Senior Finance Associate

Lightning AI • San Francisco, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Lightning AI is seeking a Senior Finance Associate to drive strategic finance, corporate development, and FP&A initiatives as the company scales. This role involves partnering with cross-functional teams to define unit economics, advise on deal pricing, and guide investment decisions. The associate will also support GPU financing, fundraising, and investor relations, ensuring effective capital acquisition and allocation. Additionally, they will establish an operating rhythm for P&L management, reporting, forecasting, and planning, transforming data into actionable insights for leadership. This position offers significant ownership, learning opportunities, and direct influence on revenue growth, margin expansion, and capital allocation within the AI cloud sector.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related field
• 4+ years in Strategic Finance, FP&A, investment banking, private equity, or venture capital, ideally with a focus on software, AI, and/or cloud infrastructure
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets and experience building complex financial models
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Track record of cross-functional partnership
• Analytical and strong problem-solving ability
• Team player with a growth mindset, positive attitude, and strong work ethic
• Bias to action and desire to work in a startup environment
• Experience with capital markets, M&A, or CapEx financing
• Exposure to cloud or AI infrastructure economics and data center capacity planning
• Familiarity with FP&A systems and data tooling (e.g., NetSuite)

Responsibilities

• Support deal reviews with Sales and leadership and recommend pricing decisions
• Partner with Marketing on spend allocation, pipeline efficiency, and unit economics analyses (LTV/CAC, payback period)
• Partner with Product on ROI for software investments and strategic initiatives
• Partner with Infrastructure Operations on capacity planning and CapEx assessment
• Model GPU financing structures and assess returns
• Support lender and investor communications, materials, and data rooms
• Monitor industry trends and the competitive landscape to identify potential business risks and opportunities
• Contribute to M&A sourcing and diligence models
• Build and maintain a driver based model for P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statement
• Prepare executive-level business reviews for leadership and board
• Lead monthly and quarterly reporting, ensuring accuracy and highlighting key business drivers
• Develop forecast cycles and strengthen forecast accuracy by partnering closely with cross-functional stakeholders
• Support annual planning and long-range planning
• Conduct rigorous analysis of key performance indicators, operational metrics, and business trends
• Manage FP&A systems and tooling and maintain data accuracy

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus
• Meaningful equity component
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage (U.S.); Private medical and dental insurance (U.K.)
• Retirement and financial wellness support (U.S.); Pension contribution (U.K.)
• Generous paid time off, plus holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Professional development support
• Wellness and work-from-home stipends
• Flexible work environment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior