Practice Leader & Client CFO, GrowthDepartment: Growth Stage
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Remote - US
DescriptionBuild the Practice. Scale the Teams. Partner with Growth-Stage Operators.You9ll own the practice end to end: its commercial engine, its embedded delivery teams, and the strategic relationships that anchor it, bringing the horsepower Growth-stage Consumer companies need as they scale from $30M to $300M and beyond.
Growth-stage companies operate differently than venture-stage startups. The financial infrastructure is more complex. The operational stakes are higher. The boards are more demanding. The margin for error is smaller as companies approach exit velocity. And turnover in the finance seat stays high, because these companies accelerate faster than even exceptional talent can adapt. These clients need a CFO partner who has lived the $30M-to-$300M journey; someone who knows where the landmines are, how to build the systems that scale, and who has the career experience and confidence to make the case for uncomfortable truths when a situation requires it.
This is an equity-track leadership role for someone ready to build a practice, not just a portfolio.
Key ResponsibilitiesMost leadership roles emphasize one dimension. This role requires three.
At $30M to $300M there is no bench to delegate to, so the finance leader architects the data systems, engineers the process change, and directs the AI that now carries the mechanical work, all at once. The market treats each of those as its own job. We built the infrastructure that makes them one: embedded access, AI fluency training, and dedicated change-management capacity behind every engagement.
Commercial Leader You own the Growth practice9s expansion: pipeline, bookings, retention, and P&L. You think like a business owner. You build relationships before you need them, identify opportunities others miss, and close deals that grow the practice. You develop go-to-market strategy for Growth-stage Consumer companies and build the private equity, investor and advisor relationships that generate referrals. Sixty-seven percent of our closed-won new business comes from referrals, so the network already produces; your job is to point it at Growth and extend it. If you wait for business development to hand you leads, this isn9t your role.
Service Leader You build the teams that carry our Growth portfolios: Controllers who each run their own client book. Controller and CFO are parallel tracks here, not rungs on one ladder, and part of your job is placement, putting people in the seat where their strengths compound. A brilliant controller running five clients flawlessly outranks a miscast CFO in every way that matters to a client. You set service standards and hold people accountable for client satisfaction, deliverable quality, and engagement profitability. You know that excellence at scale requires systems, not heroics. You conduct regular portfolio reviews, build capacity through hiring and development, and step in when engagements need senior attention. If you need to do everything yourself or avoid difficult management conversations, this isn9t your role.
Strategic Partner You serve as CFO-level advisor to Growth-stage Consumer operators, bringing the pattern recognition that only someone who has scaled companies from $30M to $300M can offer. You maintain strategic relationships with the most complex clients in the segment. You walk into boardrooms and command respect, translate financial data into strategic insight, and deliver difficult messages with clarity. You know where companies break as they grow: the systems that stop working, the hires that become urgent, the board dynamics that shift. The exposure compounds, too: across the portfolio you9ll sit in more boardrooms in a quarter than most operating CFOs see in a year. And when an AI-produced analysis goes to a board, you are the one who certifies it and stands behind it in the room. If your experience is primarily early-stage or primarily enterprise, this isn9t your role.
- Drive business development through networking, referrals, strategic partnerships, and direct outreach.
- Own financial performance of the Growth practice: revenue, margins, utilization, and profitability.
- Lead and develop the practice9s embedded teams, placing people in the seats where their strengths compound.
- Serve as executive sponsor and escalation point for key accounts.
- Participate in board meetings and investor conversations for strategic clients.
- Make informed decisions about pricing, resource allocation, and engagement scope.
- Use PropellerOS to deliver the cross-client insight no single-company CFO can access, and codify what works at Growth stage back into it so your judgment compounds for every client in the practice.
- Continuously improve service delivery quality, efficiency, and client impact across the practice.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise- Demonstrated business development success: ability to identify, cultivate, and close client relationships in coordination with our GoToMarket team.
- 15+ years in finance/accounting with at least 7 years in CFO or senior financial leadership roles.
- Direct experience scaling companies from $30M to $300M+ in revenue, ideally as CFO or VP Finance.
- Demonstrated AI fluency: you work with AI in your own finance workflow today, and you can walk us through how it changes what you produce.
- Track record leading and developing teams: managing managers, not just individual contributors.
- Multi-client or consulting background strongly preferred (Big 4, boutique advisory, PE portfolio, or similar).
- Strong executive presence; comfortable presenting to boards, private equity sponsors, and sophisticated stakeholders.
- Experience building financial infrastructure that scales: ERP transitions, reporting systems, planning processes.
Industry Expertise You understand how Consumer businesses work: the economics, the channels, the metrics, the seasonal rhythms, the retail relationships, the brand dynamics. Deep expertise in at least one of: DTC/e-commerce (CAC, LTV, channel economics, fulfillment optimization, Shopify/Amazon ecosystem); CPG (trade spend, retailer margins, inventory turns, COGS optimization, promotional ROI); or omnichannel retail (wholesale vs. DTC mix, sell-through rates, gross margin management, supply chain finance) along with experience in core processes and systems, such as inventory, trade spend, Quickbooks, Netsuite, etc. Business Services depth alongside Consumer is a plus.
Job BenefitsJob Title: Practice Leader & Client CFO, Growth
Location: Remote-flexible with occasional travel
Compensation- Base salary range $250,000 - $300,000 + significant variable compensation tied to practice performance and new business.
- Equity participation.
- Investment in your development: AI/automation training, executive coaching, and access to Propeller9s network.
- Remote-flexible with travel for client meetings, team leadership, and conferences
Current Benefits Offered: Generous Paid Time Off and Holiday pay, Comprehensive health benefits plus dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. HSA contribution, Paid Family Leave, 401k match and Remote Work. We also help you grow in your professional life.
