Finance Lead - Commercial & Growth (ACA/CIMA)

Prolific

Prolific is not just another player in the AI space—we are the architects of the human data infrastructure that's reshaping the landscape of AI development. In a world where foundational AI technologies are increasingly commoditized, it's the quality and diversity of human-generated data that truly differentiate products and models.

The role

This is a high-impact, specialist role responsible for owning, architecting, and maintaining all commercial and revenue financial models for Prolific, including our Research and AI business units.

Reporting directly to the Finance Director, you will be the single source of truth and specialist contact for all revenue inputs, drivers, outputs and growth assumptions for Business Unit leaders and Investors. You will translate complex commercial strategies and pricing initiatives into clear, auditable financial outcomes, driving strategic decision-making and optimizing sales efficiency.

You will establish and own clear forecast, monitoring and reporting mechanisms for all revenue segments including all revenue drivers and funnel inputs for both internal and external reporting audiences. Scenario planning, sensitivity analysis and changes to commercial models will be a key part of your role as will transaction and strategic finance (M&A). This role requires a practitioner with a deep foundation in complex financial modeling, commercial due diligence, revenue specialisms, strategic finance and M&A ideally gained from a Big 4 or leading consultancy practice.

What you’ll bring to the role

• 3+ PQE years of experience, ideally gained in Big 4 Accountancy (Transaction Services/Corporate finance, Revenue specialisms, Valuations/DD) or a leading Consultancy Practice.
• ACA or CIMA qualified with strong academics.
• Advanced/Expert Financial Modeling experience is non-negotiable, with specific experience in building 3-statement models and complex revenue models for enterprise, consumption and PLG hybrid models.
• Proven experience translating commercial strategy (e.g, pricing, channel optimization, PLG motions) into financial models and P&L impacts.
• Demonstrable experience providing financial and commercial due diligence support for transactions.
• Proficient with SQL and other BI/Data Insights tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.). Experience with financial planning systems (e.g., Aleph, Anaplan) is a plus. Modelling with google sheets and not just excel will be mandatory.
• A strategic, detail-oriented thinker who is comfortable taking ownership of critical business drivers, adding value and operating independently in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

What you’ll be doing in the role

Revenue & Pricing Model Ownership:

• Design, build, and maintain a suite of high-fidelity, auditable revenue models for forecasting, tracking, and reporting across multiple customer bases (Prolific for Research and Prolific for AI).
• Be the owner of all revenue inputs, signals, and drivers; linking leading operational metrics (e.g., usage, conversion funnels, sales velocity) to lagging financial outputs.
• Build a process of early warning signals to detect anomalies in leading indicators and ensure these are investigated and flagged to leadership early along with scenario planning of the cause and effect of these changes.
• Develop and run sophisticated sensitivity analysis and scenario planning for proposed pricing changes, commercial model updates, and product launches, quantifying the flow-through impact on the P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow.

Commercial & Growth Finance:

• Corporate Finance Specialist: Provide expert financial modeling and analytical support for growth initiatives, corporate structuring, and M&A activities (DD support, valuation, deal structure, financing and synergy modeling).
• Own the calculation and strategic optimization of Sales Compensation Plans (Comp Plans) and Sales Efficiency Metrics (e.g., CAC, LTV/CAC ratio, Payback Periods), advising on what to optimize for, not just what to calculate.
• Conduct in-depth industry comparisons and competitive financial benchmarking to inform pricing and go-to-market strategy.

Strategic Reporting & Stakeholder Partnership:

• Act as the main financial contact for Business Unit Leaders and Investors on all matters relating to revenue, growth, and commercial performance.
• Collaborate closely with RevOps, BI, the finance team, and BU leaders to ensure data integrity and seamless integration of operational metrics into financial forecasts.