Vice President of Finance

Overview

Summary

• The Vice President of Finance leads financial planning, analysis, reporting, controls, and strategy to ensure fiscal health, support growth, and enable data-driven business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial strategy & leadership: Develop and execute finance strategy aligned to company objectives; advise the CEO/executive team on financial implications of strategic decisions.
• Financial planning & analysis (FP&A): Lead budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, scenario modeling, and monthly/quarterly business reviews.
• Accounting & reporting: Oversee financial close, GAAP-compliant financial statements, tax filings, and statutory reporting; ensure timely, accurate monthly/quarterly/year-end close.
• Treasury & cash management: Manage cash flow forecasting, working capital, banking relationships, debt, and investment strategies.
• Capital planning & fundraising: Lead fundraising efforts (equity/debt), investor relations support, financial diligence, and capital allocation decisions.
• Financial controls & compliance: Own internal controls, SOX readiness (if applicable), audit management, and regulatory compliance (tax, SEC/filings).
• Commercial finance & pricing: Partner with revenue, product, and sales on pricing strategy, contract economics, deal reviews, revenue recognition, and margin optimization.
• Cost management & operating efficiency: Drive cost-control programs, operational KPIs, and margin improvement initiatives.
• Systems & automation: Select and implement finance systems (ERP, FP&A tools, consolidation, expense management), automate reporting, and improve process efficiency.
• Risk management & insurance: Oversee enterprise risk assessments, insurance programs, and mitigation strategies.
• Team building & leadership: Recruit, develop, and manage finance teams (accounting, FP&A, treasury, tax, payroll); establish career paths and performance frameworks.
• Cross-functional partnership: Work closely with CEO, CFO (if present), COO, legal, HR, and business unit leaders to align finance with operations and strategy.
• M&A and strategic projects: Lead financial due diligence, integration planning, carve-outs, and post-merger financial integration.
• Metrics & governance: Define and track financial KPIs (revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, CAC payback, burn rate, runway, cash conversion cycle) and present actionable insights to leadership and board.

Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years in finance with progressive leadership; 5+ years in senior/VP-level roles preferred.
• Industry: Domain experience beneficial depending on business (SaaS, healthcare, fintech, manufacturing, retail).
• Education & credentials: Bachelor’s in Finance/Accounting; CPA, MBA, or relevant advanced degree preferred.
• Skills:
• Strong FP&A, accounting, and treasury expertise
• Financial modeling, valuation, and fundraising experience
• Knowledge of GAAP/IFRS and regulatory compliance
• Systems implementation experience (ERP, consolidation, reporting)
• Strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder influence
• Leadership in building high-performing finance teams
• Personal attributes: Detail-oriented, analytical, pragmatic, trustworthy, and business-partner focused.
• Success metrics (examples)
• Accuracy of forecasts vs. actuals; variance reduction
• EBITDA margin improvement and operating expense as % of revenue
• Cash runway, burn rate, and days cash on hand
• Timeliness and accuracy of financial close and reporting
• Working capital metrics (DSO, DPO, inventory turns)
• Fundraising success and investor satisfaction
• ROI on strategic investments and M&A outcomes
• Internal control strength and audit results
• Reporting & structure
• Reports to: CFO or CEO (depending on organization)
• Direct reports: Head of FP&A, Controller, Treasury Lead, Tax Lead, Payroll/Benefits Manager, Financial Systems/Analytics
• Works closely with: CEO, COO, Legal, HR, Business Unit Heads, External Auditors, Banks, and Investors

Compensation & Perks (Sample)

• Competitive base salary + performance bonus; equity common for senior roles
• Benefits: health, retirement, flexible PTO, professional development budget
• Onboarding priorities (first 90 days)
• Review current financial statements, forecasts, cash position, key contracts, and major cost drivers.
• Stabilize month-end close, address urgent control gaps, and resolve immediate liquidity or reporting risks.
• Deliver a 6–12 month finance roadmap (forecast cadence, system upgrades, cost initiatives, fundraising plan) with owners and measurable targets.

Variants

• VP Finance (SaaS): Strong subscription revenue recognition, ARR/MRR focus, CAC/LTV analysis, and customer economics.
• VP Finance (Enterprise): Emphasis on compliance, complex revenue recognition, and large-scale ERP implementations.
• VP Finance (High-growth startup): Hands-on modeling, fundraising, cash management, and building the finance function.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent