Head of Finance

Head of Finance

Sholder, Inc.  |  Boulder, CO / Greater Denver Area  |  Contract to full-time  |  Reports to the CEO

ABOUT SHOLDER

Sholder is a mental, emotional, and relational wellness platform built around qualified human-to-human support that is affordable, on-demand, and off-the-record. Membership includes unlimited visual and audio interventions for nervous system regulation, heart-brain coherence, and sleep, along with AI tools and clinical escalation. We are a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation headquartered in Boulder, CO.  We are facing a rapid growth season, kicking off through an exclusive distribution partnership to 13.2M lives with a national payroll and benefits platform launching Q3 2026 and extending in partnership launch with the largest TPA offering innovative clinical mental health treatment to over 3M lives in all 50 states.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is the company's first dedicated finance hire. You will be the entire finance function, with budget for a part-time bookkeeper and accountant whose work you direct. You will design the financial infrastructure, then own close, reporting, and reconciliation as revenue scales. The engagement is structured to grow:

• Aug 2026 — Contract, ~15 hrs/week. Fintech stack build-out and partner go-live readiness.
• Sept – Oct 2026 — Part-time, ~20 hrs/week. First full quarter close, financial model and cash flow ownership, fundraising support.
• Nov 2026 onward — Full-time, Controller/CFO track. All corporate finance, Series A readiness, finance team scaling.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Systems & Operations

• Own the finance stack and its vendor relationships: Mercury (Collections, Operating, Reserve), Ramp, Stripe, Gusto. Retire existing LOC cards; issue leadership and vendor cards; configure category controls and approval workflows.
• Evaluate and update FinTech ecosystem  for AI-forward workflows (consider moving from QuickBooks to Puzzle.io or similar), and empower executive team and division heads with easy dashboards, budget-to-actuals, and reporting functions.

Partner Revenue & Reconciliation

• Reconcile the weekly partner payroll-deduction manifest against member-level subscriptions, coordinating with product and engineering to match ledger records to accounts.
• Calculate and execute monthly partner commission wires, with required approvals before release.
• Manage revenue-share calculations and disbursements as new distribution and clinical partnerships activate.

Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Maintain the chart of accounts and consistent expense categorization across Ramp, Gusto, Stripe, and ACH; run monthly and quarterly close, producing P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow for the founding team and board.
• Manage accrual revenue recognition across Stripe billing, payroll-deducted memberships, and deferred revenue.
• Maintain the financial model with the CEO; support fundraising with investor-ready financials and scenario analysis.

Tax, Compliance & Corporate Administration

• File federal and Colorado state taxes with our external CPA; maintain Delaware corporate records, registered agent relationship, and annual reporting.
• Manage business insurance (general liability, E&O, D&O, cyber), including coverage required by partner contracts.
• Run bi-weekly Gusto payroll and 1099 contractor payments; manage benefits and Colorado employment compliance as the team grows.

REQUIREMENTS

• 8 years in finance, accounting, or controller roles; startup experience strongly preferred.
• Hands-on with modern fintech stacks — Mercury, Ramp, Stripe, Puzzle.io or comparable.
• Strong working knowledge of accrual-basis accounting, revenue recognition, and SaaS financial modeling; experience supporting fundraising and investor or partner due diligence.
• Experience reconciling complex, multi-party revenue flows: distribution partners, revenue share, or payroll-integrated billing.
• Familiarity with blended capital structures (equity, grants, impact/PRI, debt) a plus, particularly alongside a 501(c)(3) affiliate.
• CPA or equivalent credential preferred, not required if experience speaks for itself.

EXPECTATIONS

• Operate as the sole finance function with minimal direction: assess the business, drive discovery with executives, and act without being assigned the work.
• First 90 days: Mercury and Ramp live with spend controls in force; Puzzle migration complete; first partner revenue cycle reconciled and disbursed on time. Thereafter, weekly reconciliation and wire cadence held without exception and monthly close delivered on a fixed calendar.

COMPENSATION & STRUCTURE

Begins as an independent contractor engagement with clear intent to convert to part-time employment in Fall 2026 and full-time by end of year or early 2027. Contract rate and base salary negotiable based on fit and experience. Benefits available beginning January 1, 2027. Equity participation is available and meaningful for the person who grows into the full-time role.

To apply or inquire: pepper@sholder.com  |  sholder.com  |  Boulder, CO