VP of Strategic Finance

Lightning AI•San Francisco, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Lightning AI is seeking a VP of Strategic Finance to shape the financial strategy of a company operating at the intersection of AI software and large-scale compute infrastructure. This role is crucial for guiding capital allocation, product pricing, and business scaling. The VP will serve as a key thought partner to the CFO and executive team, developing financial models, plans, and insights. This position is part of the Finance Team and reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer. It is a hybrid role based in the San Francisco office, requiring two days per week in the office.

Requirements

12+ years of experience across strategic finance, FP&A, corporate development, investment banking, or management consulting, with at least 5 years in a senior finance leadership role.
Infrastructure economics expertise: Experience with capital-intensive businesses such as cloud infrastructure, data centers, telecom, or hardware; comfortable modeling capex, depreciation, utilization, and asset-backed financing.
Software and usage-based revenue fluency: Understanding of SaaS and consumption-based business models, including revenue forecasting, cohort analysis, and margin drivers.
Exceptional modeling skills: Able to build sophisticated, flexible financial models from scratch and pressure-test assumptions with rigor.
Capital markets experience: Hands-on involvement in equity fundraising, debt financing, or M&A transactions at a venture-backed or growth-stage company.
Executive presence: Credibility with CEOs, boards, and investors; able to distill complex financial analysis into clear recommendations and influence decisions.
Leadership: Track record of building and developing finance teams in a fast-growing environment.
Business acumen: Ability to connect financial outcomes to operational drivers and partner with technical and commercial leaders in their language.
Bias for action: Comfortable operating in ambiguity, prioritizing what matters most, and moving quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

Responsibilities

Own the annual operating plan and long-range financial model; translate company strategy into clear financial targets and track performance against them.
Model and evaluate major investment decisions, including GPU and data center capacity, infrastructure expansion, and build vs. buy vs. lease trade-offs.
Develop a deep understanding of the economics across our software platform and compute business, including utilization, gross margin, and customer profitability; partner with Product and GTM on pricing and packaging.
Prepare board materials, investor updates, and executive reporting; deliver clear, data-backed recommendations that inform company-level decisions.
Support equity fundraising, debt and asset-backed financing, and investor diligence; build the models and narrative that underpin capital raises.
Lead the financial integration of Lightning AI and Voltage Park, including unifying planning processes, reporting structures, and KPIs across both businesses.
Act as a strategic partner to Engineering, Infrastructure, Sales, and Marketing leaders, helping them plan headcount, budgets, and investments with financial discipline.
Evaluate strategic opportunities including partnerships, acquisitions, and large customer or supplier contracts.
Build, manage, and develop a high-performing FP&A and strategic finance team as the company scales.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus
Meaningful equity component
Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
Meaningful Equity: RSUs that give employees a stake in the company's long-term success.
Retirement Savings: 401(k) matching (U.S.) and pension contributions (U.K.).
Flexible Time Off: Unlimited PTO, company holidays, and floating holidays to support work-life balance.
Company-Wide Winter Break: Two weeks of company closure each winter to disconnect and recharge.
Paid Parental & Family Leave: Paid leave to support you and your family through life's important moments.
Professional Development: Annual learning and development allowance to support your professional growth.
Wellness Benefits: Wellness and work-from-home stipends to support your physical and mental well-being.
Sabbatical Program: Four weeks of paid sabbatical leave after four years of service.
Flexible Work: Flexible schedules and a hybrid work model for our office-based teams.
In-Office Meals: Complimentary meals at our office hubs.