Vice principal Jobs in Chattanooga, TN

HHM Talent is assisting a client search for a VP of Finance in Chattanooga, TN.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly capable, strategic, and hands-on finance leader to partner directly with ownership in running and scaling a real estate investment and development platform.

This role will oversee financial reporting, forecasting, cash management, investment fund modeling, tax strategy, and project-level analysis across multiple entities and active developments.

The ideal candidate will operate as both a strategic thought partner and execution leader, owning financial visibility across multiple developments, investment vehicles, and capital structures while helping drive better, faster decisions across the business. This is a low transaction, high complexity environment with significant exposure to land development, structured debt, investor returns, and long-range planning.

This role works directly with the Principals and serves as the financial hub of the company, integrating across acquisitions, development, construction, and investor reporting. The role have full visibility into deals, capital structures, and company strategy, and will play a key role in shaping financial outcomes across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Own all accounting and finance functions across multiple entities and investment structures
• Prepare and review monthly financial statements with clear variance analysis and recommendations
• Drive budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow reporting across the portfolio
• Partner with Principals on long-range financial plans to support growth and capital deployment strategies
• Proactively identify potential financial risks, opportunities, and operational issues
• Build and maintain complex multi-year financial models for developments, acquisitions, and investment funds
• Analyze project profitability, IRR, equity multiples, and investor return scenarios
• Model complex cash flow across multiple projects, loans, and ownership structures
• Evaluate debt structures and blend financing sources across dozens of active loans
• Present forecasts, performance trends, and strategic recommendations to ownership
• Translate complex project-level data into actionable insights
• Support dozens of active land development and real estate projects
• Oversee development draws, pay applications, and project funding schedules
• Monitor job costs, budgets, construction spending, and project timelines
• Assist with acquisitions, dispositions, refinances, rehab projects, and insurance matters
• Oversee liquidity planning and capital allocation across entities
• Coordinate with external CPAs on tax filings, audits and compliance matters
• Lead process improvements and system enhancements, including QuickBooks Online and consolidation workflows

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting required
• CPA strongly preferred
• 7+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience
• Prior experience in real estate, land development, construction, private equity, or investment funds strongly preferred
• Strong background in financial modeling, forecasting, and strategic analysis
• Experience with IRR, return metrics, debt structures, and investor reporting
• Strong understanding of job costing, percentage-of-completion accounting, and real estate transactions
• Ability to work independently and manage complex accounting issues with minimal supervision
• Ability to shape systems, processes, and financial infrastructure
• Experience in leveraging AI platforms for workflow automation is preferred
• Advanced Excel and Google Sheets skills required
• Experience with QuickBooks Online required
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, Slack, Bill, and standard business software