar)
• Proven track record of building or transforming financial systems and processes
• Strong command of GAAP, reporting, and internal controls, paired with strategic thinking
• Comfort operating in a hands-on, high-accountability environment
• Ability to communicate clearly with both financial and non-financial stakeholders

Personal Characteristics

• Systems thinker who naturally sees structure in complexity
• High ownership mindset with a bias toward action
• Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of creating clarity
• Detail-oriented without losing sight of the bigger picture
• Energized by building rather than maintaining

Location

Santa Barbara, California (on-site presence expected)

About The Widroe Group

The Widroe Group is a retained executive search firm specializing in placing high-impact leaders into transformative roles. We partner closely with both clients and candidates to ensure alignment not just on capability, but on ambition and long-term fit.

This is an opportunity to build something enduring inside a distinctive and high-performance company. The impact will be visible, measurable, and lasting.