Our Accountability Chart currently has a combined Finance and Administration seat that handles bookkeeping, human resources, and office management. As we scale, this seat is failing. How do we cleanly split these functions without overhiring?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

In the early stages of a business, combining Finance, HR, and IT into one Administration seat is common. But as you scale and prepare for an exit, this hybrid seat becomes a dangerous bottleneck. The skill sets required for financial forecasting, human resource compliance, and technical infrastructure are entirely different.

To split this cleanly, go back to your Accountability Chart. Remove the current person from the equation and look only at the functions. Design three distinct seats: Finance, Human Resources, and Technology. Clearly list the five major roles for each seat.

You do not need to hire three full-time executives immediately, which would ruin your cash flow. Instead, look at your existing team to see if anyone can sit in these newly defined seats. For example, your current office manager might GWC the HR seat perfectly.

For the seats you cannot fill internally, consider using fractional resources or external agencies. A fractional CFO can own the Finance seat, while an outsourced IT provider can handle technology. On your Accountability Chart, place the fractional leader's name in the seat, and make sure they are held accountable to specific metrics and Rocks just like a full-time employee. This gives you executive-level capability without the enterprise overhead.