Chief Financial Officer

Job description

**Samba is a media intelligence company. We know what the world is watching, reading, and thinking about — in real time, at scale, across every screen. Our data exists with the consent of over a billion people, organized into the most complete picture of consumer attention ever built. The biggest brands in the world use that picture to make smarter decisions. We think it’s the most interesting data asset on the planet, because it’s the most culturally relevant.** Samba is entering a pivotal growth chapter — scaling our AI-powered measurement platform globally, expanding strategic partnerships, and preparing for what's next, whether that's continued scale, M&A activity, or public market readiness. We're hiring a Chief Financial Officer to architect the financial strategy, infrastructure, and discipline required to get us there. This is a strategic, hands-on executive role for a finance leader who can balance growth enablement with operational rigor, lead complex M&A and capital markets activity, and bring AI fluency into the finance function itself. ### WHAT YOU'LL DO - Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, Board, and executive team on financial strategy, capital allocation, and long-range planning. - Lead all aspects of finance including FP&A, accounting, treasury, tax, audit, procurement, and investor relations. - Execute on our M&A strategy — including valuation, diligence, deal structuring, negotiation, and post-close integration. - Lead capital strategy across debt, equity, and strategic investment — manage existing investor relationships and cultivate new ones. - Build and refine financial models that support pricing strategy, ROI on product investment, sales resource allocation, and Rule of 40+ progression. - Own the path to public market readiness, including SOX preparation, technical accounting, SEC reporting infrastructure, and equity story development. - Own corporate budgeting, scenario planning, cash flow management, and KPI design across the business. - Navigate board and audit committee processes — provide transparent, well-structured reporting to the Board, lenders, and strategic partners. - Ensure GAAP accounting compliance and build the infrastructure for audit readiness at scale. - Embed AI and modern tooling into financial planning, forecasting, and business intelligence to drive faster, sharper decision-making. - Build and develop a high-performing global finance team, with clear career paths and a strong bench. - Partner cross-functionally with Product, Sales, Engineering, and People to ensure financial discipline enables (not blocks) growth. ### WHO YOU ARE-MUST HAVES - 3–5 years in investment banking or equity research, with direct deal execution and advisory experience. - 3–5 years operating inside a finance organization at a high-growth B2B technology company. - Strong familiarity with M&A (buy-side and/or sell-side), raising capital, and the IPO process. - Deep expertise in corporate budgeting, scenario planning, FP&A, and long-term financial modeling. - Solid grounding in GAAP accounting, audit committee processes, and board-level financial reporting. - Proven track record in cash flow management and KPI-driven decision-making. - Based in San Francisco, CA — this role is in-office. ### WHO YOU ARE-STRONG PREFERENCES - Comfortable being both the company’s financial disciplinarian and its growth enabler — and knowing when to be which. - M&A, IPO or take-private transaction experience is required. - AI-fluent: you’ve used or championed AI tools to modernize forecasting, reporting, or operational finance, and have a clear point of view on where AI takes the CFO function next. - We care about the financial economics of the business.Academic credentials in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or related fields are nice, but we appreciate the liberal arts equally as much. CFA or CPA designation is not required, but the expertise and understanding of the core principles are required. - Operationally minded — you build systems, processes, and teams that scale, not just decks. - Strong executive presence with the ability to translate complex financial narratives into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical audiences. ### HOW YOU"LL LIVE OUR VALUES - **Determined Yet Resilient —** Samba should not exist. We’ve built an entirely new category at the intersection of platforms that much larger companies should have owned. The CFO who thrives here has the grit and hunger to operate with that same chip on the shoulder — short-term pain for long-term gain, high risk tolerance, and the belief that the harder I work, the luckier I get. - **Naturally Curious —** You learn fast, ask great questions, and listen more than you talk. Two ears, one mouth, used proportionately. You’re guided by opportunity, not just precedent — exploring how AI, new data sources, and evolving capital markets can give Samba an edge. - **Low Ego —** The best idea wins, no matter where it comes from. You listen first, collaborate always, and celebrate the team. Humble people take risks and learn quickly from failures — that’s what makes this role work. - **Self-Aware —** Know thyself. You own your weaknesses, lean into your strengths, and bring intellectual honesty to every decision. Data and logic guide you, and personal biases are recognized and kept in check. - **Results Oriented —** Talk is cheap; performance is priceless. You measure what matters, deliver outcomes that count, and let the data do the talking. We are a performance-driven organization — effort matters, but results are the scoreboard.