Chief Financial Officer Independent Contractor (1099)

Overview

This role is for entrepreneurial, AI-forward Chief Financial Officers to serve as trusted fractional CFO and strategic advisor to venture-backed and emerging growth clients. You will work with CEOs, founders, executive teams, boards, and investors across industries and stages, guiding clients through finance transformation driven by AI and automation.

You will also help expand the portfolio by growing existing client engagements and bringing new clients to the firm.

Responsibilities

Strategic CFO Leadership

• Serve as a trusted fractional CFO and strategic advisor to CEOs, founders, executive teams, boards of directors, and investors across a portfolio of client companies
• Lead financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting, including 3-statement models, scenario analysis, and runway planning
• Oversee financial statements, management reporting, KPI dashboards, and board materials in compliance with GAAP
• Lead AI transformation by evaluating and implementing core systems across ERP, billing/revenue, spending, and financial planning
• Manage cash flow, treasury, and capital deployment, balancing principal protection with return on investment
• Guide clients through equity and debt financings, including SAFEs, convertible notes, priced venture rounds, and venture debt; prepare data rooms and support investor due diligence
• Advise on M&A, strategic transactions, and exit readiness; support due diligence and integration planning
• Identify opportunities such as pricing and unit economics, revenue recognition (ASC 606) and contract structure, non-dilutive funding, entity and tax strategy, and operational efficiency
• Oversee audits, reviews, tax compliance, and maintain strong relationships with external auditors, tax advisors, bankers, and legal counsel
• Identify and manage risks to each client’s financial and business health; maintain internal controls appropriate to each client’s stage and complexity

Client Relationship Ownership

• Act as the primary senior point of contact for each client, with executive-level presence
• Lead periodic client business reviews (monthly or quarterly) connecting finance work to strategic goals
• Set and revisit expectations on scope, staffing, timing, and pricing during engagement kickoff as client needs evolve
• Address delivery issues or concerns immediately, translate client feedback into action, and respond to all client survey feedback
• Hold regular check-ins to build trust and surface emerging issues early
• Help clients recognize the strategic value of accounting and finance, and advocate for process improvements and working norms

Engagement Economics & Quality

• Monitor team hours and costs against client estimates and budgets weekly to bi-weekly, in partnership with the Engagement Lead
• Review and approve client invoices; review engagement profitability and realization quarterly
• Initiate conversations when scope, workload, or staffing no longer match estimates, including recommending fee adjustments
• Provide final review and sign-off on deliverables before they reach the client; spot-check quality monthly
• Exercise sound judgment on whether to resolve issues directly or escalate within the organization

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and coach accounting and finance professionals assigned to client engagements
• Define expectations for roles on the client team, provide real-time feedback on deliverables, and contribute to semi-annual performance reviews
• Use non-close work such as FP&A, tax, financings, and M&A diligence as development opportunities for senior team members
• Help the team prioritize workload while driving growth aligned with client needs

Client Growth & Business Development

• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand existing relationships through added services, scope adjustments, and fee increases
• Introduce clients to capabilities they may not yet use (FP&A build-outs, systems implementations, AI-enabled workflows, fundraising support, and transaction advisory)
• Source new client relationships through a network of founders, venture capital firms, lenders, accelerators, and professional advisors
• Represent the organization through thought leadership, events, and community involvement to support referrals and testimonials
• Partner with leadership on service offerings, pricing, and firm-wide growth initiatives

Finance Innovation & AI

• Bring a point of view on how AI and automation are reshaping finance and help clients adopt tools that improve speed, accuracy, and insight
• Recommend and coordinate implementation of systems supporting fast growth across AP, billings, AR and revenue, cash and treasury, and FP&A
• Identify where AI-assisted forecasting, automated reporting, intelligent document processing, and workflow automation can reduce manual work and improve decision quality
• Keep human judgment, controls, and data integrity at the center of new tools and workflows
• Share effective approaches with colleagues so best practices scale across the organization

Requirements

• Strategic thinker who connects financial data to business decisions and can explain complex finance clearly to founders, boards, and investors
• Growth mindset: curious, coachable, quick to learn, motivated by new industries, business models, and tools
• Grit and ownership: follow through when things get hard, stay steady in ambiguity, and deliver for clients
• Habit of going above and beyond, anticipating needs, and bringing ideas forward proactively
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple client relationships in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Excellent executive communication and interpersonal skills, including board and investor presentations
• Commercial instinct and comfort leading conversations about scope, pricing, and new opportunities
• Owner mindset focused on quality, expansion, and profitability
• High integrity and sound business judgment; ability to deliver difficult news while shaping next steps
• Working knowledge of AI and automation tools applicable to finance and operations, with enthusiasm for responsible use
• Entrepreneurial spirit and passion for startups and emerging growth companies

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; MBA and/or CPA strongly preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of senior financial leadership experience, with at least 5 years as a CFO or VP of Finance
• Minimum of 5 years of experience with venture-backed, emerging growth companies
• Experience in a fractional CFO, professional services, or multi-client advisory environment strongly preferred
• Proven experience leading equity and/or debt financings and supporting board and investor relations
• Strong technical accounting foundation, including GAAP reporting and ASC 606 revenue recognition, sufficient to review and sign off on deliverable quality
• Track record of growing client relationships and/or sourcing new business
• Advanced financial modeling skills in Excel and/or Google Sheets; experience with modern finance systems such as NetSuite, QuickBooks Online, Ramp, Bill.com, and FP&A platforms
• Proven experience designing the finance function’s “operating system” (data, workflows, AI agents and controls), not just managing it; comfortable personally using AI-native tools to build and improve processes, with ability to apply frameworks for what to automate, what to build, what to buy, and the ROI of each
• Proven ability to build, train, and resource a small, high-leverage team where AI fluency is a baseline skill, moving finance toward real-time operations (continuous forecasting, a faster close) while maintaining an audit trail from every number back to its source

Location

• New York City or San Francisco Bay Area (preferred)
• Proximity to clients and the venture ecosystem in these markets is a plus; remote work with in-person clients, networking, and firm events

Engagement Type

• Independent Contractor (1099)
• Hours vary based on client portfolio and engagement needs
• Not eligible for employee benefits

Reports To

• CFO Lead

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly rate: $195 – $245 per hour, commensurate with experience
• Commission for closed client referrals

Equal Opportunity

• The organization is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workplace. People from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

Additional Notice

• This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, and activities required. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.