At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead finance operations, budgeting, and improve internal systems for a fast-growing startup.
- Company: Kernel helps revenue teams research companies efficiently, backed by top VCs and industry leaders.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, free dinners after 6 pm, 24 days holiday, and equity options.
- Why this job: Shape the future of a VC-backed startup while working with innovative teams and gaining valuable experience.
- Qualifications: 4-7 years in finance with strong analytical skills; Excel expertise is a must.
- Other info: Minimum 4 days a week in the London office; expect an exciting, fast-paced environment.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About Kernel
Kernel enables revenue teams to research companies as if they had unlimited time.
We’re growing extremely fast and working with many of the best revenue teams in the world like Remote.com , Navan, Zip, GoCardless, Cognism, and many more.
Previously, revenue teams relied on manual research to understand if a company had the problem they solved: Do job descriptions indicate doing what you automate? Who do they sell to? Is non-public financial data estimated to the right size? And what does this data tell me about their corporate card spend? Their travel expenses?
Our customers use Kernel to find this for every relevant company in the world to get complete overviews of ideal customers and pursue the right companies.
We’re a team of second-time founders and have raised $5mm+ from top VCs and revenue leaders at Open AI, Slack, Snowflake, and MongoDB.
The Role
We’re looking for our first Finance & Operations Lead to join the team. You’ll be the force behind everything from managing our financial engine to building the internal systems that help us scale. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of a VC-backed startup as we grow from Series A to beyond.
Important to Know:
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Hours – This will be an exciting but intense job. Kernel is growing extremely fast and hours can often be long. Many of our customers are on the West Coast, and meetings can be held late in the evening.
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Working location – Minimum 4 days a week in the London office (most people do 5).
Responsibilities
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Build and own our finance function: You\’ll take us from spreadsheets and contractors to an in-house, automated, and scalable finance stack. Own everything from day-to-day bookkeeping to long-term financial planning
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Budgeting, forecasting & reporting: Work with our CEO to lead budgeting, reporting, forecasting, and cash flow. Set targets and ensure we’re making informed, financially sound decisions
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Be the operational backbone: Work cross-functionally to improve how we run. Whether it\’s streamlining customer billing, setting up new offices, thinking through our People strategies or legal affairs — you’ll make the machine run smoother.
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Support our go-to-market and product teams: Help our teams stay ahead of customer contracts, onboarding & renewals
Your Traits
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All-in: You’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and handle whatever needs doing — from chasing down invoices to building financial models. You have no problems ‘taking out the trash’
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Entrepreneurial: You’re a creative, resourceful generalist. You like solving problems, figuring things out fast, and working with limited structure or playbooks
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Analytical: You’re organised, detail-obsessed, and care deeply about doing things the right way. Whether it’s cleaning up messy data or triple-checking payroll
Essential Qualifications:
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~4-7 years of high-stakes generalist experience
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A heavy (strategic) finance angle to your work. You will need to be an Excel (Sheets) expert. Often, we also find that having spent some time in Banking, Consulting or PE lends itself well to roles like these
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Proven ability to just GSD. Directly, and via influence / leadership
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Exceptional attention to detail and a master of written communications
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Comfortable with a broad range of modern Business Operations & Automation tools
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Strong analytical and technical skills (SQL + an excel wizard). You unblock yourself
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Ability to manage external partners (e.g. accountants, legal counsel, HR/payroll providers)
Nice-To-Have:
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Ideally, some of your time has been spent in a fast-paced startup environment. But this isn’t a hard requirement if you really want to make this transition
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Experience owning or supporting one or more core business functions such as Finance, Ops, People, or Legal
What we offer:
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Working directly with the founding team.
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A phenomenal platform for accelerated career growth.
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Dinner: Free when working past 6 pm.
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Holidays: 24 days plus bank holidays.
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Salary: £80-£100k
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Equity: Option grant on employee-friendly terms.
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Flexibility: Ability to work abroad for 2-weeks a year + flexibility during the working week for appointments (or anything else)
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Head of Finance & Operations employer: Kernel
Contact Detail:
Kernel Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Finance & Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Kernel's business model and the specific challenges they face in finance and operations. Understanding their unique needs will help you articulate how your skills can directly contribute to their growth.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Kernel, especially those in finance or operations roles. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate your ability to manage financial functions and improve operational efficiency. Highlight any relevant tools or systems you've implemented that align with Kernel's needs.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your analytical skills by being ready to discuss how you've used data to drive financial decisions in previous roles. Kernel values detail-oriented candidates, so be prepared to explain your thought process and outcomes.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Finance & Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in finance and operations. Focus on your achievements in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning, as these are key responsibilities for the role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mention specific experiences that demonstrate your ability to manage financial functions and improve operational efficiency.
Showcase Analytical Skills: Provide examples of how you've used analytical skills in previous roles. Highlight any experience with financial modelling or data analysis, especially using Excel or SQL, as this is crucial for the position.
Highlight Startup Experience: If you have experience in a fast-paced startup environment, make sure to mention it. Discuss how you've adapted to challenges and contributed to growth, as this aligns well with Kernel's dynamic culture.
How to prepare for a job interview at Kernel
✨Show Your Financial Acumen
As the Head of Finance & Operations, you'll need to demonstrate a strong understanding of financial principles. Be prepared to discuss your experience with budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting. Use specific examples from your past roles to illustrate your expertise.
✨Highlight Your Operational Experience
This role requires you to be the operational backbone of the company. Share instances where you've successfully streamlined processes or improved efficiency in previous positions. Discuss how you can apply these skills to help Kernel scale effectively.
✨Emphasise Your Analytical Skills
Kernel values detail-oriented individuals. Be ready to showcase your analytical abilities, particularly with tools like Excel and SQL. You might be asked to solve a problem on the spot, so brush up on your data analysis skills before the interview.
✨Demonstrate Your Entrepreneurial Spirit
The ideal candidate for this role is resourceful and proactive. Share examples of how you've taken initiative in past roles, especially in fast-paced environments. Show that you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves and tackle challenges head-on.