CFO

Chief Financial Officer | Clinical-Stage Biotechnology

California, CA | $400K–$450K Base + Bonus + Equity

We are partnering with an exciting clinical-stage biotechnology company to appoint a Chief Financial Officer as the business enters a pivotal period of growth and prepares for a potential IPO within the next 12–18 months.

The company has built a differentiated platform and diversified clinical pipeline across oncology and immunology/inflammation, with its science and approach already validated through multiple strategic collaborations with leading global pharmaceutical companies. The business is also backed by an established syndicate of tier-one life sciences investors.

Reporting to the CEO, the incoming CFO will join the executive leadership team and take ownership of the company's financial strategy as it progresses through its next major clinical and corporate milestones.

A central component of the mandate will be to lead the company's IPO readiness and potential public-market transition, while establishing the financial infrastructure, investor relationships and capital strategy required to support the next stage of growth.

The Opportunity

The CFO will have broad strategic responsibility across:

• IPO & Capital Markets – Lead IPO preparation and execution alongside external banking, legal and advisory partners, while developing the broader financing roadmap across private and public markets.
• Capital Strategy – Build a financing strategy that supports the company's clinical pipeline through upcoming Phase I data readouts and future value inflection points.
• Investor Relations – Develop relationships with institutional healthcare investors, analysts, banking partners and the broader capital markets community well ahead of future financing events.
• Financial Planning & Portfolio Strategy – Own long-range planning, budgeting, runway analysis and capital allocation, partnering with scientific and clinical leadership to inform portfolio investment decisions.
• Public Company Readiness – Continue building the financial controls, reporting infrastructure, governance and processes required of a future public biotechnology company, including PCAOB and SOX readiness.
• Finance Leadership – Lead and develop an established finance and accounting organization, building the team and infrastructure required for the company's next stage.
• Business Development – Provide financial leadership across strategic partnerships, licensing opportunities, collaborations and potential M&A.
• Executive & Board Partnership – Serve as a key strategic partner to the CEO, executive team and Board, bringing financial discipline and capital-markets perspective to major corporate decisions.

The role will additionally provide executive oversight across HR, IT and facilities, each of which is supported by experienced functional leadership.

What We're Looking For

We are particularly interested in executives who combine Wall Street transaction experience with hands-on operating experience within biotechnology.

Ideal candidates will bring:

• 10+ years of experience spanning investment banking and biotechnology/pharmaceutical finance
• Healthcare or life sciences investment banking experience with executed equity and/or debt transactions
• Senior finance leadership experience within a biotechnology company, ideally within a clinical-stage environment
• Demonstrated experience leading significant private or public financings
• Strong understanding of US GAAP, SEC reporting, audit requirements and public-company financial infrastructure
• Experience building and leading high-performing finance organizations
• The ability to operate as both a strategic CFO and a hands-on executive within a growing biotech

Experience participating in an IPO, reverse merger or comparable public-market transaction would be highly advantageous, as would experience with SOX readiness, investor relations, M&A and established relationships across the healthcare investment community.