Strategic Finance Lead

Clera

$160K — $240K *
Finance & Insurance
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of experience in private equity, investment banking, or venture capital.
  • Proven experience building and shaping a startup's financial model.
  • Strong analytical and quantitative foundation—degree or equivalent experience in finance, mathematics, or economics.
  • Ability to derive actionable insights from financial data and present recommendations confidently.
  • Demonstrated success operating in fast-paced, high-autonomy startup environments.
  • Valid US work authorization—visa sponsorship not available.

Responsibilities

  • Partner closely with founders to build and refine the company's financial model.
  • Develop and own the financial narrative for internal and investor communications.
  • Surface actionable business insights from financial and operational data.
  • Operate with a founder mentality, taking ownership of outcomes and building systems.
  • Create and maintain investor-facing materials for fundraising and board communication.
  • Leverage data tooling to build robust models and extract insights.

Benefits

  • Equity participation in a high-growth startup.
  • Competitive benefits package.
Full Job Description
About the Role

We're a fast-growing, Y Combinator-backed, AI-native insurtech startup operating as a full-stack commercial insurance carrier purpose-built for technology companies and venture-backed startups. Founded in 2024 and already well into the Series A/B range of funding, we're building an AI-driven financial infrastructure that's transforming how startups access and manage insurance.

We're looking for a Strategic Finance Lead to partner directly with our founding team. This is a ground-floor opportunity with significant ownership - you'll shape how the company models its business, tells its financial story, and makes high-stakes strategic decisions. If you thrive in ambiguity, move fast, and think like a founder, this role was built for you.
What You'll Do
  • Partner closely with the founders to build and continuously refine the company's financial model, ensuring it reflects real business dynamics and growth drivers.
  • Develop and own the financial narrative used internally and with investors - translating complex data into a clear, compelling story.
  • Surface actionable business insights from financial and operational data to inform strategy, prioritization, and resource allocation.
  • Operate with a founder mentality - take extreme ownership of outcomes, move with urgency, and build durable systems while executing in parallel.
  • Create and maintain investor-facing materials including decks, memos, and analyses that support fundraising and board communications.
  • Leverage data tooling (SQL, Python, Excel, BI tools) to build robust models and extract insights at speed.
What We're Looking For

Required
  • 3+ years of experience in private equity, investment banking, or venture capital, with a strong track record of delivering financial models and strategic analyses.
  • Proven experience building and shaping a startup's financial model and developing the financial narrative for founders and investors.
  • Strong analytical and quantitative foundation - degree or equivalent experience in finance, mathematics, or economics.
  • Ability to derive actionable insights from financial data and confidently present recommendations to senior stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated success operating in fast-paced, high-autonomy startup environments with significant ambiguity.
  • Valid US work authorization (US citizen or valid work visa) - visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Nice to Have
  • Proficiency with data tooling: SQL, Python, Excel, and/or BI tools.
  • Experience in insurtech, fintech, or AI-driven financial infrastructure domains.
  • Experience crafting investor-facing narratives or pitch decks.
Compensation & Benefits
  • Base salary: $160,000 - $240,000 USD annually, depending on experience
  • Equity participation in a high-growth, well-funded startup
  • Competitive benefits package
Location

This is an on-site role based in New York, NY. Candidates should be prepared to work in-office on a full-time basis.

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