Finance Director
Cranbrook, British Columbia | Full-time | On-site
$100,000 to $150,000 + benefits
This is not a Finance Director role where you sit above the numbers.
MacKay is looking for a finance leader who can think strategically, work directly with Operations and executive leadership, and still get close enough to the accounting to know whether the numbers are right.
You will lead finance operations for MacKay in heavy civil construction, mining, aggregates and related businesses. The environment is project-driven, equipment-intensive and growing. Cash moves quickly. Capital decisions matter. Project forecasts matter. Bonding capacity matters.
Your job is to make sure the financial side of the business gives the company the information, discipline and capacity it needs to make good decisions and execute.
The Work
MacKay delivers complex civil, mining and infrastructure work across Western Canada, with operations developing in the United States.
That creates a finance environment very different from a conventional corporate accounting role.
You will be dealing with project forecasts, WIP, equipment economics, capital planning, banking, surety, cash flow, multiple entities and operational decisions that can move millions of dollars.
You will work closely with the COO, CEO, General Manager, Operations, Estimating and Equipment teams. You will lead the Corporate Controller and help build the finance team, systems and controls behind the business.
And when something needs to be figured out, you will be expected to get into the detail.
What You'll Get to Lead
Give leadership a clear view of where the business is going. Build the budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes that allow leadership to see revenue, margin, overhead, cash requirements, backlog and capital needs before decisions have to be made.
Strengthen project financial performance. Work directly with project leaders on monthly job-cost reviews, forecast-at-completion, WIP and variance analysis. The goal is not simply to report what happened. It is to identify problems early enough that Operations can do something about them.
Own cash, banking and bonding capacity. Maintain a forward view of cash requirements, working capital, financing and covenant compliance while developing strong relationships with lenders and sureties. You will be directly involved in the financial packages and decisions that support MacKay's ability to pursue and execute larger projects.
Bring discipline to major capital decisions. MacKay operates an equipment-intensive business. You will work with Operations and Equipment to evaluate fleet investments, utilization, lifecycle cost, financing alternatives and return on capital before significant purchases are made.
Build financial reporting people can actually use. Turn accounting information into clear P&L, margin, cash, project and KPI reporting that helps the executive team understand what is changing, why it is changing and what requires attention.
Strengthen the finance function as the company grows. Develop the Controller and broader finance team, improve systems and processes, strengthen internal controls and build enough depth that the department does not depend on one person knowing everything.
This Is a Hands-On Finance Director Role
You will set financial strategy, work with lenders and sureties, advise the executive team and contribute to major business decisions.
But you also need to understand the accounting underneath those decisions.
There will be times when you need to review an accrual, trace an intercompany balance, understand a journal entry, work through a loan payment or help resolve a payroll or receivables issue.
You do not need to do everything yourself.
You do need to understand it well enough to know when it is right, when it is wrong and what needs to happen next.
You'll Probably Fit Here If
You have spent enough time inside project-based businesses to understand that construction finance cannot be managed entirely from financial statements.
You understand job costing, WIP, percentage-of-completion accounting, cash flow and the relationship between project execution and financial performance.
You are comfortable moving between executive-level conversations and detailed accounting questions.
You can sit with a Project Manager and challenge a forecast, work with an Equipment Manager on a capital purchase, talk bonding capacity with a surety, then explain the financial implications clearly to the executive team.
You also know how to build a finance team without creating unnecessary bureaucracy around the people trying to run the work.
Your experience includes:
- A CPA designation.
- 10+ years of progressive finance experience, including at least 5 years in senior financial leadership.
- Experience in construction, infrastructure, mining or another project-based industry.
- Strong project accounting, cash flow, financing and commercial-risk knowledge.
- Experience leading finance teams and working directly with banks, lenders, sureties or insurers.
Even Better If You Bring
Experience with multi-entity organizations, cross-border Canadian/U.S. operations, equipment-intensive businesses or aggregates would translate well here.
Experience with construction ERP, job-costing, budgeting and project-control systems would also be useful.
What You Can Expect From MacKay
You will have direct access to the people making operational and business decisions.
You will be expected to challenge assumptions, bring problems forward early and contribute your perspective rather than simply report results after the fact.
This is an established business with real projects, significant equipment, multiple operating entities and an experienced leadership team. At the same time, there is meaningful work still to be done in strengthening systems, reporting, accountability and the financial infrastructure required for the company's next stage.
As the business grows, so will this role. The scope, responsibilities and influence of the finance function will expand alongside the company, creating real opportunity for the right person to grow with it.
The role is based on-site in Cranbrook, British Columbia.
The normal schedule is Monday to Friday, with additional time required around month-end, year-end, budgeting and major banking or bonding deadlines. Occasional travel to projects and meetings with financial partners will be required.
About MacKay
MacKay Contracting is a heavy civil, mining and aggregates contractor based in the Kootenays.
Since 1986, our teams have delivered challenging infrastructure, earthworks, mining and environmental projects across Western Canada. Today, MacKay continues to build its capabilities and operating footprint while staying focused on the fundamentals that built the company: practical problem-solving, accountable execution and strong people.
Our values are simple:
Be Safe Always Unified as a TEAM Integrity & Accountability Lead with Innovation & Excellence Drive Positive Impact
Interested?
If you are a finance leader who wants to be close to the business, influence real operating decisions and help build the financial platform behind a growing contractor, we'd like to hear from you.
