[Hiring] Chief Financial Officer @DATAPAO

Role Description

We are looking to hire a Chief Financial Officer to drive our very ambitious growth plans. This role will report directly to the CEO and will be part of the Leadership Team. The position is based in the Budapest HQ or remote (given your commitment to travel regularly to Budapest). You will oversee a team of 2 from the get-go, with an additional headcount to be added within the first 6-12 months.

As our first CFO, you will be the CEO's closest strategic partner and the architect of DATAPAO's financial future. You are expected to shape capital allocation, commercial strategy, forecasting, and company-wide performance. You will lead the Finance function, connect every other business unit through planning and forecasting, and keep the company resilient, fundable, and scalable.

What You'll Own

• Strategic & Commercial Leadership
  • Shape GTM strategy with the CEO and Head of Sales, including pricing and margin models.
  • Build and own the unit economics for consulting and AI-driven services.
  • Translate financial insight into concrete strategic recommendations.
  • Integrate Finance with Delivery, Education, Sales, People, and Marketing through shared planning and forecasting.
• Financial Planning & Forecasting
  • Build forward-looking forecasts and scenarios, each with a recommended action.
  • Maintain 18 to 24 months of runway visibility at all times.
  • Own the planning process end to end, not just the spreadsheets, but the process as a whole.
  • Map scenarios we might face, signal risk early, and work on mitigation with the leadership team.
• Performance Insights & Analytics
  • Use data to explain why something happened (not only what happened) and to inform future decisions.
  • Build and run dashboards across utilisation, margin, pipeline health, and financial performance.
  • Operate a dependable weekly and monthly reporting cadence.
  • Be prescriptive: tell us what to do next.
  • Work with each business unit to show them how they are performing against the budget and how to operate more efficiently.
• Finance Function Design
  • Build a modern, automated finance organisation.
  • Improve the accuracy of our finance data and reporting to the level that the rest of the company relies on it as the single source of truth.
  • Lead and grow the finance team: a Senior Controller and Finance Admin today, with room to add a third hire within 6-12 months.
• FinOps, Risk & Compliance Oversight
  • Own the outcome of FinOps: accounting, AP/AR, payroll, and compliance, run through your team rather than by your own hand.
  • Keep us paying and paid on time, and compliant with UK and Hungarian tax regulations.
  • Manage treasury: cash and currency exposure across markets.
  • Oversee legal, tax, and cash-flow risk from a commercial perspective.
  • Keep the company operating safely within its risk appetite.
• Investor Relations & Board Reporting
  • Own the board-level reporting.
  • Lead a fundraising or an acquisition process (if applicable).

Qualifications

• CFO or equivalent senior finance leadership experience in a high-growth technology or professional-services business.
• A solid track record of driving planning, forecasting, and growth in partnership with Sales, Delivery, and other business units.
• Demonstrated commercial acumen: you think about margin, pricing, and growth, not only control.
• Strong compliance knowledge.
• An excellent communicator who can carry a number from a spreadsheet to the boardroom.

Requirements

• Experience in professional services or consulting.
• Managed fundraising or acquisition processes.
• Built or modernised a finance function and its systems.
• Comfortable sitting in a sales call and working hand in hand with the commercial team.

Benefits

• A stock incentive plan.
• Flexible working hours and PTO days.
• 4 Weeks of Paternity Leave (if applicable).
• Healthcare benefits, including a generous private medical package.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for access to psychology, financial, and legal consulting services.
• Top-notch working equipment, including a MacBook Pro and ergonomic office furniture.
• The chance to shape our culture as a Leadership Team member.
• A cozy office in the heart of Budapest, well-stocked with snacks and beverages.