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About the job

Company Overview:

At Shaper Capital, we're on a mission to partner with incredible people to build companies that shape the world. We're the company-building engine of Travis May, who co-founded and led the two largest data exits of the last 20 years: LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP, $200M+ revenue) and Datavant ($7B merger with Ciox). Now he's applying that playbook to solve data fragmentation across every major industry, from healthcare to national security to supply chain to AI.

Since October 2023, Shaper has launched 8 companies and raised 100M+ from top firms like a16z, CRV, and Footwork. One portfolio company went from incorporation to a $10M raise in 6 weeks (Arbital Health). Another grew 20x in a single year and closed an 8-figure deal in its first year (Protege). Most recently, our co-founded company, Fractional AI, was acquired to anchor a massive new AI venture backed by Anthropic, Blackstone, and Hellman Friedman to deploy Claude at scale.

By joining Shaper today, you'll be part of a small, ambitious team driven by the belief that the world's greatest problems have yet to be solved and the most transformative companies have yet to be built. We empower our portfolio companies to create businesses that transform industries, and we believe in hiring individuals who are smart, nice, and get things done. We invest in hiring high-potential and humble individuals who thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and can rapidly grow their responsibilities as we reimagine company creation.

Role Overview:

Shaper's CFO-in-Residence program is how we find and develop the next generation of finance leaders for our portfolio. You'll work across multiple early-stage, venture-backed startups, starting on a fractional basis and, as the right fit emerges, stepping into a full-time Head of Finance or CFO role.

As CFO-in-Residence, you'll partner closely with founders to build the financial foundation of their companies. One month you might be helping close a fundraise; the next, you're setting up financial systems, building an operating model, or shaping pricing strategy. Every engagement is high-leverage, fast-moving, and critical to the company's success.

This role is for someone who thrives in early-stage environments, loves solving complex financial problems, and is just as comfortable advising a CEO on strategy as building the model behind it.

What you'll do:

- Embed with one or two Shaper-backed companies at a time as a fractional Head of Finance or strategic finance partner, stepping in during key moments of growth, fundraising, or scale.

- Own core finance functions, from setting up or refining financial systems to building budgets, forecasts, dashboards, and the KPIs that drive board reporting and decision-making.

- Partner with founders on fundraising, including financial models, the story behind the numbers, data room readiness, and investor Q&A.

- Build infrastructure that lasts by setting best practices for financial operations, cash management, vendor selection, and compliance.

- Lead strategic finance projects such as pricing strategy, cap table modeling, M&A diligence, cost optimization, and international expansion planning.

- Over time, step into a full-time CFO or Head of Finance role at a portfolio company where the fit is right on both sides.

Who you are:

- You have 8+ years of progressive finance experience, including time as the senior finance leader (CFO, VP Finance, or Head of Finance) at a venture-backed startup, ideally taking it from early stage through a priced round or beyond

- Your background includes investment banking, FP&A, private equity, venture capital, or Big 4 accounting, and you're as comfortable in the details as you are in the boardroom

- Modeling, forecasting, accounting, revenue recognition, and SaaS metrics are second nature. When something you send has your name on it, it's right, every time

- You've set up finance functions from scratch, choosing the systems, designing the processes, and making the first hires, and you know how to build something that scales without over-engineering it

- You turn financial insight into strategy, guide fundraising and board conversations, and quickly earn the trust of CEOs who are building something for the first time

- You'll build the model at 10pm and present it to the board the next morning. No task is too small, and no decision is outside your scope

- You thrive working across multiple companies and teams, and the people you work with see you as a steady, collaborative force

- Low Ego, High Trust: Collaborative team player who earns the confidence of founders quickly You're energized by fast-moving, ambiguous environments, excited to help build meaningful, data-driven companies, and you embody Shaper's values: smart, nice, and gets things done.