Chief Executive Officer
Reports To: Chair, Board of Directors
Location: Washington, DC metropolitan area / Hybrid
About the Society of Defense Financial Management
The Society of Defense Financial Management (SDFM) is a professional association dedicated to advancing the practice of financial management and the professional development of the defense financial management workforce. SDFM provides education, training, certification, professional development, networking, and thought leadership opportunities to individuals and organizations throughout the Department of War, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, federal government, industry, academia, and the broader financial management community.
SDFM serves approximately 12,000 individual members, more than 100 corporate members, and a national network of chapters. Through its professional development programs, conferences, certification programs, publications, research, and engagement with government and industry leaders, SDFM provides a forum for the defense financial management community to exchange ideas, develop talent, address emerging challenges, and advance the profession.
SDFM is an organization in an important period of continued transformation. The Society is focused on expanding its value to members and corporate partners, strengthening its financial sustainability, modernizing its operations and technology, growing its certification and educational offerings, pursuing merger opportunities, and positioning itself as a leading voice on the issues shaping the future of defense financial management.
Purpose of the Position
The Chief Executive Officer is the chief staff executive and principal operating leader of the Society of Defense Financial Management. The CEO is responsible for translating the strategic direction established by the Board of Directors into organizational results and for ensuring that SDFM fulfills its mission to educate, train, certify, connect, and advocate for the defense financial management profession.
Reporting directly to the Chair of the Board of Directors, the CEO will provide strategic and operational leadership across the Society’s programs, membership, chapters, certification, professional development, conferences, corporate engagement, publications, communications, finances, technology, partnerships, and administrative operations.
The CEO will serve as the principal representative and spokesperson for SDFM and will build and maintain strong relationships with senior leaders throughout the Department of War, federal government, military services, industry, academia, professional associations, and other organizations that influence or contribute to the defense financial management profession.
The successful CEO will be a visible, credible, innovative, and collaborative leader who understands the defense financial management community and can translate emerging issues into meaningful value for SDFM members and the organizations they serve.
The CEO will work closely with the Board of Directors, committees, volunteers, chapters, corporate members, staff, government leaders, and other stakeholders to ensure that SDFM remains relevant, financially sustainable, professionally respected, and positioned for long-term growth and impact.
Key Responsibilities
Board Governance and Strategic Leadership
- Work with the Board and appropriate committees to develop, refine, and execute SDFM’s strategic plan and associated annual operating objectives.
- Translate strategic priorities into measurable organizational goals, initiatives, budgets, timelines, and performance measures.
- Identify emerging opportunities, competitive threats, organizational risks, and changes affecting the defense financial management profession and recommend appropriate actions to the Board.
Mission, Strategy, and Organizational Growth
- Develop and execute strategies that increase the value of SDFM membership and expand the Society’s reach throughout the defense financial management workforce.
- Continually assess SDFM’s programs, products, services, and business model to ensure they remain relevant to the changing needs of members, government organizations, industry, and the profession.
- Foster an entrepreneurial and innovative organizational culture that encourages appropriate experimentation, continuous improvement, collaboration, and responsible risk-taking.
Advancing the Defense Financial Management Profession
- Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders throughout the Department of War, Military Departments, Defense Agencies, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, federal government, Congress and relevant staff organizations, industry, academia, and other professional organizations.
- Ensure that SDFM provides a constructive and credible forum for discussion of emerging issues and serves as a bridge among government, industry, academia, and the broader financial management community.
- Represent SDFM through speeches, testimony or briefings when appropriate, media interviews, articles, podcasts, social media, conferences, and other public forums.
- Develop strategic relationships and partnerships with organizations whose missions complement SDFM’s objectives.
Membership Development and Engagement
- Lead efforts to grow, retain, and diversify SDFM’s individual membership.
- Strengthen engagement with chapters and provide chapters with the resources, guidance, training, and support necessary to succeed.
- Recognize and celebrate members and volunteers who make significant contributions to SDFM and the profession.
Corporate and Strategic Partnerships
- Lead the development and retention of SDFM’s corporate membership and strategic partnerships.
- Ensure that corporate members receive meaningful value through networking, professional development, sponsorship, thought leadership, and engagement opportunities.
- Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships, co-sponsored events, educational programs, research, and other initiatives that expand SDFM’s reach and impact.
Certification, Education, and Professional Development
- Provide strategic leadership for SDFM’s professional education, training, certification, and workforce development programs.
- Ensure that the Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) and other SDFM certification offerings remain relevant, rigorous, respected, and responsive to the evolving requirements of the defense financial management profession.
Conferences, Events, and Member Programs
- Provide strategic oversight of SDFM’s national conferences, professional development events, webinars, workshops, networking programs, and other member activities.
- Ensure that SDFM conferences and programs provide exceptional educational, networking, and professional value while meeting established financial objectives.
- Strengthen the strategic value and visibility of SDFM’s flagship events and identify opportunities for new programs and markets.
Financial Performance and Organizational Sustainability
- Have overall responsibility for the financial health, fiscal integrity, and long-term sustainability of SDFM.
- Work with the Board, Treasurer, finance professionals, and appropriate committees to establish annual budgets, financial objectives, operating targets, and long-term financial plans.
- Monitor organizational performance against approved budgets and strategic objectives and take corrective action when necessary.
- Develop strategies for revenue growth, expense management, financial diversification, reserves, investments, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Organizational Operations and Management
- Build and maintain a high-performing, professional, collaborative, and member-focused organizational culture.
- Ensure that SDFM has effective processes, technology, systems, data, and organizational infrastructure to support its mission and growth.
- Execute contracts, agreements, and other instruments on behalf of SDFM within the authority delegated by the Board.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and the requirements applicable to SDFM as a nonprofit professional association.
Communications, Brand, and Public Engagement
- Increase SDFM’s visibility, credibility, and influence within the defense financial management community and among senior government and industry leaders.
- Oversee SDFM’s professional publications and thought-leadership activities.
Chapter and Volunteer Leadership
- Provide chapters with tools, resources, training, and best practices that enable them to deliver meaningful value to local members.
Critical Success Factors
The following outcomes should be considered priorities for the CEO during the initial period of service:
- Establish a strong, collaborative, and trusting relationship with the Chair, Board of Directors, volunteers, members, chapters, corporate partners, and staff.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of SDFM’s programs, membership, certification portfolio, conferences, financial position, technology, operations, chapters, partnerships, and stakeholder relationships.
- Execute the Board-approved strategic plan and establish measurable performance indicators for organizational success.
- Strengthen SDFM’s financial sustainability through disciplined financial management, revenue growth, expense management, and appropriate diversification of revenue.
- Continue to grow individual and corporate membership and strengthen member engagement and retention.
- Increase the value, reach, and visibility of the CDFM and other professional development programs.
- Strengthen the chapter network and develop a sustainable pipeline of volunteer and professional leaders.
- Position SDFM as a leading and credible voice on emerging defense financial management issues.
- Expand strategic partnerships with government, industry, academia, and other professional organizations.
- Ensure that SDFM’s technology, systems, data, and operating model support a modern, efficient, and member-centric organization.
- Develop and maintain a high-performing organizational culture focused on accountability, innovation, collaboration, professionalism, and service to members.
Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will be an accomplished financial management executive leader with demonstrated experience leading complex military organizations professional/nonprofit organizations, government organization, or comparable enterprise.
The CEO should possess the credibility, judgment, leadership presence, and relationship-building skills necessary to engage effectively with senior military, civilian, government, industry, academic, and association leaders.
The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge of defense financial management with strong executive, business management, or association leadership capabilities.
Required or Highly Desired Experience and Qualifications
- Significant executive leadership experience with responsibility for organizational strategy, operations, finances, people, programs, and external relationships.
- Extensive knowledge of the federal government and, preferably, substantial experience within the Department of War and/or U.S. Coast Guard financial management community.
- Strong professional relationships and credibility within the defense financial management community.
- Demonstrated success leading organizations through transformation, organizational change, modernization, or significant growth.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans and translate strategy into measurable results.
- Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgeting, forecasting, revenue development, financial controls, and organizational sustainability.
- Experience leading membership growth, customer/member engagement, business development, partnerships, or comparable stakeholder-development activities.
- Experience working effectively with a volunteer Board of Directors and volunteer leaders.
- Demonstrated ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain high-performing staff.
- Exceptional relationship-building, coalition-building, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to serve as an effective spokesperson for the organization.
- Demonstrated ability to engage senior government and industry executives and communicate effectively with both technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Innovative and entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to recognize emerging trends and translate them into opportunities for the organization and profession.
- Technology awareness and demonstrated willingness to leverage technology, data, artificial intelligence, and other emerging capabilities to improve organizational performance and member value.
- Demonstrated commitment to professional ethics, integrity, transparency, accountability, and stewardship.
- Ability to operate effectively in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
- Graduate degree in finance, business, public administration, management, or another relevant field is highly desirable.
- Professional financial management certification such as CDFM, CGFM, CMA, CPA, or comparable credential is highly desirable.
- Experience in professional association management, nonprofit leadership, or significant volunteer leadership in a professional association is highly desirable.
- A history of membership and active participation in the defense financial management or broader professional association community is highly desirable.
Leadership Characteristics
The CEO will be expected to demonstrate:
- Strategic Vision — Sees beyond current programs and operations to identify where SDFM and the profession need to be five to ten years from now.
- Executive Presence — Has the credibility and confidence to engage effectively with senior government, military, industry, academic, and association leaders.
- Mission Focus — Maintains a clear commitment to advancing the defense financial management profession and creating measurable value for SDFM members.
- Innovation and Adaptability — Embraces change, technology, new business models, and emerging issues while maintaining sound organizational judgment.
- Relationship Builder — Builds coalitions and partnerships across government, industry, academia, chapters, and professional organizations.
- Financial Stewardship — Understands the importance of sustainable revenue, disciplined expense management, reserves, investment, and responsible stewardship of member resources.
- People Leadership — Builds high-performing teams, develops future leaders, and creates an environment in which staff and volunteers can succeed.
- Member Centricity — Understands that SDFM exists to serve its members and continually seeks to improve their professional value and experience.
- Communicator and Advocate — Can articulate complex defense financial management issues clearly and compellingly and serve as a credible voice for the profession.
- Integrity and Judgment — Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, confidentiality, accountability, and organizational stewardship.
Relationship with the Board
The CEO reports directly to the Chair of the Board of Directors, acting on behalf of the Board.
The Board is responsible for governance, fiduciary oversight, strategic direction, and CEO accountability. The CEO is responsible for the leadership and management of the organization and for executing the strategy, policies, and objectives established by the Board.
The CEO is expected to maintain regular communication with the Chair and Board and to ensure that the Board is fully informed regarding organizational performance, significant risks, opportunities, financial condition, and matters requiring Board action.
The CEO will work collaboratively with the President/Chair and other volunteer leaders while maintaining clear distinction between the Board’s governance responsibilities and management’s operational responsibilities.
Measures of Success
Performance will be evaluated based upon progress toward Board-approved strategic and annual objectives, including, as appropriate:
- Membership growth, retention, engagement, and satisfaction
- Corporate membership and partnership growth
- Financial performance and long-term sustainability
- Revenue diversification and program profitability
- Certification growth and quality
- Conference and professional education performance
- Chapter engagement and development
- Member value and customer service
- Strategic partnerships and professional influence
- Organizational efficiency and technology modernization
- Staff performance, engagement, and retention
- Visibility and thought leadership within the defense financial management profession
- Successful execution of the SDFM strategic plan
The Opportunity
This is an opportunity to lead a respected professional organization at an important time for the defense financial management profession.
The next CEO will inherit an organization with an established membership base, a growing corporate community, a nationally recognized certification program, a strong conference and professional development portfolio, an extensive chapter network, and deep relationships across the defense financial management community.
At the same time, the defense financial management profession is undergoing significant change driven by evolving fiscal requirements, auditability, PPBE reform, technology, artificial intelligence, data analytics, workforce challenges, and changing expectations of government and industry.
The CEO will have the opportunity to shape SDFM’s next chapter—strengthening its foundation while expanding its influence, relevance, membership, financial sustainability, and impact on the future of defense financial management.
Due date for resumes/cover letters is October 2, 2026.
