VP of Finance

Ironstead•New York City, NY

19h

About The Position

Ironstead is building an AI lab for manufacturing by acquiring and operating manufacturing businesses, improving their performance, and using factory-floor data to develop AI for industrial production. The VP of Finance will lead the finance function across Ironstead and its portfolio companies, owning financial planning, cash management, and reporting while helping leadership make decisions about acquisitions, investment, and growth. This is a hands-on role involving building financial models, establishing processes, and translating financial and operational information into decisions. The role is based in New York City, with periodic travel to portfolio facilities, and reports to the COO. The VP of Finance will build the finance function and team, oversee cash planning and capital allocation, partner on acquisitions, lead financial integration of acquired businesses, connect factory operations to financial performance, support fundraising and board reporting, and act as a strategic partner to the founders.

Requirements

At least 7 years of relevant experience in finance, corporate development, investment banking, or private equity.
Experience owning financial planning and business decisions, including building budgets, managing cash forecasts, evaluating investments, and working with leadership to translate analysis into action.
Ability to build a view from underlying economics, question conventional assumptions, and explain what would need to be true for an ambitious investment to succeed.
Ability to weigh upside, downside, and the cost of waiting; make recommendations with incomplete information; and update positions as new evidence emerges.
Ability to move between detailed financial work and strategic discussions, establish structure as priorities evolve, and take responsibility for execution.
Essential curiosity about how factories work.

Nice To Haves

Meaningful operating experience at a high-growth startup.
M&A underwriting, diligence, deal execution, or acquisition integration experience.
Investment banking or private equity experience followed by a startup finance or corporate development role.
Experience across multiple entities or in industrial businesses.
Interest in manufacturing and industrial AI.

Responsibilities

Build and lead the finance function, including establishing budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and financial processes across Ironstead and its portfolio companies.
Set finance priorities, select systems, and build the finance team and external support as the business grows.
Own cash planning and capital allocation, maintaining visibility into liquidity, commitments, and funding needs across acquisitions, factory operations, equipment, hiring, and AI development.
Help leadership determine where capital can create the most value.
Partner with the M&A team on financial diligence, valuation, transaction structures, working capital, and post-close plans.
Evaluate acquired businesses and their potential under Ironstead’s ownership.
Lead financial integration by bringing acquired businesses into a consistent reporting and planning framework.
Establish reliable cash forecasts, coordinate accounting and bookkeeping, and give local operators visibility into performance.
Connect operational data—including throughput, utilization, production timelines, staffing, and capital expenditure—to margins and cash flow.
Work with factory leadership to identify constraints, evaluate investments, and improve performance.
Own financial models, analysis, and reporting for equity raises, debt financing, investor discussions, and board meetings.
Assess new opportunities, pressure-test assumptions, and make clear recommendations to the founders.
Help determine when to accelerate investment, change course, and what information is needed for decisions.