start-up CFO

Organization

Every year, half of a million people in Europe suffer from a cardiac arrest. And unfortunately, only ten percent survive. But with a sufficient number of properly functioning AEDs available, 350,000 lives could be saved each year. However, there are still far too few properly functioning AEDs available. 

That’s why Peter Houtzagers, an experienced serial entrepreneur, launched Pulse4All in The Netherlands in mid-2023. He had noticed in his previous business that many AEDs in the field no longer function properly due to lack of maintenance.

But there are additional cost issues in the market. To purchase an AED requires a significant upfront investment. In addition, AED maintenance adds substantial costs and hassle for AED owners. Peter knew there was a better way that could be accessible, operational, and affordable. That’s why Pulse4all offers consumers and SMEs the ability to have access to the most reliable and best-selling AED in the world. His innovative company provides customers with a fully serviced and all-inclusive package, for a fixed monthly fee. Pulse4All is the first, true Product-as-a-Service offering in the global AED market.

Over 1,000 AEDs are sold every day in Europe, and the market is growing. Pulse4all has discovered an innovative way to stand out in the existing demand. Their services are easier, safer, and more cost-effective than an actual purchase. They currently have hundreds of customers in The Netherlands, with comparable sales numbers in the UK and Ireland. By mid-2025 they expect sales to exceed 500 subscriptions each month in fifteen European countries.

From a sustainability perspective, Pulse4all is also the first completely circular and sustainable AED supplier of the world. To avoid unnecessary waste, their AEDs are only discarded when they have reached their full technical lifespan. And with their maintenance plan, instead of using Field Service Engineers, Pulse4all exchanges the AED on-site. It is the first and only sustainable and closed AED ecosystem in the market.

Pulse4All is on a mission to save lives, make this world a better place, and set the new standard in the European AED market. In order to achieve its ambitious goals, the company has introduced a revolutionary funding model that will be the basis of their future growth strategy.

The job profile

This position offers a unique opportunity to gain experience in a broad finance role within a rapidly growing scale-up, where you can make a significant impact. In close collaboration with the Operational and Funding Directors, you will build a robust, scalable financial foundation to support Pulse4all's continued growth. As start-up CFO you’ll serve as the financial advisor to internal stakeholders, external advisors, and authorities.

As the start-up CFO you will manage the entire finance function—from acting as a strategic advisor to the management team to ensuring that all financial processes run smoothly. Establishing a strong financial control framework involves identifying both the current state and future vision for finance. You will review and optimize existing processes to create a scalable, value-adding finance infrastructure. Your role encompasses full financial responsibility, including statutory accounting, fiscal matters, and compliance. You will also streamline day-to-day operational finance activities and lead improvements to the reporting pack, transitioning to an integrated budget and forecast cycle supported by customized dashboards.

In addition, you will contribute to the strategic multi-year plan by providing thorough financial analyses, scenario planning, business cases, and pricing evaluations. You will translate these insights into periodic budgets, cashflow forecasts, and rolling forecasts at both the company and project levels. Leading periodic business reviews, you will clearly present variances to stakeholders and provide insights into their implications for future business decisions. Balancing attention to detail with a focus on the bigger picture is crucial in this role, whilst maintaining a hands-on approach. 
As part of their innovative journey, there are numerous ways that you could contribute. In this start-up phase, you can make an enormous impact. You are pioneering when it comes to the finance foundation, and involved in strategy. If you join Pulse4all, you get the opportunity to be a real changemaker.  

“We need somebody with the right mentality and skillset. Who is able to take ownership over topics, even though it might be something you never encountered before; you figure it out. Someone who is precise, sets the bar high and is able to deliver on what they promise. It’s also important to be agile, setting your own priorities and following through. Someone that sees the big picture, through different cross sections, reaches sound conclusions and actionable recommendations. And who, as a person, can get the point across. Most importantly: being  passionate about this start-up, just like the rest of us.”

The ideal candidate

We are looking for a proactive, energetic financial who loves to work in an ever-changing and challenging start-up environment. Somebody with strong business acumen, and a growth mindset, who really wants to get to know and understand the business. You are an ambitious, data-driven financial who loves working in an innovative environment. You actively drive continuous improvement and are extremely action driven. 
  • Master degree in Finance, Economics or Accountancy;
  • > 10 years of experience as a (Business) Controller and Finance Manager/Director;
  • Experience in a high-growth scale-up is a must;
  • Excellent communication skills in English, Dutch is a strong plus;
  • Experience with complex finance and funding modeling is required;
  • Ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders across the business and to work independently and build relationships across dispersed, cross-functional teams;
  • Self-starter who is both operational/hands-on (supporting the development of this relatively new organization) and can think strategically;
  • An entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work in a highly dynamic environment, solving for unknowns and shifting priorities quickly under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Ability to establish and uphold best practices across a growing and changing organization;
  • Ambition, initiative, discipline, drive for results and customer focus.

Heb je interesse?

Wil je meer weten over de functie of het uitgebreide functieprofiel ontvangen neem dan contact op met Monique.

Referentie: LIIC06649