Chief Financial Officer

Confidential Careers; Washington; Hybrid; USD 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Venture-Backed Satellite Technology Company in the Washington, DC metro area is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to partner with the CEO and board, sculpt capital strategy, and scale a finance organization for a hardware-focused growth phase.

You will own the financial narrative, manage investor relations, and build finance systems for a capital-intensive hardware business with manufacturing and government contracting considerations.

Qualifications

• Proven success raising capital across rounds and instruments.
• Experience as CFO or senior finance executive in venture-backed, capital-intensive hardware/defense.
• Experience building finance org from ground up.
• Fluency in venture financing mechanics and cap table.
• Experience with manufacturing cost accounting, inventory, and supply chain finance.
• Familiarity with government contracting and export controls.
• Ability to engage sophisticated institutional investors and board.
• Balance between strategic capital planning and hands-on execution.
• Bachelor's degree; MBA/CPA/CFA a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead capital formation activities including equity and debt raises with CEO and board.
• Serve as primary financial liaison for investors and maintain relationships.
• Build and scale finance, accounting, and FP&A for growing manufacturing business.
• Develop robust FP&A models accounting for capital intensity and lead times.
• Own cost accounting, unit economics, and margin analysis across development and manufacturing.
• Establish controls, reporting infrastructure, and audit readiness for investors and exits.
• Advise CEO and board on capital structure and strategic trade-offs.
• Manage relationships with banks and lenders, explore non-dilutive financing.
• Oversee treasury, cash management, and financial risk management.
• Build ERP and planning tools to scale with growth.
• Ensure compliance with government contracting and export controls.
• Present financial position to the board regularly.

Skills

Capital raising

CFO experience

Venture-backed

Hardware manufacturing

Cap table management

ITAR/EAR awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Chief Financial Officer

Company: Confidential Venture-Backed Satellite Technology Company

Location: Washington, DC metro area (Hybrid working schedule)

Compensation: $300,000-$400,000 annual bonus and LTI

The Opportunity

This opportunity is with an early-stage, venture-backed satellite technology company that is closing a critical gap in the radar and satellite sector that incumbents have been slow, or unable, to address.

Since its founding, the company has attracted a strong syndicate of venture investors and built significant momentum: a differentiated product, a growing pipeline, and a leadership team with a track record of execution in a capital-intensive, deep-tech environment. The company is now entering its next phase of growth, and the eyes of its investor base and the broader market are on what comes next.

This is a rare opportunity for a financial executive to help write that next chapter as a true partner to the CEO and board, building the financial infrastructure, capital strategy, and investor relationships that will take the company from promising early-stage disruptor to category leader.

The Role

The Chief Financial Officer will be a strategic and operational partner to the CEO, playing a central role in capital formation, financial strategy, and the build-out of a finance organization capable of scaling with the business. This is a hands‑on role for someone who is equally comfortable in the boardroom shaping capital strategy and in the details of manufacturing cost structures, government contracting requirements, and the financial discipline that venture investors expect from a company on this trajectory.

The CFO will own the full financial narrative of the company, translating technical and operational progress into a compelling, credible story for investors, lenders, and strategic partners, while building the systems, controls, and team needed to support a hardware business with both development and manufacturing operations.

What You'll Do

• Lead all capital formation activities, including equity and debt raises, partnering directly with the CEO and board to develop and execute financing strategy across future rounds
• Serve as the primary financial point of contact for existing and prospective investors, building and maintaining the credibility and trust that support long‑term capital relationships
• Build and scale the finance, accounting, and FP&A function from an early‑stage foundation into an organization capable of supporting a rapidly growing manufacturing business
• Develop robust financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting models that account for the capital intensity and long lead times inherent in hardware development and manufacturing
• Own cost accounting, unit economics, and margin analysis across development and manufacturing operations, partnering closely with engineering and operations leadership
• Establish the financial controls, reporting infrastructure, and audit readiness appropriate for a company preparing for continued institutional investment and eventual public‑market or strategic exit readiness
• Advise the CEO and board on capital structure, valuation, and strategic trade‑offs, acting as a genuine thought partner on the company's overall business strategy
• Evaluate and manage relationships with banks, lenders, and other capital providers, including exploring non‑dilutive and structured financing options where appropriate
• Oversee treasury, cash management, and financial risk management to ensure runway and liquidity are managed prudently through a capital‑intensive growth phase
• Build out finance systems and processes (ERP, planning tools, reporting infrastructure) that scale with headcount, revenue, and operational complexity
• Ensure compliance with relevant government contracting, export control, and regulatory financial requirements given the company's work in the space and defense sectors
• Represent the company's financial position and strategy to the board of directors on a regular cadence

What We're Looking For

• Proven, demonstrable success raising capital over the course of your career, across multiple rounds and instrument types (equity, venture debt, structured finance)
• Direct experience as a CFO or senior finance executive at a venture‑backed, capital‑intensive company hardware, deep tech, aerospace, or advanced manufacturing experience strongly preferred
• A track record of building finance organizations from the ground up, including hiring and developing high‑performing teams
• Deep fluency in the mechanics of venture and growth‑stage financing, including cap table management, valuation frameworks, and board‑level financial strategy
• Experience with the financial and operational complexities of manufacturing businesses, including cost accounting, inventory, and supply chain financial management
• Familiarity with government contracting, export controls (ITAR/EAR), and the financial reporting requirements common to space, defense, or dual‑use technology companies is a strong plus
• A demonstrated ability to build credibility with sophisticated institutional investors and to represent the company effectively externally
• Strong operational instincts paired with strategic vision, comfortable moving between high‑level capital strategy and hands‑on financial execution
• A bias toward action and a genuine excitement for the pace, ambiguity, and upside of an early‑stage, high‑growth environment
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, CPA, or CFA a plus but not required given equivalent experience

Why Join

This is a builder's role at a company with real technology, real traction, and real momentum, not a turnaround, and not a maintenance mandate. You will have direct influence over the company's capital strategy at a pivotal moment, a seat at the table with an engaged and supportive board, and the opportunity to build a finance function that becomes a genuine competitive advantage as the company scales. For the right financial executive, this is a chance to help build one of the defining companies in a rapidly growing industry.

This search is being conducted on a confidential basis. Company details will be shared with qualified candidates as the process kicks off.