Finance Manager (Financial Planning/Analysis)

Chief Financial Officer West Carolina| Executive Leadership Opportunity Help Shape the Financial Future of a Growing, Innovative Broadband Cooperative West Carolina is seeking a strategic, growth-minded Chief Financial Officer to join its executive leadership team and help guide the Cooperative through its next chapter of growth, investment, and opportunity. This is not a traditional “keep the books and report the numbers” CFO position. West Carolina is looking for a financial leader who wants a seat at the table—someone who can translate financial information into strategy, challenge assumptions, identify opportunities, and work alongside the CEO, Board of Directors, and executive team to make smart decisions about where the Cooperative goes next.

For the right leader, this is an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on a financially important, community-focused organization operating in an industry undergoing tremendous change. As CFO, you will serve as West Carolina’s senior financial executive and a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and Board. You will lead the Cooperative’s finance and accounting functions while helping shape decisions involving broadband investment, capital deployment, acquisitions, affiliated companies, financing, grants, operational efficiency, and long-term growth.

The CFO will: ● Lead financial strategy, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, financial reporting, tax, internal controls, and enterprise financial risk. ● Partner with the CEO and executive team on strategic planning, financial modeling, pricing, investments, contracts, and major business decisions. ● Evaluate broadband infrastructure investments and develop business cases, return analyses, funding strategies, and long-range capital plans. ● Lead financial due diligence, valuation, and integration planning for acquisitions and other growth opportunities. ● Oversee liquidity, debt, lender relationships, loan covenants, audits, and regulatory financial requirements. ● Provide financial oversight for federal and state broadband funding and grant programs, including reporting, reimbursement, controls, and audit readiness. ● Direct financial reporting and controls across West Carolina’s affiliated organizations. ● Oversee cooperative patronage capital, member equity accounting, and related financial responsibilities. ● Serve as executive sponsor for the Cooperative’s NISC enterprise billing and ERP platform, leveraging systems, financial data, and technology to drive greater efficiency across the organization. ● Champion the use of AI and forward-looking technology across Finance and the organization—not just adopting it, but driving it, so West Carolina sets the standard for what a cooperative can be. ● Build, mentor, and develop a strong finance and accounting team with an emphasis on accountability, cross-training, collaboration, and continuous improvement. ● Present clear, actionable financial information to the CEO, Board of Directors, Audit Committee, lenders, auditors, and other stakeholders.

More Than a Finance Leader They help determine what should happen next. West Carolina is looking for someone who can see beyond the spreadsheet—an executive who understands the connection between financial discipline and business opportunity and who is comfortable asking the tough questions while helping the organization find a path forward.

You may already be a CFO, or you may be an accomplished Controller, Vice President of Finance, or senior financial leader ready to step into a broader executive role. What matters most is your ability to combine strong financial fundamentals with strategic thinking, leadership, curiosity, and a desire to help grow the enterprise. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field and at least eight years of progressive financial management experience, including three years in a senior financial leadership capacity.

A CPA or CMA is strongly preferred, with other advanced financial credentials considered. An MBA or other advanced degree is a plus. Knowledge or experience involving USDA Rural Utilities Service requirements, FCC obligations, broadband funding programs, construction-related financial oversight, cooperative finance, NISC systems, or mergers and acquisitions would be advantageous.

Because this is a place where the CFO can make a difference. In-office expectations will be at least 50 percent the first 18 months with greater flexibility for hybrid work once you have your financial leadership well established for the cooperative. If you want to help an innovative broadband cooperative invest, grow, evolve, and build for the future, please reach out to Shirley Bloomfield, President of ShirleyConnected, LLC, at shirleyconnected@outlook.