Strategic Finance Lead
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 2, 2026. First seen by Alion on Jul 15, 2026.
As Strategic Finance Lead of FP&A at Cents, you will serve as the leader of the FP&A function and play a pivotal role in guiding the company’s financial planning, analysis, and strategic decision-making processes. Cents is a rapidly growing Series C startup, and this role is designed for a finance leader who can independently own budgeting, forecasting, performance analysis, and executive-level decision support. Working closely with the CFO and senior leadership team, you will help scale the company’s financial infrastructure, improve visibility into performance drivers, and support high-impact decisions across the business.
We're a hybrid team that works together in our NYC office three days a week. Our in-office anchor days are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, when you'll find the broader team collaborating, meeting, and connecting in person. Tuesdays and Fridays are remote, giving you dedicated time for focused work while still maintaining the flexibility of a hybrid schedule.
Key Responsibilities:
Departmental and Corporate Budgeting & Forecasting:
Lead the annual budgeting process, rolling forecasts, and long-range planning across all departments and at the corporate level. Build and maintain driver-based models that improve planning accuracy, support resource allocation, and align financial targets with company strategy.
Cross-Functional Business Partnership:
Serve as a strategic finance partner for Sales and Marketing, Operations, Product, and Engineering. Help business leaders evaluate investments, understand performance trends, and make informed operating decisions based on clear financial and operational insights.
Board and Investor Decision Support:
Perform ad hoc analyses to support critical business decisions and provide transparency to the Board of Directors, private equity stakeholders, and venture investors. Translate complex analyses into concise, decision-ready materials for executive audiences.
Financial Modeling and Strategic Analysis:
Co-own the corporate financial model with the CFO and take increasing responsibility for enhancing its structure, flexibility, and analytical depth over time. Develop sophisticated analyses to support growth planning, scenario analysis, investment prioritization, and M&A opportunities.
Data and Product Analytics:
Partner closely with business intelligence and data teams to perform deep dives into key business and product metrics, including SaaS metrics, ARPU, LTV/CAC, product margins, ASPs, and inventory-related analysis. Use these insights to improve strategic decision-making and focus investment on the highest-return opportunities.
Board and Monthly Investor Materials:
Develop analyses, commentary, and management discussion and analysis for board presentations and monthly investor reporting. Ensure materials are clear, analytically rigorous, and aligned with the needs of executive leadership and external stakeholders.
FP&A Leadership and Process Development:
Act as the effective Head of FP&A, creating a planning and reporting function that the business can rely on with confidence. While the role will not initially include direct reports, this individual should be capable of building the foundation for a larger FP&A team over time.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field
- 7-10+ years of experience in FP&A, strategic finance, corporate finance, investment banking, private equity, or a related field
- Proven experience independently leading budgeting, forecasting, and performance management processes in a high-growth or fast-paced environment
- Exceptional financial modeling skills, including integrated operating models, scenario planning, and investment analysis
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and business partnering experience with GTM, operations, and product or engineering teams
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to distill complex data into actionable insights for executives, boards, and investors
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic, PE-backed environment with evolving priorities and high expectations
Nice to Haves:
- Experience working with NetSuite
- Experience working with AI tools and automating finance and reporting processes
- Proven experience working in a fast-paced, PE-backed environment
- Experience with FP&A planning tools such as Cube, Vena, or similar platforms
- Experience working with business intelligence, analytics, and operational data teams to drive deeper performance insights