Meet Paul Todgham, our new Chief Financial Officer

5 mins, 13 secs read time

Despite its involvement in crucial business activities like tracking cash flow and executing financial strategies, finance is often underappreciated. Not here.

At Greenhouse, we understand – and value – what finance brings to the table, and the finance team’s invaluable contributions. And we’re so excited to introduce our finance team’s new leader, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Paul Todgham. I sat down with Paul to learn more about his approach to finance and his plans for Greenhouse.

Greenhouse: What attracted you to Greenhouse and the CFO position?

Paul: I was looking for a culture where I could truly thrive – that meant a strong, highly engaged and collaborative leadership team. I wanted a culture that respects individuals and commits to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B).

I’m also passionate about recruiting and developing teams. I’ve run a rigorous recruiting process, leading interviewer training and overseeing recruiting efforts at Stanford and BCG. Paired with my love of finance, the CFO role at Greenhouse was a natural fit.

Greenhouse: How has your previous experience prepared you for the challenges of this new role?

Paul: I’ve seen enough that I don’t have a “standard playbook” I’m trying to implement everywhere I go. I do have tools and approaches to help with the various issues we may face. I have also experienced enough ups and downs to have a good sense of unique versus industry-wide challenges.

Greenhouse: What’s your vision for the financial future of Greenhouse?

Paul: It starts with growth – no company is going to cost-cut its way to greatness, but cost discipline is crucial to maximizing the impact of our investments.

I’m excited to help Greenhouse progress from profitability to driving superior financial performance as we scale. I’ve seen the strong morale and sense of collective accomplishment that comes with building a larger, more profitable business, and it creates more strategic options for us moving forward.

Greenhouse: How do you plan to align financial goals with broader company objectives?

Paul: I’ve rarely seen this being an issue – when the company is achieving success, you see it in a strong financial performance.

Another consideration is project-based goals. I start with company objectives and align functional initiatives to support those. We might also have specific functional goals, but to the extent there’s a conflict between goals, I always encourage my team to start with a company-first mentality.

Greenhouse: What’s your leadership style and approach to managing finance teams?

Paul: I like the “leader as a coach” model, where you help your team to be as successful as possible, the right way. It’s about helping teammates understand the motivations, strengths and development areas for each team member.

I enjoy an open team environment that’s focused on helping make the best decisions for the company. Good ideas come from anywhere and there’s healthy conflict, evaluation of competing options and exchanging of different perspectives to try to reach the best decision.

Greenhouse: What strategies do you use to foster collaboration and innovation?

Paul: I’m trying to get better at this, but aligning on goals is crucial. Making time to step outside of the day-to-day grind is critical. I like when people are frustrated about something and want to lean in to help fix it, whether it falls within their job description.

Greenhouse: What are your top priorities in this new role?

Paul: I’m fortunate to join a successful company with a well-functioning finance team. I don’t see a problem that needs addressing urgently, so my priority is to learn the business, get to know the people and understand how finance runs at Greenhouse.

I hope by the first 90 days or so to have a good sense of what’s working and where there are opportunities for both the finance team and Greenhouse holistically. I want to provide stability and advocacy for finance at the ELT level.

Greenhouse: How will you communicate financial insights and updates to our internal team and externally?

Paul: I’m eager to understand what reporting we have in place. Ten years ago, finance teams were the gatekeepers of financial information, but I’m hoping those days are gone. I use interactive dashboards that allow all business leaders to understand relevant financial and analytical data.

I love to present and have received positive feedback on my quarterly company presentations. An interesting finance presentation doesn’t need to be an oxymoron, and I always look to educate and entertain the broader employee population when I share results.

Greenhouse: How do you plan to build trust with key stakeholders?

Paul: I hope the stakeholders see that I work hard to get up to speed quickly and that I’m honest, especially when I don’t know something. I do what I say I’m going to do.

Much of my success has come from having great mentors, peers and team members who helped me grow by providing feedback, trusting me with new responsibilities and partnering to navigate challenging situations.

Greenhouse: In an ever-changing landscape, what’s your approach to adapting to unforeseen challenges?

Paul: I’ve experienced a lot of personal and professional change. And it’s taught me not to overreact – approach challenges or disruptions transparently, with integrity, and clearly communicate leadership intent.

During difficult periods, I try to balance being honest about the short term and being focused on the long term.

Greenhouse: What do you enjoy outside of work?

Paul: I love spending time with my wife and wonderful kids – three sons and a daughter, all between seven and 14 years old.

We take family trips to the museum, go hiking and play video games. I’m also the soccer coach for my youngest son’s team and the dungeon master for adventures with my older sons.

Greenhouse: How do you show up authentically?

Paul: I lead with empathy, positive intent and a genuine desire to help people. I’m direct and vulnerable, but I also use humor to make work more fun.

As Paul steps into this new role as CFO here at Greenhouse, we couldn’t be more excited. Welcome, Paul!

Learn more about our executive team by reading this article about our Chief Legal Officer, Jung-Kyu McAnn.

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