OPT Chief Financial Officer Jobs
Chief Financial Officer jobs on OPT are rare but achievable, particularly at growth-stage startups and mid-size companies willing to sponsor. Your 12-month OPT window is tight for a role with long hiring cycles, so STEM extension eligibility through finance-adjacent degrees can meaningfully extend your timeline.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
At the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), every role is an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of children, youth, and families across our state. We are committed to building a compassionate, skilled, and dedicated workforce that works collaboratively to ensure safety, promote well-being, and strengthen families. Whether you are in the field supporting families face-to-face, working behind the scenes to improve systems, or helping to shape the agency from a leadership level, your work here has purpose and long-lasting impact. Join a team that values integrity, resilience, and service and be part of meaningful change for New Mexico's future.
THIS POSTING MAY BE USED FOR ONGOING RECRUITMENT AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. APPLICANT LISTS MAY BE SCREENED MORE THAN ONCE.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This position is responsible for management and oversight of the Children, Youth and Families Department budget and financial activities for program/programs including but not limited to purchase orders, vouchers, operating transfers, P-cards etc., in support of CYFD Divisions.
This position is responsible for the formulation and development of Children, Youth and Families Department annual appropriation request, operating budget, tracking and forecasting expenditures and revenues monthly, and formulating and executing a plan for new initiatives or activities related to changes in the Agency.
This position oversees the Budget and Financial Manager and is responsible for ensuring program budget management is up to date with tracking and forecasting expenses and monitoring revenue to include state, federal, and other sources. This position is responsible for managing fiscal activities to include but not limited to payments, requisitions, purchase orders, P-cards, and operating transfers through the Statewide, Human Resources, Accounting, and Reporting (SHARE) system and internal projections.
This position is responsible for management of direct employees, duties include but are not limited to recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation, mediation, and discipline.
This position will provide budgetary and fiscal support to Divisions, and incumbent will be cross trained to assist with other programs when necessary. The position will work closely with Executive Leadership, Division Directors, program managers, the Administrative Services Division (ASD) budget, procurement, accounts payable, receivable, and grants management staff. In addition to other state and federal agencies staff as necessary.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Auditing and three (3) years of experience in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or Auditing; to include one (1) year of managerial or supervisory experience. Any combination of education from an accredited college or university in a related field and/or direct experience in this occupation totaling seven (7) years may substitute for the required education and experience. A hiring agency may designate a portion of the required experience to include federal grant and/or special revenue experience to be identified at the time of recruitment.
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License. Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certificate from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification as a condition of continued employment. Pre-employment background investigation is required and is conditional pending results.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Office setting; exposure to VDT; extensive personal computer and phone usage. Extended periods of sitting and some lifting. Good communication skills; Interacting with the public required. High pressure/stress situations.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
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Agency Contact Information: Andrea Roybal, (505) 531-7371, Email
For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.
Bargaining Unit Position
This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
INTRODUCTION
At the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), every role is an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of children, youth, and families across our state. We are committed to building a compassionate, skilled, and dedicated workforce that works collaboratively to ensure safety, promote well-being, and strengthen families. Whether you are in the field supporting families face-to-face, working behind the scenes to improve systems, or helping to shape the agency from a leadership level, your work here has purpose and long-lasting impact. Join a team that values integrity, resilience, and service and be part of meaningful change for New Mexico's future.
THIS POSTING MAY BE USED FOR ONGOING RECRUITMENT AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. APPLICANT LISTS MAY BE SCREENED MORE THAN ONCE.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This position is responsible for management and oversight of the Children, Youth and Families Department budget and financial activities for program/programs including but not limited to purchase orders, vouchers, operating transfers, P-cards etc., in support of CYFD Divisions.
This position is responsible for the formulation and development of Children, Youth and Families Department annual appropriation request, operating budget, tracking and forecasting expenditures and revenues monthly, and formulating and executing a plan for new initiatives or activities related to changes in the Agency.
This position oversees the Budget and Financial Manager and is responsible for ensuring program budget management is up to date with tracking and forecasting expenses and monitoring revenue to include state, federal, and other sources. This position is responsible for managing fiscal activities to include but not limited to payments, requisitions, purchase orders, P-cards, and operating transfers through the Statewide, Human Resources, Accounting, and Reporting (SHARE) system and internal projections.
This position is responsible for management of direct employees, duties include but are not limited to recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation, mediation, and discipline.
This position will provide budgetary and fiscal support to Divisions, and incumbent will be cross trained to assist with other programs when necessary. The position will work closely with Executive Leadership, Division Directors, program managers, the Administrative Services Division (ASD) budget, procurement, accounts payable, receivable, and grants management staff. In addition to other state and federal agencies staff as necessary.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Auditing and three (3) years of experience in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or Auditing; to include one (1) year of managerial or supervisory experience. Any combination of education from an accredited college or university in a related field and/or direct experience in this occupation totaling seven (7) years may substitute for the required education and experience. A hiring agency may designate a portion of the required experience to include federal grant and/or special revenue experience to be identified at the time of recruitment.
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License. Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certificate from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification as a condition of continued employment. Pre-employment background investigation is required and is conditional pending results.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Office setting; exposure to VDT; extensive personal computer and phone usage. Extended periods of sitting and some lifting. Good communication skills; Interacting with the public required. High pressure/stress situations.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Do you know what Total Compensation is? Click here
Agency Contact Information: Andrea Roybal, (505) 531-7371, Email
For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.
Bargaining Unit Position
This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
See all 1,327+ OPT Chief Financial Officer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Chief Financial Officer
Target companies at the right growth stage
Early-stage startups rarely hire CFOs, and Fortune 500 firms have rigid sponsorship policies. Series B through Series D companies are the sweet spot: they need financial leadership but haven't locked into bureaucratic hiring constraints.
Lead with your CPA or CFA credentials
Licensure matters at the CFO level. Holding an active CPA or CFA signals you meet the professional threshold employers use to justify specialty occupation status, which is central to H-1B visa eligibility after OPT.
Frame your OPT timeline clearly and early
CFO hiring cycles run three to six months. Bring up your OPT expiration date and H-1B sponsorship needs in the first substantive conversation so neither side wastes time on a timeline that won't work.
Emphasize cross-border financial expertise
International candidates bring genuine value at this level: familiarity with foreign currency exposure, transfer pricing, and multi-jurisdiction tax structures. Position your international background as a strategic asset, not a visa complication.
Build relationships with PE and VC-backed boards
Private equity and venture-backed companies hire CFOs through board referrals more than job postings. Attend CFO roundtables, finance leadership events, and investor-adjacent networks where these decisions get made informally.
Negotiate a start date that protects your OPT status
If an offer comes through, confirm the start date falls within your authorized OPT period and that your employer will file for H-1B sponsorship well before your status expires. Get this in writing before signing.
Chief Financial Officer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Chief Financial Officer on OPT?
Yes, CFO is a qualifying specialty occupation for OPT work authorization, provided your degree field relates to the role. Finance, accounting, economics, and MBA degrees are the most common qualifying credentials. The degree-to-job connection needs to be clear, since USCIS will scrutinize this relationship if your employer later files for H-1B sponsorship.
Does a CFO role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If your undergraduate or graduate degree is in a STEM-designated field such as financial engineering, data science, or computational finance, and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify, you may qualify for the 24-month STEM extension. A standard finance or accounting degree typically does not qualify, even for a CFO role.
How do I find CFO jobs that offer OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for this search. The platform surfaces CFO and senior finance leadership roles at companies with a demonstrated history of sponsoring work visas, which saves you from applying to firms that will decline at the offer stage. Filtering by sponsorship track record is the most efficient way to protect your OPT timeline.
What happens if my OPT expires before the H-1B takes effect?
If your employer files your H-1B petition before your OPT expires and you receive a receipt notice, you may be eligible for a cap-gap extension that bridges your status until October 1, when the new H-1B period begins. You must remain employed by the same sponsoring employer throughout this period. An immigration attorney can help you confirm eligibility and timing.
Do employers see CFO candidates on OPT as a risk?
Some do, particularly large public companies with rigid HR policies. Growth-stage and private equity-backed firms tend to be more flexible, especially when the candidate brings irreplaceable financial expertise. The most effective approach is to address sponsorship directly and early, frame the H-1B process as straightforward for a specialty occupation role, and come in with documented credentials that reinforce your eligibility.