Hiring after a Series A

A Series A changes what the business needs from its leadership team. The money is meant to turn early traction into growth the board can plan around, and most of the change that follows is in hiring, process and governance.

This guide covers what changes after the round, the senior hires consumer brands usually make next, and how to time them around the raise.

What changes after a Series A

The board becomes more formal, investors expect regular reporting, and there are targets for the Series B to hit. The option pool is usually topped up as part of the round, which is what pays for the senior hires that come next.

For a founder, the biggest change is time. The work that got the business to a Series A was often done by the founders themselves, and after the round there’s too much of it for that to last.

The hires that come next

For consumer brands, a Series A is often when the first CFO or COO joins.

A CFO owns the capital structure, the board pack and the next raise. If the founder doesn’t have a finance background, this is often the first senior hire after the round. The guide on when to hire a CFO covers the triggers, and the CFO salary benchmarks cover what to pay.

A COO takes day-to-day operations off the founder: stock, fulfilment, customer service and the team behind them. The guide on when to hire a COO goes through the signals, and the COO salary benchmarks cover pay.

A CMO is the hire when growth depends on building the brand and making paid acquisition pay back from one budget. See the CMO salary benchmarks.

Equity for each of these comes from the topped-up pool, so agree the pool with your investors before you promise anyone a percentage. The executive equity guide covers the ranges and terms.

Timing hires around the raise

Founders who time senior hires around a Series A usually want a finance lead in place before the process starts, so the numbers and the data room are ready when investors ask for them. A raise can take many months from the first investor meeting, so start the finance hire early.

Other senior hires usually follow the money. A search for a CFO, COO or CMO takes time, and so does their notice period, so the hires that matter most for the Series B targets are worth starting as soon as the round closes.

Common questions

What happens after Series A funding?

After a Series A, the money is meant to turn early traction into a business that can grow predictably, so most of the change is in hiring, process and governance. A typical company hires around four executives in the period after its Series A: three at VP level and one in the C-suite. Expect a more formal board, regular investor reporting, a topped-up option pool and targets for the Series B. For consumer brands, it’s often when the first CFO or COO joins.

Sources: Index Ventures, Rewarding Talent (executive hiring after Series A).

How long does Series A funding take?

In the UK, the median time from seed to Series A is about two years, and only around 12% of seed-funded companies go on to raise one. The raise itself varies a lot, but Suma’s advice is to allow 4 to 12 months from first investor meetings to money in the bank. Founders who time senior hires around the raise usually want a finance lead in place before the process starts, so the numbers and data room are ready.

Sources: Antler, The New Path to Series A in the UK (2026); Suma experience.

If you’ve just closed a round and want a plan for the hires that come next, that’s what a Senior Hire Review is for.