Tie it to unit economics: skills onboarded, cost-to-productivity, offer acceptance, and attrition—then quantify savings and capacity.

CFOs don’t fund “awareness.” They fund improved unit economics. Explain employer brand ROI as measurable improvements in hiring efficiency and retention: lower cost per hire (less agency/ads), shorter time-to-fill (fewer vacancy costs, faster revenue capacity), higher offer acceptance (less restart cost), and lower early attrition (less backfill/training loss). Start with baselines, pick 2–3 metrics to move, and quantify the impact: even small lifts in offer acceptance or time-to-fill can pay back quickly at scale. Frame employer brand as a system that improves conversion—like optimizing a revenue funnel—not as a content project.