Director Finance and Portfolio Operations

Director Finance and Portfolio Operations

Location: Lugano Switzerland or Turin Italy
Reports to: Senior leadership team (GP-level and CFO)

About our client:

Lithe People is delighted to once again be working with this financial and investments organisation. Our client invests venture capital in digital assets financial infrastructure and broader technology opportunities across the global financial ecosystem. Operating in an entrepreneurial international and multi-entity environment the firm works closely with portfolio companies and external counterparties across jurisdictions.

As they continue to grow they are looking for a highly capable finance professional to serve as a true Swiss army knife across fund-related finance offshore structures finance operations and portfolio support. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong technical finance skills with practical operational judgment and the ability to work directly with senior leadership.

The Role

We are seeking a hands-on Director Finance and Portfolio Operations to support senior leadership across a wide range of responsibilities including primarily portfolio construction and portfolio management across a range of investment cohorts from early stage to pre-IPO and public addition the role will cover finance back-office operations legal entity administration treasury budgeting forecasting and selected portfolio company support.

This is a high-trust high-exposure role for someone who can operate with maturity discretion and independence in a venture-like environment relying on financial metrics and robust finance operations support. The successful candidate will help manage day-to-day financial analysis needs of a venture firm and routine operational processes across multiple entities support offshore structures and related governance workflows coordinate with external advisors and service providers and bring discipline to planning reporting and execution.

The right person will be commercially minded detail oriented and comfortable moving between strategy and execution. One day may involve working through a treasury or banking issue and the next may involve coordinating legal entity matters supporting budget planning or helping leadership with a portfolio company finance question.

Key responsibilities:

Financial analytics and market intelligence

• Support board-level and CxO-level decision making with precise data obtained through desk research market intelligence and operational metrics across portfolio companies
  

• Evaluate and quantify strategic business opportunities through high-level business modelling using assumptions and scenario-based approaches
  

• Provide insights on market dynamics business models and revenue generation opportunities aligned to investment theses
  

Finance operations and execution

• Own and support core finance operations across relevant entities including treasury payroll AP/AR expense tracking intercompany matters and cash management
  

• Coordinate payment workflows banking activity liquidity planning and cash movement across multiple jurisdictions
  

• Oversee execution of recurring finance processes ensuring accuracy timeliness and proper documentation
  

• Support development of scalable finance processes controls and reporting disciplines
  

Legal entities structuring and offshore administration

• Support management and coordination of multiple legal entities including offshore structures
  

• Work with external legal counsel corporate service providers banks and accountants
  

• Coordinate KYC AML banking signatory and corporate records processes
  

• Assist with legal structure tracking entity mapping and corporate administration
  

FP&A and management reporting

• Support budgeting forecasting and long-range planning
  

• Prepare cash flow analysis budget vs actuals and management reporting
  

• Identify liquidity needs timing issues and financial risks
  

• Support ad hoc financial analysis tied to investments and operations
  

Portfolio company support

• Act as a finance and operations resource to leadership in portfolio company interactions
  

• Coordinate information requests financial reviews and reporting
  

• Support budgeting reporting discipline treasury setup and finance processes
  

• Serve as a credible point of contact with founders and stakeholders
  

Audit compliance and controls

• Support audit processes financial statements and regulatory filings
  

• Maintain internal controls documentation standards and audit readiness
  

• Ensure records reconciliations and approvals are properly maintained
  

• Support compliance processes across finance and corporate administration
  

Cross-functional and executive support

• Work closely with senior leadership and external advisors on strategic initiatives
  

• Bring structure and follow-through across finance legal tax and operations
  

• Act as a trusted problem solver able to progress issues independently
  

The ideal candidate will have:

• Strong background in finance accounting audit or financial planning
  

• Experience with multi-entity and cross-border structures
  

• Practical understanding of offshore entities and corporate administration
  

• Hands-on experience across treasury payroll AP/AR cash management and controls
  

• Strong FP&A capability
  

• Confidence working with senior executives and external advisors
  

• High levels of discretion ownership and responsiveness
  

Preferred qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Accounting Finance or related field
  

• ACCA CPA or equivalent (completed or in progress)
  

• 712 years experience in finance accounting fund operations private equity or similar environments
  

• Strong technical grounding in accounting and financial reporting
  

• Experience with holding companies and international structures
  

• Exposure to private equity venture capital or portfolio company support
  

• Background in Big 4 advisory fund administration or family office environments
  

• Strong Excel and financial modelling skills
  

• Ability to operate in a lean entrepreneurial environment
  

Languages

• Fluent English required
  

• Fluent or native Italian strongly preferred
  

• Chinese or Spanish is a plus
  

Personal characteristics

• Highly organised and detail oriented
  

• Commercially minded and practical
  

• Able to balance precision with speed
  

• Comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities
  

• Strong communicator with a service mindset
  

• Credible low ego and hands-on
  

Why join

This role offers the opportunity to work closely with senior leadership in a unique international investment environment. It provides broad exposure across finance entity management treasury portfolio support and executive-level problem solving. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting leadership across multiple companies jurisdictions and priorities.

If you are an ambitious curious flexible and commercially-focused senior Finance & Operations professional with a CV that matches the above criteria this is a terrific option to explore. Apply to start the process!