CFO
Location: Austin, TX | Reports To: Evan Baehr, CEO
You will architect the system that powers disciplined growth.
Why Arena Hall?
Note from Evan Baehr, Founder & CEO of Arena Hall.
Arena Hall is where builders, investors, and policymakers work together to shape what comes next. Headquartered in Austin with two operating locations and national expansion underway, the organization sits at the intersection of capital, policy, and innovation, turning ideas into initiatives that scale.
Its community includes founders of high-growth companies, investors in frontier technologies, cultural figures shaping public dialogue, and policy leaders driving reform across education, health, and energy. Arena Hall connects these leaders through work that bridges sectors, where conversation becomes collaboration, and collaboration leads to measurable impact.
Beyond convening, Arena Hall runs venture and philanthropic initiatives, applied research, and civic and commercial projects that advance a belief in progress through enterprise and stewardship. At its core, the organization is building a new model for leadership infrastructure that fuses business creation, civic innovation, and cultural strategy under one roof to accelerate the ideas that will define the next decade.
The Opportunity
Arena Hall is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to design and lead the financial architecture of a fast-scaling organization.
Having raised $15M and proven a successful model for blending community, capital, and culture, Arena Hall is entering a new phase of growth. The CFO will play a pivotal role in translating that momentum into structure—building the systems, strategies, and processes that sustain scale and sharpen execution.
This is not a back-office role. It is a front-line position within the movement, working closely with the CEO and leadership team to transform vision into measurable performance. The CFO will bring operational precision, financial creativity, and strategic depth to an organization defined by ambition and purpose.
What You’ll Build
The internal financial operating model. Build comprehensive FP&A infrastructure, connecting budgets, forecasts, and P&Ls into one integrated master model across membership, events, F&B, private events, and multi-venue operations.
Real-time visibility and insight. Create dashboards and reporting that make performance transparent—from membership funnels to event profitability to F&B margins—enabling leaders to make quick, informed decisions.
Multi-entity financial architecture. Design interconnected models across Arena Hall's various entities. Build transfer pricing logic for cross-entity events and 10-year pro formas for new locations with distinct capitalization strategies.
Revenue optimization and operational management. Partner with sales leadership on pricing strategy for memberships, events, and services. Analyze margins and identify opportunities for revenue growth and cost reduction. Manage cash flow, working capital, and vendor relationships with precision.
Payment infrastructure and financial operations. Oversee payment processing systems and financial operations workflows. Establish expense categorization, card management, and financial control protocols.
Strong financial controls and compliance. Ensure ongoing GAAP compliance and audit readiness. Build scalable financial processes and controls that support sustainable growth.
Strategic partnership and capital planning. Align revenue strategy with financial planning. Build financial models for new location capitalization. Support property acquisition evaluation when needed (development partners handle most asset underwriting).
Culture of financial ownership. Help creative, operational, and hospitality teams understand the numbers behind their work and how they drive impact.
What You’ll Bring
10–15+ years of finance experience with 3–5 years leading FP&A or finance strategy in a senior capacity
Experience building financial models and systems from scratch, ideally in a startup, scaling organization, or multi-entity business
Command of budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and GAAP compliance
Fluency in modeling multi-revenue businesses (membership, events, F&B, property)
Comfort with payment systems and fintech infrastructure
Strategic builder mindset with operational rigor—you find opportunities and solve problems while balancing ambition with discipline and smart risk management
Disagreeable in the best way—willing to challenge assumptions, push back on the CEO, and speak truth while building solutions
Ability to thrive in startup chaos and build clarity from ambiguity
Preferred but Not Required:
Real estate or property acquisition underwriting experience
Multi-entity or holding company financial experience
Experience with 501(c)(3) reporting
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required.
MBA, CPA, or CFA preferred — or equivalent experience earned in the arena of high-growth business.
You’ll Thrive in Arena Hall’s Culture if You:
Are naturally curious—engaged with today’s events and inspired by ideas that shape the future.
Have a deep love for community and hospitality, and believe in their power to transform lives.
Can move fluidly between strategic decision-making and hands-on execution to keep momentum.
Embrace ambiguity and see it as an opportunity to create clarity and structure.
Bring startup experience and the resilience to build from the ground up.
Have “zero to one” experience—launching new initiatives, not just scaling existing ones.
Enjoy discovering and implementing tools that make work smarter, faster, and more effective.
Compensation & Benefits
Package: base + bonus + equity, aligned with experience and impact
Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance; Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave; Professional development opportunities; Access to Arena Hall’s community events and programming.