Strategic Finance Lead

Kaizen Labs•New York, NY

19d•$160 - $190•Hybrid

About The Position

Have you struggled to reserve that coveted summer camping spot at a state park? Wondered why you’re still filling out a paper form at the DMV? Or tried (and failed) to book your favorite pickleball court from your phone? Kaizen Labs is rebuilding the government’s digital front door - bringing modern, people-first software to the public services millions of Americans rely on every day. From parks & recreation and permitting to licensing and payments, we’re replacing outdated systems with intuitive, beautiful technology designed for residents and the public servants who serve them. Our platform now powers over 50 agencies across 17 states, reaching more than 30 million residents. Recent partners include Maricopa County (AZ), San Bernardino County (CA), and the Cherokee Nation. In Maryland, our platform helped eliminate seven-mile traffic jams at state parks, saving hundreds of thousands in costs and dramatically improving the visitor experience. Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, Kaizen has raised $35 million from world-class investors, including NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, 776, and Carpenter Capital. We’re a team of builders, designers, and operators redefining what it means to serve the public in the digital age - and we’re just getting started. This is a hybrid role based out of our New York City HQ. Candidates must reside in New York or be able to commute to New York City to work out of our office at least three times a week (Tuesdays - Thursdays). You’re an experienced finance professional who thrives in early-stage, fast-moving environments. You’ve built scalable financial systems, reporting, and forecasting processing from 0-1. You’re comfortable (and excited to) be in the weeds of modeling and reconciliation, but can quickly context switch to support strategic projects like headcount planning or board prep. You think beyond the numbers and care deeply about operational excellence. You constantly look for ways to help yourself and your team run faster and smarter. You’re entrepreneurial by nature, and understand that no task is too big or too small at the early stage.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in finance, ideally with early-stage or growth-stage SaaS companies.
Strong FP&A, financial modeling, and accounting fundamentals.
Eagerness and openness to leveraging AI tools to help automate workflows.
Experience with BI tools and SQL.
Experience building scalable systems and processes in previous finance and operations organizations.
Eagerness and excitement to pick up cross-functional projects.
Candidates who began their careers in investment banking, consulting, or corporate finance are preferred.

Nice To Haves

Bonus: experience with NIST, FedRAMP, or StateRAMP frameworks.

Responsibilities

Own the finance function end-to-end, partnering closely with accounting for month-end close, cash flow management, revenue recognition, payroll, and BvA tracking.
Establish and own core accounting, FP&A, AR, and reporting processes and systems.
Collaborate closely with the executive team on financial modeling, headcount planning.
Own investor reporting, including monthly/quarterly updates, financial packages, and KPI narratives. Also contribute meaningfully to board decks and meeting preparation.
Build dynamic, robust dashboards to monitor financial and business health. Regularly present findings and actionable insights to the executive team.
Oversee all company spend. Build, monitor, and refresh internal spend policies.
Serve as the primary point of contact for external accountants, tax advisors, auditors, and banking partners.
Design, implement, and maintain a best-in-class finance tool stack including ERP, billing, expense management, and BI/reporting tools. Look for ways to automate manual processes, reduce manual work, and improve the speed and accuracy of reporting.
Partner closely with sales and GTM on commission plans, pricing, headcount planning, and reporting.
Support tax and compliance efforts, including R&D tax credit processes, state compliance requirements, business registrations, insurance policies and COI requests, and employer filings.
Support compliance and audit efforts across SOC 2, HIPAA, and related frameworks.
Serve as a resource to adjacent teams on strategic and operational initiatives. This could range from helping to negotiate a contract to owning a research project for market expansion.

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Coverage We offer Gold, and Platinum PPO plans through Oxford (United), with 85% of premiums covered for employees on the Platinum plan, with a $0 premium option
Dental, Vision & Financial Wellness You’re covered with Guardian PPO dental and Beam vision plans - Kaizen pays 99% of premiums for employees and 50% for dependents. We also offer:
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA & Dependent Care FSA)
$100,000 in fully paid life insurance
401(k) access through Guideline
Parental Leave That Supports Families Because time with your growing family matters.
16 weeks fully paid for birthing parents and 10 weeks paid for non-birthing parents
$50/month toward your commute
One-time setup stipend (up to $750) for your home or NYC office
$100/month for wellness or productivity
$250/year for recreation - because fun matters
$500/year for professional development - because growth does too
Expensed lunch three days a week when you're in the office
Company-provided laptop
Unlimited PTO
All federal holidays off
A company-wide winter break during the week of Christmas