Open Position: Vice President, Growth (Head of Business Development)

Note: The application for this role can be found at the bottom of this page or here.

The Opportunity

Ready to be the face of the Relational Finance Platform? We’re accelerating growth by building our first dedicated Business Development function – a role previously led by our founder. You’ll cultivate relationships with PE partners, CFOs, and founder CEOs while leveraging your existing COI network to drive pipeline generation and revenue growth.

About You

You’re a proven relationship builder with deep professional services experience.

You thrive in environments where you can:

Leverage your existing network of finance and capital market professionals
Build authentic relationships with C-level executives and institutional investors
Represent an emerging and growing company at up to 50 events annually
Bridge the gap between client pain points and objectives with Finance function improvement and performance
Own the full cycle from relationship cultivation to deal closure

You understand that our business and reputation is built on relational strength, trust, and execution quality – and you’re energized by the opportunity to be First Water Finance’s primary external voice in the market.

About First Water Finance

We’re the Relational Finance Platform – integrating data, FP&A, and corporate finance expertise to strengthen dialogues and relationships through Finance. We make Finance a value-driving machine and partner to empower teams, make faster decisions, and maximize financing and transaction outcomes for emerging and midmarket companies.

Our Impact:

Dedicated to developing long-term relationships with emerging and midmarket companies
100+ management teams and capital partners supported
$5B+ in debt and equity transactions impacted and facilitated
Strategic partner to The CFO Alliance nationwide peer community

The First Water Finance Advantage:

Fit Into Client Needs, Building Relationships For Now & Later – Offerings spanning assessments, business process outsourcing (BPO), project consulting, and transaction execution to draw from as relationship catalysts and future flexibility
Leading-Edge Process Methodologies Offer Speed & Ongoing Improvement – Proprietary process methodologies and internal R&D enabling faster, better, more consistent deployment than individuals/fractional resources and traditional professional service firms
Commitment to Building Community – Active in finance leader and capital partner communities, including The CFO Alliance, participating in recurring event models around the country and developing real-time and community-sourced thought leadership
Established Track Record of Execution Quality & Relational Strength – 10+ years of successfully answering the call in challenging, fast-paced situations, proven out through multiple long-term client relationships, work within multiple portfolio companies of PE partners, and deploying multiple offerings in client relationships over time

What You’ll Do

Relationship Building & Revenue Generation

Private Equity & Capital Partners: Deepen existing PE relationships while building new partnerships focused on emerging/lower-middle to middle-market investments
Chief Financial Officers: Serve as First Water Finance’s primary representative to The CFO Alliance community, attending 50+ in-person events annually nationwide
Founder CEOs: Engage business owners preparing for growth, acquisition, or exit with institutional capital objectives
Pipeline Generation: Develop and execute strategies to build robust pipelines across all relationship types and referral/channel partners
Direct Sales: Own the full sales cycle from initial dialogue through contract signature and handoff to delivery teams

Partnership Development & Market Presence

COI Network Activation: Leverage and expand your existing network of capital partners, finance recruiters, transaction attorneys, and business coaches
Event Representation: Be the face of First Water Finance at industry conferences, CFO Alliance events, and networking opportunities
Referral Partner Development: Structure and manage channel partnerships that drive consistent deal flow
Thought Leadership Distribution: Ensure optimal use and sharing of event participation/takeaways, community benchmarking, and thought leadership content through all channels

What You Bring

Required Experience

10-20 years in business development, sales, or client relationship management within professional services
Proven track record in finance-related solutions, accounting services, investment banking, or similar B2B professional services
Existing COI network spanning capital partners, finance recruiters, transaction attorneys, and business advisors serving emerging/middle-market companies
Direct experience with CFOs, PE professionals, and founder CEOs in our target market segments

Industry Knowledge & Relationships

Deep understanding of FP&A, corporate finance, and data management challenges facing growing businesses
Established relationships with professionals who serve the “Office of the CFO” ecosystem
Experience with private equity portfolio company dynamics and institutional capital processes
Familiarity with business owner/entrepreneur challenges around growth, acquisition, and exit planning

Skills & Competencies

Relationship Building: Natural ability to develop authentic, long-term professional relationships
Sales Acumen: Proven ability to manage complex B2B sales cycles with multiple stakeholders
Executive Presence: Comfortable presenting to and engaging with C-level executives and institutional investors
Event Management: Experience maximizing ROI from industry conferences and networking events

Why This Role Matters

You’ll be instrumental in accelerating First Water Finance’s growth trajectory while building a scalable business development function from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to:

Shape our market presence as the primary external representative of our brand while building pipeline across PE partners, CFOs, and founder CEOs
Leverage your existing network to drive immediate pipeline impact and establish First Water Finance as a recognized leader in the Relational Finance space
Build lasting value by establishing systematic COI network engagement and channel partnerships that generate ongoing referrals and repeat business
Partner directly with our founder on strategic initiatives while achieving revenue targets that demonstrate the ROI of dedicated business development
Maximize our ecosystem approach by leveraging our established revenue share relationships with referral partners, ensuring that when we help clients reach the right solutions, First Water Finance participates in the value creation across the entire ecosystem

Traditional BD roles often limit you to narrow market segments or rigid processes. At First Water Finance, you’ll have the autonomy to activate your full professional network while representing a comprehensive solution platform that creates genuine value for clients. Your success will be measured through robust pipeline development, strong CFO Alliance community integration, and the foundation relationships that drive predictable deal flow and long-term growth.

Next Steps

Ready to accelerate growth for the Relational Finance Platform?

Apply now: VP, Growth (Head of BD)

Questions about the role? Email info@firstwater.finance

Want to learn more about our solutions? Feel free to review select overviews and case studies below!

Work Environment

Location: We are headquartered in Houston, TX. Our clients are located throughout North America, and our team works primarily in a hybrid/remote capacity. We have stated goals of expanding within Texas and therefore this role would be best filled by somebody who lives in Houston, Dallas-Forth Worth, Austin, or San Antonio, though for the right fit any location within the US would be considered.
Travel: 20-30% travel expected for events, conferences, etc. Our finance leader community events happen quarterly in 12+ cities around the country. Travel schedule would be developed in collaboration with team.
Reporting: Direct partnership with Founder/CEO on growth planning and related initiatives.
Culture: Entrepreneurial, autonomous, self-directed environment where your network and expertise directly impact company trajectory.
Structure: Full-time, insurance and benefits offered.

First Water Finance | 717 Texas Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77002 | www.firstwater.finance