Strategic Finance Lead

Have you struggled to reserve that coveted summer camping spot at a state park? Wondered why you’re still filling out a paper form at the DMV? Or tried (and failed) to book your favorite pickleball court from your phone?

Kaizen Labs is rebuilding the government’s digital front door - bringing modern, people-first software to the public services millions of Americans rely on every day. From parks & recreation and permitting to licensing and payments, we’re replacing outdated systems with intuitive, beautiful technology designed for residents and the public servants who serve them.

Our platform now powers over 50 agencies across 17 states, reaching more than 40 million residents. Recent partners include Maricopa County (AZ), San Bernardino County (CA), and the Cherokee Nation. In Maryland, our platform helped eliminate seven-mile traffic jams at state parks, saving hundreds of thousands in costs and dramatically improving the visitor experience.

Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, Kaizen has raised $35 million from world-class investors, including NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, 776, and Carpenter Capital.

We’re a team of builders, designers, and operators redefining what it means to serve the public in the digital age - and we’re just getting started.

This is a hybrid role based out of our New York City HQ. Candidates must reside in New York or be able to commute to New York City to work out of our office at least three times a week (Tuesdays - Thursdays).

• You’re an experienced finance professional who thrives in early-stage, fast-moving environments. You’ve built scalable financial systems, reporting, and forecasting processing from 0-1.

• You’re comfortable (and excited to) be in the weeds of modeling and reconciliation, but can quickly context switch to support strategic projects like headcount planning or board prep.

• You think beyond the numbers and care deeply about operational excellence. You constantly look for ways to help yourself and your team run faster and smarter.

• You’re entrepreneurial by nature, and understand that no task is too big or too small at the early stage.

• Strategic Finance

  • Manage and own the finance function end-to-end, partnering closely with accounting for month-end close, cash flow management, revenue recognition, payroll, and BvA tracking.

  • Collaborate closely with the leadership team on financial modeling, headcount planning, and fundraising efforts.

  • Establish and oversee core accounting, FP&A, AR, and reporting processes and systems.

  • Build systems for investor reporting, including monthly/quarterly updates, financial packages, and KPI narratives. Also contribute meaningfully to board decks and meeting preparation.

  • Build dynamic, robust dashboards to monitor financial and business health. Regularly present findings and actionable insights to the executive team.

  • Oversee all company spend. Build, monitor, and refresh internal spend policies.

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for external accountants, tax advisors, auditors, and banking partners.

  • Design, implement, and maintain a best-in-class finance tool stack including ERP, billing, expense management, and BI/reporting tools.

  • Look for ways to automate manual processes, reduce manual work, and improve the speed and accuracy of reporting.

  • Partner closely with sales and GTM on commission plans, pricing, headcount planning, and reporting.

• Business Operations

  • Support tax and compliance efforts, including R&D tax credit processes, state compliance requirements, business registrations, insurance policies and COI requests, and employer filings.

  • Support compliance and audit efforts across SOC 2, HIPAA, and related frameworks. Bonus: experience with NIST, FedRAMP, or StateRAMP frameworks.

  • Serve as a resource to adjacent teams on strategic and operational initiatives. This could range from helping to negotiate a contract to owning a research project for market expansion.

• 6+ years of experience in finance, ideally with early-stage or growth-stage SaaS companies.

• Strong FP&A, financial modeling, and accounting fundamentals.

• Eagerness and openness to leveraging AI tools to help automate workflows.

• Experience with BI tools and SQL.

• Experience building scalable systems and processes in previous finance and operations organizations.

• Eagerness and excitement to pick up cross-functional projects.

• Candidates who began their careers in investment banking, consulting, or corporate finance are preferred.

Base Salary is $160 - $190k

💚 At Kaizen, we believe that great work starts with taking great care of our people. We’re building something meaningful, and that starts with a culture where people genuinely love to work. Here’s how we support you - in and out of the workplace:

🩺 Comprehensive Health Coverage

We offer Gold, and Platinum PPO plans through Oxford (United), with 85% of premiums covered for employees on the Platinum plan, with a $0 premium option

🏥 Dental, Vision & Financial Wellness

You’re covered with Guardian PPO dental and Beam vision plans - Kaizen pays 99% of premiums for employees and 50% for dependents. We also offer:

• 💳 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA & Dependent Care FSA)

• 🛡️ $100,000 in fully paid life insurance

• 🏦 401(k) access through Guideline

🤰🏼 Parental Leave That Supports Families

Because time with your growing family matters.

• 🍼 16 weeks fully paid for birthing parents and 10 weeks paid for non-birthing parents

🗽 Everyday Support & Flexibility

• 🚆 $50/month toward your commute

• 🏡 One-time setup stipend (up to $750) for your home or NYC office

• 💪 $100/month for wellness or productivity

🎡 Perks That Make Life Better

• 🎉 $250/year for recreation - because fun matters

• 📚 $500/year for professional development - because growth does too

• 🍱 Expensed lunch three days a week when you're in the office

• 💻 Company-provided laptop

🌴 Time Off to Recharge

• 🌅 Unlimited PTO

• 🇺🇸 All federal holidays off

• ☃️ A company-wide winter break during the week of Christmas

At Kaizen, we’re building something meaningful, and that starts with a culture where people genuinely love to work. Come build with us.

The salary range listed represents the low and high end of Kaizen’s salary range for this position. Salary will vary depending on various factors, including, but not limited to, location, education, skills, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of Kaizen’s total compensation package for employees, and other forms of compensation may include annual bonuses, commissions, and equity grants.

Kaizen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

We are committed to maintaining a supportive and inclusive environment for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We respect the varied identities, abilities, cultures, and traditions of the individuals who comprise our organization and recognize the value that different backgrounds and points of view bring to our organization.

If you need assistance or an accommodations due to a disability, please email us at [email protected]. This information will be treated as confidential and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the interview process.