Fractional Chief Financial Officer

The Talent Lever · India

A fast-scaling D2C personal-care brand in Mumbai six months out from a Series B raise, or a Bangalore-based vertical SaaS platform closing its Series A with investors who want cleaner numbers than the founder can currently produce. This is for the person who's built financial models investors trust, who can walk into a cash-flow conversation and make it calm instead of chaotic, and who wants a portfolio of two or three companies rather than one seat at one table.

What You'd Own

• Build and own the financial model founders actually bring into fundraising rooms
• Set up cash flow visibility and a rolling runway forecast that survives real scrutiny
• Get the unit economics story straight: CAC, LTV, margins, burn, the works
• Lead investor-facing reporting and due diligence prep for active raises
• Bring GST, ROC, and MCA compliance up to a standard that doesn't create fire drills
• Advise founders on when to hire finance headcount and what the first hire should own
• Flag the financial wall before the board sees it, not during the meeting

What You'll Bring

• 10+ years in senior finance leadership, including time as a CFO or deputy CFO
• Direct experience taking a startup through at least one real fundraise, ideally Series A through C
• Fluency in Indian regulatory and tax frameworks: GST, ROC, MCA, FX controls
• A track record with investors — you know what due diligence actually looks for
• Comfortable running 2–3 client engagements at once without losing depth on any of them
• SaaS, tech, or D2C sector experience specifically, not generalist accounting background

You'll Thrive Here If

• You'd rather build the financial function than just report on it after the fact
• You want the variety of a portfolio without giving up the depth of real ownership
• You're already fielding "should I go fractional" from your own network and know the answer is yes

Compensation: Retainer-based, scoped to engagement

Don't tick every box? Apply anyway. Most people won't put themselves forward unless they meet every line — we'd rather you did. We know our clients well. If you're close, we'll champion you and advise them accordingly.