Make an Impact That Reaches the Skies
At Coulson Aviation, we don’t just fight fires—we protect lives, forests, and entire communities across the globe. From North America to Australia and South America, our fleet of large fixed-wing and rotary aircraft delivers rapid aerial fire suppression when it matters most.
As part of the Coulson Group of Companies, a family-owned organization with over 65 years of innovation, we’re expanding fast—and we’re looking for a strategic, hands-on Director of Finance - USA to help guide that growth from our location in Thermal, CA.
Why You’ll Want to Be Here:
- Competitive compensation based on experience.
- Inclusive, respectful culture that values diversity.
- Comprehensive health benefits: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for individual employee.
- Retirement Security: up to 5% 401(k) match to help you build your future.
- A fast-paced, rewarding environment where your work truly matters.
What You Bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field (MBA or CPA preferred).
- 10+ years in progressive finance leadership, ideally in multinational/shared services.
- Proven ability to translate financial data into strategic decisions.
- Expertise in compliance, tax, and regulatory frameworks.
- Demonstrated experience managing entity-level finance functions.
- Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills
- Experience managing and developing high-performing teams
What You’ll Do:
- Serve as the primary financial advisor to entity leadership, delivering strategic, data-driven insights
- Lead financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and deep-dive performance reviews to drive cost savings and margin improvement
- Monitor daily financial health through dashboards, KPIs, and variance analysis
- Oversee compliance with tax, audit, insurance, and regulatory requirements, including responding to authority inquiries
- Approve purchase orders, vendor invoices, and expenses within budget controls
- Analyze MRO and aircraft project performance against forecasts and budgets
- Collaborate with operational leaders to align financial goals and resolve queries
- Coordinate month-end closings, reconciliations, and reporting with Shared Services
- Maintain accurate documentation and ensure timely regulatory filings
- Ensure robust internal controls and drive continuous financial optimization
- Partner with HR and payroll to validate payroll runs, manage compensation accuracy, and support workforce planning
- Address employee finance-related inquiries with a focus on satisfaction
- Act as liaison with Shared Services Center to ensure seamless financial operations and resolve service delivery issues
Note: This is an on-site position. Candidates must either be willing to relocate or live within one-hour driving distance of the Thermal location.
Ready to take your career to new heights? Apply now!
We are committed to providing accommodation for people with disabilities. If you require accommodation through any element of the job application process, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Due to the volume of applications we receive, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field
- MBA or CPA
- 10+ years of progressive finance leadership experience
- Experience in multinational or shared-services environments
- Ability to translate financial data into strategic decisions
- Expertise in compliance, tax, and regulatory frameworks
- Experience managing entity-level finance functions
- Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills
- Experience managing and developing high-performing teams
- Willingness to work onsite in Thermal, California, or relocate within one hour of the location
What We Do
Global Leaders in Aerial Firefighting Coulson Aviation is a privately owned family company founded in 1960 and currently employing over 650 people, operating a diverse fleet of both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. Coulson’s worldwide operations and diverse fleet provide unmatched support to governments in Australia, North America, South America, and Europe.
