It goes without saying that CFOs need to be good at financial operations. But just as important, says Rohini Jain, CFO at San Jose, Calif.-based Bill, is “truly understanding the business: its products, its services, its operations.”
Jainism had many opportunities to learn. Her past experience includes working at PayPal, Walmart eCommerce, eBay, General Electric, and more. She spoke to CFO Leadership about how each position has taught her how to become a better CFO and what she would do differently today.
How has your past experience ranging from industrial manufacturing to e-commerce to fintech shaped your leadership style and prepared you for the CFO role at Bill?
Throughout my career, I have learned that great leadership in finance requires adaptability and a deep understanding of the business. Every job I've held has provided me with additional skills that are foundational to success, such as the importance of operational rigor and process excellence, and how to scale complex corporate financial operations while maintaining accuracy and control.
Early in my career at GE, when I worked in factory finance for a healthcare business, I learned that strong processes can overcome deficiencies in systems and resources. If you're doing something multiple times, it should be a process that increases efficiency and consistency. This discipline has given me a practical understanding of business.
At eBay, I led the finance and analytics for our global shipping portfolio and built these foundations by personally using every new product we launched, whether it was pickup drop-off or our global shipping platform, to experience first-hand what worked and what didn't for our customers.
Walmart then showed me the sheer scale and complexity of a global e-commerce business and what FP&A operations are like at that level. I applied what I learned to build operational mechanisms that improve predictive accuracy and accountability across the team.
At PayPal, we combined all these lessons to help grow our merchant platform business, partnering across product, sales, and operations to launch solutions for large enterprise customers. Accelerated adoption and revenue growth by aligning financial strategy with customer and product goals.
In Bill's new role as CFO, he will bring this cross-industry experience together to help small and medium-sized businesses access the same sophisticated financial tools used by large corporations, uncover opportunities that other businesses may be missing, and approach challenges with creative and portable solutions. My leadership style focuses on empowering teams, embracing innovation, and always keeping the customer at the center.
What are the overall lessons you have learned throughout your career?
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that truly understanding your business (products, services, operations) is just as important as knowing how to do your finances properly. I joined GE as a young professional in the healthcare business, working in factory finance, manufacturing circuit boards, and doing physical inventory myself. This experience taught me the value of working hard to understand what a business is actually trying to do.
At eBay, I took that idea forward by personally using every new shipping or fulfillment product I created, allowing me to experience the customer journey firsthand and understand exactly where we were delivering value and where we needed to improve. Our practical understanding of logistics and customer pain points has enabled us to make smarter investment decisions and achieve more sustainable growth.
Another important lesson is to build both hard and soft skills in every role without getting fixated on level or compensation. At PayPal, I left FP&A to take on the role of Operations COO, moving outside of finance, entering uncomfortable territory, and accelerating my learning. That experience gave me an “outside-in” perspective and helped me see how business functions work together to solve real problems and drive growth, and in the process made me a stronger finance leader than ever before.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
There have been times in my career where I was getting used to a role but couldn't take immediate action because I felt like my learning was starting to plateau. Not when I'm doing my best work. For example, in one early leadership role, I stayed on longer than necessary because the team was performing well and the results were good. Looking back, I wish I had been more proactive in pushing myself into new fields and striving for personal growth through reading, training, and improving my skills.
Early in my career, I too was hesitant to take on bigger challenges because I didn't feel completely “ready.” The voice of doubt in your mind is always there, listing reasons to not take the next big swing. But I've learned that I'm never completely ready, nor do I need to be. Some of the most valuable lessons come from stepping into the unknown, even at the risk of failure. You will grow much more through the discomfort than by staying put.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing CFOs today?
CFOs are constantly tasked with balancing operational efficiency and strategic growth, and doing so in an increasingly complex business environment. We are expected to both optimize costs and enable growth at the same time, and cash flow management remains important.
As we all embrace AI, understanding the right type of AI investment to drive customer experience and business revenue, and the level of investment in a rapidly evolving environment, is a question we are all trying to answer.
Additionally, CFOs are also working to transform their talent. Our teams need new skills to effectively leverage AI and advanced analytics while maintaining data security and compliance. I believe that some of these challenges are also opportunities. The key is to embrace technology that enhances, rather than replaces, human capabilities, enabling CFOs to drive meaningful business impact.
Do you have any advice for aspiring financial leaders?
Don't limit yourself to your job description. Step up and do whatever it takes for your business. Always think of yourself as a business leader first, not just a financial leader.
One of the most valuable things I did was take on a business role outside of finance. As COO of PayPal's Merchant Business, I led cross-functional teams across product, sales, and operations. When I returned to the CFO role, I was able to bring a broader perspective to customer needs, operational constraints, and how to design solutions that work in the real world, which made me a more well-rounded leader.
As you grow, success depends not only on what you personally offer, but also on the strength of your team. Invest in building high-performing teams with strong, cohesive cultures. As a leader, you need to spend more and more time and energy not only getting the job done, but also helping others grow.
