Strategic Finance Manager, GenAI

As a Strategic Finance Manager at Scale, your main responsibilities revolve around financial forecasting, reporting, and strategic support for our Generative AI leadership. You will own and maintain the financial forecasting model, support weekly and monthly reporting, and collaborate closely with leadership to evaluate key strategic initiatives aimed at scaling the business. You’ll also drive continuous improvements in our forecasting accuracy and reporting processes, making a significant impact on our financial health.

To qualify for the Strategic Finance Manager position at Scale, you should have 1-2 years of experience in FP&A or strategic finance, preferably in a high-growth tech company. Additionally, having at least a year of investment banking experience at a reputable firm is desirable. Strong financial modeling and analytical skills are essential, and proficiency in Google Suite and MS Office is expected. A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or Mathematics is essential, while experience with SQL or financial planning tools is a plus.

The Strategic Finance Manager plays a crucial role in supporting decision-making at Scale by conducting comprehensive financial analyses that inform strategic and operational initiatives within the Generative AI sector. By evaluating the financial impacts of potential decisions and providing actionable insights, you'll help guide leadership in prioritizing resources and optimizing business strategies to ensure growth and success.

A typical day for a Strategic Finance Manager at Scale involves engaging in various financial forecasting and analysis tasks, attending strategy meetings with leadership, and collaborating with the Accounting team during monthly close processes. You'll also spend time maintaining the financial forecasting model and preparing reports that summarize business performance, making sure to stay ahead by implementing best practices in your methodology and reporting cadence.

When you join Scale as a Strategic Finance Manager, you can expect a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous paid time off. Additionally, eligible employees may receive equity-based compensation, subject to Board approval, and potential benefits like a commuter stipend. Scale is committed to creating a rewarding and inclusive workplace for all team members.

To answer this question effectively, discuss any significant financial models you've built or worked on in the past. Highlight your approach to data collection, assumptions made, and how you ensured accuracy. Relate this to how these models have influenced business decisions or outcomes.

When addressing this, share specific techniques or tools you use for prioritization, such as task lists or project management software. Illustrate how you balance short-term deadlines with long-term goals, providing examples of past experiences where you've successfully managed competing priorities.

Your response should include any methodologies you implement for improving forecast accuracy, such as analyzing historical data, leveraging advanced analytical tools, or incorporating qualitative insights. Be sure to detail a specific example where applying these strategies resulted in enhanced performance.

Explain your approach to investigating discrepancies, including verifying data sources, reconciling accounts, and collaborating with team members to identify errors. Share a specific example where you successfully resolved a discrepancy and what steps you took to prevent it from recurring.

Select an experience where your data analysis directly impacted a strategic decision. Detail the analysis process, the findings, and how you communicated these insights to stakeholders, ultimately leading to a positive outcome.

Discuss your familiarity with various financial planning tools and technologies, including any you've used in your previous roles. Highlight how these tools helped streamline processes or enhance report generation, and why you believe they are essential in a finance role.

Share your thoughts on key financial metrics for tech companies, such as revenue growth, customer acquisition costs, and operating margins. Justify your selections by connecting them to how they impact overall business strategy and execution.

Explain the importance of cross-department collaboration in achieving business objectives. Share an example of a successful collaboration you've been part of, emphasizing how you communicated financial concepts effectively to non-financial stakeholders.

In your response, outline the importance of strategic finance in supporting informed decision-making, resource allocation, and evaluating business initiatives. Discuss how your unique insights would enhance Scale's ability to tackle challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

Convey how you keep up with industry trends, whether through continuous education, professional organizations, or financial news outlets. Provide specific resources or communities you follow that help you stay up-to-date and informed.