Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Position Overview

LifeFormations is a creative fabrication and animatronics studio delivering complex, custom-built experiences for clients around the world. As we enter our next stage of growth, we are seeking a hands-on Chief Financial Officer to help design and implement the financial foundation that will support and scale the business.

This is a unique opportunity for a builder, someone excited to step into a growing, project-driven company and design the systems, visibility, and financial discipline needed to reach the next level.

The CFO will serve as both a strategic partner and working operator, bringing clarity to project performance, cash flow, and long-term planning in a business where each project is unique and operational decisions directly impact financial outcomes.

The CFO will work closely with the President and leadership team to translate operational activity into financial clarity while building the tools necessary for disciplined growth and predictable decision making.

Supported by a bookkeeper and external CPA partners, the CFO will take ownership of design and implementation of the company’s financial systems, reporting framework, and overall financial strategy.

Key Responsibilities

This role is responsible for building and leading the financial function to support a growing, project-based business. The CFO will partner closely with leadership and operations to create clarity, improve predictability, and enable disciplined growth.

Financial Strategy & Executive Partnership

• Serve as the senior financial advisor to the President and leadership team.
• Translate operational activity into clear financial insight that supports strategic decision-making.
• Support leadership with growth planning, capital investments, and potential acquisitions or partnerships.
• Develop financial frameworks that align creative, production, and business goals.
• Oversee accounting procedures, including compliance with financial reporting, budgeting and forecasts.

Financial Systems & Infrastructure

Design and implement the financial systems required to support a growing project-based creative production company.

• Implement systems for project financial tracking, revenue recognition, and Work in progress (WIP) management
• Develop project margin analysis and departmental performance reporting
• Create clear, actionable financial dashboards across profitability, pipeline, and cash flow

Project & Production Financial Management

• Establish financial visibility from project kickoff through completion.
• Track estimated vs. actual performance across labor, materials, and timelines.
• Partner with project managers and production leadership to monitor margin health and drive accountability.
• Identify early warning indicators for cost overruns and schedule impacts.
• Provide input on pricing strategy and margin targets.
• Act as a financial partner to operations, ensuring financial insight is integrated into day-to-day decision making.

Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Build and manage annual budgets and rolling forecasts.
• Developing scenario models for growth, capital investment, and hiring
• Creat integrated financial models that connect pipeline, production capacity, and revenue.
• Deliver forward-looking insights to guide decision-making.

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations and manage the bookkeeper.
• Ensure accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting.
• Coordinate with external CPA firms on tax, audit, and compliance matters.
• Establish and maintain strong internal controls and financial governance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required; CPA, MBA, or equivalent advanced certification strongly preferred.
• At least 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, ideally within project-based or production-driven environments
• Proven history of building and scaling financial systems and processes within companies in the $15M–$50M revenue range.
• Experience in one or more of the following industries strongly preferred: custom manufacturing, fabrication, themed entertainment, experiential design, engineering, construction, or similar project-based environments.
• Demonstrated success in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and driving strategic decision-making.
• Strong leadership experience with a focus on building, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate financial insights for non-financial stakeholders.
• Collaborative, hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, creative, and evolving business environment.

Leadership Profile

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Systems thinking — ability to design financial infrastructure from the ground up.
• Operational curiosity — motivated to understand how projects are built and how decisions impact performance.
• Hands-on operator — comfortable operating within a lean team and engaging directly in the details.
• Clear communication — ability to translate financial data into actionable insight for non-financial partners.
• Strategic perspective —balances financial discipline with the needs of a creative, growth-oriented business

First-Year Success Indicators

Within the first 12–18 months the CFO will have:

• Established clear, consistent monthly financial reporting and leadership dashboards.
• Built accurate WIP and backlog tracking to improve forecasting and planning.
• Implemented rolling forecasts and proactive cash flow management .
• Improved financial discipline and accountability across projects and operations.
• Strengthened the company’s financial foundation to support scalable, sustainable growth.

LF Studios (Formerly LifeFormations) is design and specialty fabrication studio dedicated to telling stories, making people laugh and creating lasting memories for the world's leading attractions, exhibits, branded spaces and IP based products. We specialize in animatronics, static figures and specialty scenic. For more information about LF Studios, please visit