Vice President of Finance

Panther Life Sciences Corporation

• $180K — $220K *
Healthcare
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12+ years in finance, including 3+ years leading at a smaller manufacturing firm.
  • Experience in a unit-economics-driven environment followed by hands-on finance setup.
  • Excellent skills in financial modeling and clear communication with stakeholders.
  • Proven track record of hiring and developing finance teams.
  • Experience leading an ERP implementation from start to finish is ideal.
  • Strong fundamentals in GAAP, inventory accounting, and revenue recognition; CPA is a plus.
  • Background in capital raising is beneficial.
  • Familiarity with technology and systems in financial contexts.
  • Experience in regulated industries (medical device, pharma, etc.) is a plus.
  • Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field.

Responsibilities

  • Build and lead the finance team, starting with key hires like Director of Finance.
  • Establish accounting policies and internal controls for monthly financial closes.
  • Implement an ERP system to enhance real-time financial visibility and reporting.
  • Control the economics of physical product production from raw materials to cash collection.
  • Oversee cost management and working capital cycles, including inventory and supplier terms.
  • Conduct variance analysis on financial metrics to ensure supplier accountability.
  • Develop and maintain financial models for platform investment and ROI.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to create high-impact projects with a top-tier team in technology and healthcare.
  • Equity options available for employees.
  • Comprehensive health insurance with substantial employer contribution.
  • Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurances included.
  • Generous paid time off and company holiday policies.
  • Engaging in-person company events foster team spirit.
  • Well-stocked kitchen and bi-weekly office lunches.
Full Job Description
The Opportunity

Panther is entering a new and exciting phase in the development of our products. We're preparing to launch the first of several commercial products, advancing a pipeline of therapeutics, and getting ready to scale manufacturing from thousands to millions of units a month. We're looking for an exceptional finance leader who wants to be at the center of all of it.

This isn't a narrow back-office role. As Panther's first VP of Finance, you'll be the CEO's and the Board's partner on every financial question the company faces: how we plan, where we invest, how we structure partnerships, and how we fund our growth. You'll build the finance function from the ground up (the team, the systems and controls, and a sharp view of the economics behind every product we make), and then use it to help steer the company.

We're looking for a go-getter with range. You're as comfortable presenting to the Board as you are building the model behind the presentation. Your default is to roll up your sleeves, and you see finance as a seat at the leadership table, not a support function. This role offers a path to CFO.
The Impact You'll Make in Your First Year
  • Build out the team, starting with a Director of Finance and a Financial Analyst.
  • Select and implement an ERP as the company's system of record, with the chart of accounts, item master and cost structure designed by you.
  • Put standard costing and BOM-level unit economics in place for our first commercial product ahead of launch, including a clear view of cost at scale.
  • Deliver a reliable monthly close, a budget and rolling forecast, and a Board reporting package that leadership trusts.
  • Play a central role in closing our Series B, owning the financial model, data room and diligence process.
What You Will Do
Build the Finance Function
  • Design the finance organization and develop the team, while personally building the models, running the analyses and setting up the processes as the team grows.
  • Establish accounting policies, internal controls and the monthly close.
  • Lead the ERP implementation end to end, from requirements through integrations and go-live, and build the metrics, dashboards and Board reporting that give leadership real-time visibility. Build all of it to scale well beyond launch.
Run the Economics of a Physical Product Business and Platform
Panther makes and sells physical products, and we're also building a world-class platform. You'll understand and run both, from raw material to cash collected.
  • Own the cost structure: standard and landed costs, BOM-level unit economics, and how costs change as we scale from thousands to millions of units a month.
  • Manage the working capital cycle: inventory planning and valuation, supplier and contract manufacturer terms, minimum order quantities, and the cash tied up between purchase order and customer payment.
  • Account for what happens after the product ships: gross-to-net revenue, channel and distributor margins, returns and write-offs, and sales tax across jurisdictions.
  • Run variance analysis on purchase price, yield, scrap and volume, and build the cost models and benchmarks we use to hold contract manufacturers and suppliers to their commitments.
  • Model the economics of our platform: investment case and ROI, capitalized software development costs, and any recurring or data-driven revenue.
Plan, Advise and Fund the Company
  • Own the annual budget, the rolling forecast and the multi-year plan, and the mechanisms that turn our business plans and platform roadmap into an operating plan.
  • Partner with the go-to-market team on pricing, channel economics and revenue forecasts, and with R&D, Product, Engineering and Operations on the financial trade-offs of key decisions.
  • Model partnership economics across Skin Health and Systemic Health/Therapeutics (licensing, co-development, milestones), including R&D and clinical cost tracking.
  • Support the CEO on financing: financial models, data room, due diligence and investor materials.
Qualifications
  • 12+ years in finance, including at least 3 years leading finance at a smaller company that manufactures and sells a physical product (consumer, CPG, medical device or hardware).
  • Background in a larger-scale, unit-economics-driven operating environment (e.g., a leading consumer products or technology company), followed by hands-on experience building finance from the ground up at a smaller company.
  • Excellent financial modeling skills, with the ability to explain the numbers clearly to executives, the Board and partners.
  • You have hired and managed finance teams.
  • Ideally you have personally led an ERP implementation from selection through go-live, and then run finance on that system afterward.
  • Strong accounting fundamentals, including GAAP, inventory accounting and revenue recognition. A CPA is a plus but not required.
  • Experience in capital raising (equity, debt or strategic financing).
  • Comfortable with technology and systems.
  • Experience in a regulated industry (medical device, pharma, cosmetics or consumer health) is a plus.
  • Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting or a related field.
Benefits
  • Build something unique and high-impact with a world-class team of experts in technology, healthcare, and science.
  • Equity in the form of stock options
  • Competitive health insurance, including 90% employer-paid medical, plus dental and vision
  • Life, AD&D and short-term disability insurance
  • Paid time off and paid company holidays
  • In-person company events
  • Fully stocked kitchen, plus in-office lunch twice a week

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Panther Life Sciences Corporation

More Healthcare Jobs

Find similar Vice President of Finance jobs: