Strategic Finance Consultant

Overview

This role supports venture-backed AI and AI-adjacent startups by providing senior finance leadership as part of a remote-first organization. Responsibilities include owning month-over-month financial performance, designing and managing finance systems, advising founders and executives on financial strategy, and helping clients navigate fundraising, M&A, and capital planning.

Responsibilities

• Provide Head of Finance–level oversight, including:
  • Monthly close
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Capital planning
  • Treasury management
• Advise founders and the management team on financial strategy, including:
  • Capital planning
  • Growth strategy
  • Management fee strategy and execution
• Own the finance section of Board meetings, including KPI dashboards and investor updates.
• Support fundraising and M&A efforts, including:
  • Round structure
  • Cap table scenarios
  • Communication with current and potential investors
  • Term sheets
  • Diligence activities
• Manage revenue cycle and related financial operations, including:
  • Cash flow planning
  • Vendor spend
  • Controls
  • Growth analysis
  • Audit readiness
• Identify opportunities where bookkeeping, tax, and HR services can add value for clients.

Requirements

• Direct, substantial experience in finance roles at venture-backed startups in the AI and AI-adjacent sectors (top qualifier).
• Experience managing compute costs, including:
  • Cluster costs
  • Cloud infrastructure
  • Training and inference expenses
  • Hybrid pricing models
• Startup finance experience, particularly related to SaaS models and metrics.
• Significant knowledge and hands-on use of current AI tools, skills, and LLMs as applied to CFO/financial functions (e.g., financial analysis, processes, accounting, reporting).
• Demonstrated ability to manage and “own the numbers” from a C-suite perspective (not limited to bookkeeping or building models).
• Broad experience advising through major capital events, including:
  • Equity and SAFE fundraising
  • SAFE debt facilities
  • M&A
  • Exits
• Comfortable operating at the board level and partnering effectively with investors, founders, and other stakeholders.
• At least 7–10 years in finance/operations, ideally with progressively responsible roles, ideally in AI/SaaS, machine learning, big data, or digital infrastructure companies.
• Strong familiarity with financial technology platforms such as QBO, Carta, Rippling, Ramp, Rillet, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or CPA (preferred, not required).
• Preference given to candidates based in Northern California, New York metro area, Austin or Boston (not a requirement).

Compensation & Benefits

• Remote work with work-from-anywhere flexibility.
• Flexible work schedule to support work-life balance.
• Encouragement for regular in-person visits with clients when possible.
• New Business Bonus Program (no cap on how many):
  • Bonus eligibility for introducing new clients not already on the organization’s radar.
• Cross-Sell Bonus Program:
  • Bonus eligibility for spotting and helping execute new opportunities with existing clients.
• Head of Finance Economic Interest:
  • Bonus eligibility for serving as the substantive Head of Finance for a multi-service client.

Target compensation range: $71,000 - $340,000 (project/contract basis), depending on scope. Final rates depend on factors including experience, expertise, geographic market, and project scope and duration. As an independent contractor engagement, compensation is structured as fees for services rendered under a consulting agreement.

Location

Remote (work-from-anywhere). Preference given to candidates based in Northern California, New York metro area, Austin or Boston (not a requirement). Availability during normal business hours is required.