The First Finance Hire Job Description
A JD that reflects what the role actually does
Someone reached out recently asking if I had a job description I typically use for hiring the first finance person. They also wanted me to review theirs.
So I thought I’d write up a version that encapsulates my philosophy.
This isn’t for every company. It’s for high-velocity SaaS and AI businesses, where the job of the first finance hire is not bookkeeping or accounting. Those are to be outsourced, in my opinion.
The job of the first finance hire is to help the company see itself clearly.
The first finance hire defines the lens through which the business is viewed. They create the metrics, the frameworks, the reporting… the foundation of how the company understands whether it’s actually working.
That makes it one of the most interesting jobs in a startup. You’re not just reporting the numbers. You’re shaping the company’s identity. You’re working side by side with the CEO and leadership team, setting the context for decisions about where to invest, how fast to grow, what’s working, and what’s not.
The best people for this job are curious and analytical. They care about the business, not just the spreadsheet. They ask the right questions of the data, and cut through the long list of things that can be ‘analyzed’ to get to the most important details - so that the rest of the company can move quickly.
With that in mind, here’s the job description I’d use for a venture-backed, high-velocity SaaS/AI company:
First Finance Hire
Company: High-velocity SaaS/AI startup, venture-backed
About the Role
We’re looking for our first finance hire. Not to keep the books. Not to run payroll. Not to build decks.
We’re looking for someone who wants to be the first operator in the company. Someone who will help us see the business clearly — define the metrics that matter, build the frameworks that guide decisions, and create the lens through which our board and team set priorities.
At a high-velocity SaaS/AI company, finance isn’t a back office function. It’s the heartbeat of how we measure whether this thing is actually working.
You’ll be embedded in the business, close to product, sales, and growth. You’ll help us understand what’s really driving revenue, where to invest next, and how fast we can responsibly scale.
What You’ll Do
Track everything, focus on what matters. Keep tabs on every metric across the company. Bubble up the ones that matter most to leadership and help us focus on those.
Build the first models. Own the operating model, revenue plan, and headcount plan. Set them up so they aren’t just spreadsheets but tools for surfacing real tradeoffs and the backdrop for meaningful management discussions.
Set the data foundation. Develop a true source of truth for company metrics. Define them clearly, build the systems that make them accessible, and own keeping them clean and trustworthy.
Be a thought partner across the company. Embed with different teams and leaders. Understand what matters to them, ideate together, and proactively bring analysis and ideas that help them do their best work.
Be up for anything. Fundraising, international expansion, finding an office, tackling legal and tax issues, running HR, building out sales ops. When something new comes up — big or small — we’ll call on you.
What We’re Looking For
A background in finance, strategy, or operations (experience in SaaS/AI companies a plus).
Strong analytical chops — you’re as comfortable in SQL as you are in Excel/Equals.
Experience working with leadership teams to shape decisions, not just report on them.
Bias toward action. You know that perfect models don’t matter if they don’t drive the business forward.
Hunger to be early. You want to join a high-growth company before things are figured out, and help build the machine.
Why This Role Matters
Every hire we make right now is company-defining. This role, in particular, shapes how we see ourselves. Get it right, and every decision we make — every dollar we raise, every headcount we add, every market we enter — will be made with clarity and conviction.