VP, Finance

Job description

ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now. Our customers include category-defining companies like Lovable https://modal.com/blog/lovable-case-study, Ramp https://modal.com/blog/how-ramp-built-a-full-context-background-coding-agent-on-modal, Cognition, DoorDash, and Suno. They rely on Modal for instant GPU access, sub-second container starts, and native storage, so it's simple to serve low-latency inference, fine-tune models, and access production-ready sandboxes at scale. We recently raised a $355M Series C https://modal.com/blog/modal-series-c at a $4.65B valuation, led by General Catalyst and Redpoint Ventures. We've crossed $300M+ ARR and grown fivefold since September. Our team includes creators of popular open-source projects (e.g.,Seaborn https://github.com/mwaskom/seaborn,Luigi https://github.com/spotify/luigi), academic researchers, international olympiad medalists, and experienced engineering and product leaders with decades of experience. THE ROLE: We're hiring a VP of Finance to build the finance function from the ground up as our first full-time finance hire. This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives at the intersection of strategic thinking and hands-on execution. We are looking for someone who can architect the systems and processes that will scale with Modal, partner closely with the founders and executive team, and grow into the company's CFO. You'll report directly to the CEO and collaborate closely with our BizOps, GTM, and Product teams. In this role, you will: - Build and maintain Modal's operating model, tying financial performance to company KPIs and resource allocation - Lead all budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes, and develop the reporting infrastructure that gives leadership and the board clear, timely visibility into the health of the business - Partner with the founders on fundraising strategy, future funding rounds, and investor relations, including financial modeling and data room preparation - Think creatively about capital structure to optimize our balance sheet as we scale - Build the finance team and systems from scratch, making smart decisions about what to build vs. buy vs. outsource - Oversee accounting operations, financial close, and reporting in partnership with our Controller and external providers - Ensure sound revenue recognition policies and maintain audit-readiness as the company scales Serve as a strategic thought partner to our BizOps, GTM, and Product teams on pricing, headcount planning, unit economics, and product investment decisions REQUIREMENTS: - 10+ years of progressive finance experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role at a high-growth technology company - Proven experience building or significantly scaling a finance function, including systems, processes, and team - Deep FP&A and operating model expertise, with strong command of SaaS and infrastructure business metrics - Experience supporting companies through venture fundraising rounds and managing institutional investor relationships - Strong grasp of revenue recognition principles under ASC 606, particularly in usage-based or consumption-driven business models - Demonstrated ability to partner cross-functionally and influence decisions across the organization - Ability to work in-person in our NYC office Bonus: - Experience with usage-based or consumption pricing models - Experience in product-led growth (PLG) businesses - SQL proficiency and comfort working directly with data