Head of Finance / Vice President of Finance

About the Opportunity

We are conducting an exclusive search on behalf of our client, a growth-stage clean mobility solutions provider based in Orange County, CA. They are seeking a highly capable, hands-on Head of Finance / Vice President of Finance to serve as a strategic finance partner at a pivotal stage in their growth. The company already has initial strategic investment and revenue.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior finance leadership role with direct access to the founders, bankers and investors as the company executes its capital raise strategy. The incoming leader will be the sole finance professional in the business - owning everything from the integrity of the books to the financial narratives that will define how investors see the company. No direct reports initially; this is a builder role for someone who prefers ownership over delegation, with the expectation of building out a team post-raise.

This is a high-impact, high-trust role. The right person will be energized by the pace and responsibility of the role, take genuine pride in the craft of financial modeling, and want to be a core part of building the finance function from the ground up.

What you'll own

• Build, maintain, and stress-test three-statement financial models and structured finance models that support both internal decision-making and external capital raising activity
• Partner directly with the founders and investment bankers to support equity or debt financing processes - including data room preparation, investor Q&A support, and financial narrative development
• Support the creation and refinement of investment pitch decks and investor-facing financial materials, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and persuasive framing
• Manage all accounting operations end-to-end: month-end close, financial statements, reconciliations, and compliance - working with external CPA/audit partners as needed
• Own cash management, forecasting, and burn tracking; provide the founders with a clear, real-time view of the company's financial position at all times
• Develop and maintain KPI frameworks, variance analysis, and board-ready reporting packages
• Identify and implement scalable financial processes and systems to support growth following the capital raise

What our client is looking for

• 10–15 years of progressive finance experience, ideally spanning FP&A, corporate finance, or investment banking with meaningful hands-on accounting exposure
• Expert-level financial modeling skills - three-statement models, sensitivity analysis and scenario planning
• Strong foundation in GAAP accounting; able to own the books without relying on a controller
• Demonstrated experience supporting a capital raise process alongside investment bankers and senior leadership - equity, debt, or both
• Ability to translate complex financial data into clean, compelling narratives for investors and board members
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels - this role switches between big-picture thinking and granular execution daily
• Prior experience at a growth-stage company, venture capital or private equity-backed business, or in a corporate finance / FP&A capacity

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