JOB DESCRIPTION: Chief Financial Officer / Head of Finance
Location: Remote
Hours: Full-time
Reports to: CEO
Salary: $40,000 - $80,000 NZD + equity + bonus
Start: Immediate (Pre-Launch)
ABOUT US
OCTOV VPN is a fast-growing privacy startup launching globally. We're building a 75-person Marketing Leader network across multiple countries. Projected Year 1 revenue: $20M+.
We need a financial guardian angel who builds fortresses, not just spreadsheets.
THE ROLE
You are my financial brain. I'm the visionary. You're the protector.
You see money problems before they happen. You build systems that make errors impossible. You keep me calm with accurate forecasts. You handle everything financial, so I never worry.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Pre-Launch (First 30 Days)
- Set up bank accounts & payment systems (Wise, PayPal, Stripe, Deel) Whatever you need to pay staff and management.
- Create Financial Operations Manual (every process documented)
- Design commission calculation systems for 25+ Leaders
- Build cash flow forecasts (weekly for first 6 months)
- Establish contractor onboarding with tax collection (W-8BEN, W-9, IRD)
- Create financial dashboards for CEO (simple, visual, clear)
Ongoing
- Track sales & calculate monthly commissions
- Process international payments accurately and on time
- Prepare weekly cash flow reports (where we are, where we're going)
- Forecast payouts 30-60-90 days ahead
- Flag risks before they become problems
- Ensure compliance with international payment laws
- Handle leader payment queries within 12 hours
- Model scenarios: aggressive growth, slow growth, unexpected events
Strategic
- Advise on hiring timing based on data
- Model expansion into new territories
- Plan for tax obligations (no surprises)
- Explore investment/funding if needed
- Long-term wealth preservation
WHO YOU ARE
Must-Have
- 3+ years finance/accounting experience
- CPA/CA or equivalent
- International payments expertise (multi-currency)
- Advanced Excel/Sheets (you build models)
- Forecasting experience (you've predicted accurately)
- Strategic thinker (you see around corners)
- Impeccable integrity
The "Early Warning System" Trait
Most finance people report problems after. You spot them before and tell me: "In 6 weeks, if we don't change X, we'll have a problem."
You're why I sleep well.
Personality
- Calm under pressure
- Proactive (never wait to be asked)
- Discrete with sensitive information
- Process-driven (love systems)
- Communicates complex things simply
- Loyal (protects company fiercely)
TOOLS YOU'LL USE
- Spreadsheets: Excel/Sheets (advanced modelling)
- Payments: Wise, PayPal, Stripe, Deel, Airwallex
- Accounting: Xero/QuickBooks
- Communication: Slack/Signal
- Documentation: Notion/Google Docs
SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
10 Days:
- All accounts/payment systems operational
- Commission system built and tested
- 30-day forecast completed
- CEO stops worrying about money
90 Days:
- 3 commission cycles with 100% accuracy
- Zero late payments
- Forecasting accurate within 5%
- Financial Ops Manual complete
1 Year:
- Scaled to 25+ Leaders smoothly
- Automated systems
- Clean books ready for audit
- $4M+ profit with zero financial surprises
WHAT WE OFFER
- $40,000 - $80,000 NZD (based on experience)
- Performance bonus: 10-20% of base
- Significant equity (you're building this with us)
- Fully remote, flexible hours
- High trust environment (no micromanagement)
- Lifetime OCTOV VPN Family Plan
INTERVIEW PROCESS
- Application: CV + cover letter answering:
- "Tell me about a time you saw a financial problem before it happened."
- "What's your experience with international payments?"
- "What does 'financial fortress' mean to you?"
- Practical Task (2 hrs): Calculate commissions for 25 Leaders from sample data, forecast next month, identify one risk, present one-page summary.
- Video Interview (30 min): Deep dive on forecasting philosophy, pressure handling, growth experience, values.
- Final Chat: Meet team, your questions answered.
- Offer: Start immediately (pre-launch).
HOW TO APPLY
Send cover letter with subject:
"CFO / Head of Finance Position
Tell us:
- One financial problem you prevented before it happened
- Your international payments experience
- What you'd do in your first 3 days
OCTOV VPN is an equal opportunity employer