Head Of Financial Systems Architecture
Our Culture at Astra
At Astra, we are builders. We want to be the gold standard for people in the Commercial Services trades. We are building a 100+ year business with an A+ team - driven, excited about the future, and looking for people who want to build with us.
Astra is currently implementing a new ERP system to drive consistency, scalability, and real-time visibility across our portfolio of Operating Companies. This multi-year effort is central to building a strong financial foundation for growth, enabling standardized processes while allowing local flexibility where needed. The ERP program is being led by a centralized Systems team, in close collaboration with functional stakeholders across the organization. This role will play a critical part in representing Finance in that effort ensuring that the ERP is configured and validated to support accurate reporting, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
The Director of Finance Systems Configuration is a key leadership role and trusted partner to the CFO, focused on ensuring the financial reporting success of Astra's ERP implementation. This individual will define Finance's system requirements, collaborate closely with the Systems team on configuration, and lead hands-on testing to validate accuracy and usability. Acting as the bridge between Finance, Systems, and Operating Companies, this role plays a critical part in ensuring Astra's financial systems are set up for scalable, accurate, and compliant reporting. This role will serve as the tactical point of contact and decision-maker for all ERP cutovers from a Finance perspective. Responsibilities include coordinating cutover activities, managing financial data transitions, resolving issues in real time, and ensuring alignment across cross-functional teams to support a smooth and accurate go-live.
This position will report to the Chief Programs Officer on an interim basis and will report to the Chief Financial Officer once that position is filled.
Core Competencies and Experience
- Hands-on experience with ERP configuration and financial system implementations.
- Strong technical knowledge of ERP financial modules (e.g., GL, AP, AR, Fixed Assets).
- Direct experience being responsible for closing the books for a service organization.
- Demonstrated success in accelerating month end close cycles improving efficiency and reporting accuracy with ERP tools.
- Consistently reduced month end close timelines through process optimization and automation.
- Direct experience validating financial processes as part of ERP sustainment and software release cycles.
- Understanding of absorption accounting and associated processes.
- Experience security setup for enterprise security in financial reporting.
- Experience closing and reporting in multiple currencies and managing foreign exchange including reevaluation and translation.
- Ability to lead financial integration efforts during M&A activity.
- Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
- Excellent communication skills and social agility to work across varying levels of financial experience.
- Comfort with ambiguity and ability to drive clarity in decentralized environments.
- Track record of high performance in fast-paced, growth-oriented businesses.
- Experience operating in a role similar to an independent consultant, providing objective guidance across teams.
- Led cutover planning and execution for Finance, including beginning balances, migration of key financial data, reconciliation and tie-outs, and coordination of blackout periods.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% to support on-site integration and ERP work.
Compensation
The salary range for this position is $175-225 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
Work Location
We are seeking someone to join our team in person in our Boulder, CO office.
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of relevant experience in ERP financial configuration and integration.
- Significant financial responsibility in ERP implementation projects.
- Ability to influence across all levels, including executives and early-career staff.
- Strong change management, communication, and adaptability skills.
- Experience in a high-growth, acquisition-driven business environment preferred.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the Finance-side lead for ERP configuration, defining and validating requirements for modules such as GL, AP, AR, and Fixed Assets.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO, ensuring ERP financial configurations support scalable, compliant, and consistent financial reporting across the organization.
- Work in close partnership with the Systems team, who is responsible for the technical configuration and implementation of the ERP system.
- Lead hands-on testing efforts for Finance-related ERP functionality to ensure accuracy, usability, and readiness for production use.
- Partner with Operating Companies (OpCos) to understand financial process needs and ensure ERP design supports local and centralized financial operations.
- Coordinate with the VP of Integration to ensure financial systems setup aligns with the broader acquisition integration timeline while maintaining separate ownership of financial systems readiness.
- Provide financial discipline and subject matter expertise to ensure ERP designs meet accounting standards and operational needs.
- Travel regularly (up to 25%) to OpCos to build relationships, lead testing, and support financial systems adoption on the ground.