Finance Finance Lead London , United Kingdom

About the role

We are seeking a growth minded Finance Lead to take full ownership of our financial ecosystem. This isn’t just a role for someone to "do the books", we need a builder. You will be the architect of our financial infrastructure as we scale from c. 100 people today toward our next major milestones. As our first full-time Finance Lead, you will bridge the gap between meticulous operational execution (bookkeeping, payroll, and compliance) and high-level strategic partnership. You will be a key advisor to the leadership team, ensuring our unit economics are robust, our growth is sustainable, and our data is investor‑ready at all times.

What you’ll be doing

• Strategic Financial Partnership: Act as an adviser to senior management, providing deep‑dive analysis into margins, CAC/LTV, business unit budget performance, and runway to inform critical business decisions.
• Operational Excellence: Manage the end‑to‑end financial operations, including bookkeeping, management and statutory accounts preparation, supplier payments, invoicing, and payroll for our c.100‑person team.
• System Building: Evaluate, implement, and optimise a modern "finance stack" (ERP, expenses, payroll) that can handle the complexity of a rapidly scaling business.
• Fundraising & Investor Relations: Maintain a "clean" cap table and lead the preparation of financial due diligence for future capital raises and board reporting.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Own the company’s rolling financial model, providing proactive scenario‑based forecasting.
• Compliance & Audit: Ensure we remain fully compliant with UK regulations, managing the annual audit process and tax matters (including R&D tax credits, EIS & EMI compliance).

Qualifications

• Qualified Professional: You are ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified with significant post‑qualified experience, ideally within a high‑growth startup or scale‑up environment.
• The "Full-Stack" Mindset: You are equally comfortable getting your hands dirty in the ledger as you are presenting a 3‑year strategic plan to the Board.
• Data‑Driven: Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills are a given, but you also have the ability to translate "noise" into actionable insights.
• Process Obsessed: You hate manual entry. You are constantly looking for ways to automate workflows and tighten internal controls.
• Communication: You can explain complex financial concepts to non‑finance stakeholders without using jargon.
• Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy and attention to detail in financial reporting and data analysis.
• Adaptability and Problem‑solving: Ability to work in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment and solve complex financial challenges.
• Ethical Conduct: Demonstrated commitment to ethical conduct and high standards of integrity in financial management.
• Team player: Ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams and build strong working relationships.

Desirable

• Capital Raise Experience: You have previously navigated a Series A/B funding round or worked within a business that has successfully raised external capital.

Benefits

• Competitive salary + benefits (bonus, pension, private medical, income protection, death in service)
• Potential to get equity in the company in the future
• Access to Wellness / mental health support (Headspace App + mental health support through private medical)
• Budget for additional learning / cost of exams
• Electric vehicle leasing through salary sacrifice / cycle to work scheme
• Flexible working hours and hybrid remote working (typically 2-3 days a week working in the office (20 Farringdon Street))
• Exceptionally open and diverse, multinational team
• Entrepreneurial, creative environment
• Join a firm with genuine purpose and impact on our customers, along with a strong moral code