James Jones, MBA, serves as the Chief Financial Officer. In his role, James is responsible for providing strategic financial leadership across the organization, overseeing all aspects of financial planning and analysis, accounting operations, financial infrastructure, and internal controls. He partners closely with executive leadership to drive disciplined decision-making and ensure the long-term financial health and sustainability of the organization. James is also responsible for ensuring organizational compliance with the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) as issued by the Office of Management and Budget, the Head Start Program Performance Standards, and U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
James brings over two decades of experience as a CFO and COO, having served as both a full-time executive and trusted advisor across a range of industries, including enterprise and consumer SaaS, AI, sports technology and media, and professional services. His career spans organizations at every stage of development, where he has helped leadership teams navigate periods of rapid growth, operational complexity, financial restructuring, and significant organizational change. He has a demonstrated track record of building and strengthening finance teams, modernizing financial systems, and establishing the disciplined reporting and governance structures that organizations depend on to fulfill their missions effectively.
Prior to joining Grow Early Learning, James served as Chief Financial Officer at Resolve Tech Solutions, a private-equity-backed global IT services firm, where he led a comprehensive finance transformation, improved liquidity by $5 million, and rebuilt the organization’s financial infrastructure across multiple continents. He previously served as CFO at C360 Technologies, a venture-capital-backed computer vision company, managing the company’s successful acquisition by Cosm, and at Singularity University, a private-equity-backed global executive education platform, where he led a financial turnaround and unified the organization’s finance, tax, and treasury operations. Earlier in his career, he served in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, supporting landmark transactions including AT&T’s acquisition of TCI and the sale of NetJets to Berkshire Hathaway, and in the strategic consulting practice at Accenture, where he advised leading technology companies including Microsoft and Intel.
James began his professional career as an officer in the United States Army, serving on active duty as a Field Artillery and Intelligence Officer, an experience that instilled the disciplined leadership and operational rigor that has defined his career ever since.
James is actively engaged in his broader community, serving as Audit Committee Chairperson and Board Trustee at the San Francisco Exploratorium Museum, as a Trustee for the Foothill-De Anza Community College Foundation, and as a Board Member of Starting Arts, a performing arts nonprofit dedicated to children. He earned his MBA in Finance and Strategy from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Outside of work, James is the primary caregiver for a rescue dog, Wila. He enjoys golf, fitness training, biking, skiing, and all racket sports — squash, tennis, and even pickleball. He is always reading fiction and can be counted on to quote leaders, writers, and poets ranging from Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway to Nasir Jones.
