Strategic Financial Controller / Head of Finance in Sedgefield

Location: NETPark, Sedgefield, County Durham (hybrid) | Salary: £75,000–£90,000 pa, depending on experience, plus employee share options

Contract Type: Full‑time, Permanent | Reporting to: CEO | Hours: 37.5 per week

SEEDS is a mature technical Research and Development company creating cutting‑edge engineered‑graphene based energy storage systems. We are in an exciting position to offer a high value opportunity to join us at the start of our commercialisation process. We are seeking an exceptional, strategically minded Financial Controller / Head of Finance to combine strong accounting discipline with forward‑looking financial planning. This is a stretch opportunity for someone who understands robust financial control, but who can also help shape the cash strategy of the business across investment, debt, grant funding and emerging commercial revenues. The successful candidate will help close out the current investment round, quickly develop a deep understanding of SEEDS’ 24‑month operating and commercialisation plan, and support preparation for a future Series B raise and valuation based on extending the product range and scaling production modules.

Responsibilities

• Produce timely and accurate monthly management accounts, with clear commentary on variances, performance and key financial drivers for the CEO and Board.
• Maintain a robust financial control environment, including approvals, reconciliations, delegated authorities and audit trails.
• Manage cashflow, weekly cash reporting, forecasting and runway visibility, identifying risks early and proposing mitigations.
• Create annual budgets, rolling forecasts and variance analysis that reflect the current operating plan.
• Oversee day‑to‑day finance operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, expenses, payroll coordination and banking using QuickBooks and third‑party providers.
• Lead statutory accounts preparation, audit management and UK financial compliance, ensuring filings are completed accurately and on time.
• Ensure appropriate accounting treatment of costs, projects and contracts in a pre‑revenue, R&D‑led environment.
• Track R&D expenditure by project and cost centre, supporting capitalisation policy, grant readiness and R&D tax relief claims.
• Provide clear financial insight and decision support to the CEO and leadership team to improve cost discipline and operational outcomes.
• Own finance systems, data integrity, chart of accounts and reporting structures within QuickBooks.
• Produce investor‑ready financial information to support completion of the current raise, future Series B planning, due diligence, valuation narratives and stakeholder confidence.
• Develop an AI‑enabled finance dashboard and scenario model that integrates appropriate AI finance tools to support real‑time planning, forecasting and reporting.
• Plan finance across concurrent R&D and commercialisation projects, ensuring project‑level budgets, funding sources, milestones, cost allocation and reporting disciplines remain clear as the business scales.
• Support financial governance, board reporting and active management of financial risk as the business continues to scale.

Person Specification — Essential Criteria

• A recognised professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Commercial acumen with proven experience operating as a hands‑on Financial Controller, Head of Finance or senior finance lead within a scale‑up, R&D‑led or investor‑backed environment.
• A strong technical accounting foundation and a disciplined approach to financial control, accuracy and compliance.
• Demonstrable experience in cashflow, burn rate, runway management and funding‑source planning, including the ability to link debt, investment, grants and commercial revenues into an integrated finance plan.
• Experience managing finances across multiple concurrent R&D projects, including project budgets, cost centres, milestone tracking, funding claims and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong experience in month‑end close, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Working knowledge of statutory reporting, audit readiness and UK regulatory requirements.
• Experience using QuickBooks and confidence in maintaining finance systems and reporting structures.
• Strong analytical, communication and leadership skills, with the ability to provide practical insight to non‑finance leaders.
• The ability to work effectively in a hands‑on, fast‑moving environment, applying rigour while remaining pragmatic.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in a pre‑revenue, investor‑backed or innovation‑led business.
• Knowledge of R&D expenditure tracking, capitalisation policy, grants and R&D tax relief.
• Experience preparing investor‑ready reporting and supporting fundraising, due diligence, valuation cases or future investment rounds.
• Familiarity with Power BI, Excel modelling or similar reporting tools.
• Experience of, or a strong researched interest in, AI‑enabled finance tools, including how they can be integrated into dashboards, forecasting models and management reporting to improve analysis, scenario planning and strategic decision‑making.
• Experience strengthening financial governance and board reporting in a scaling business.

Why Join Us?

• Play a central role in shaping the financial foundations of a high‑potential advanced materials business.
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative and innovation‑driven environment with real influence on decision‑making.
• Support a company on the cusp of commercial growth and scaling activity.
• Gain exposure to fundraising, governance, operational strategy and commercialisation.
• Benefit from employee options linked to a strong, highly scalable platform technology.

How to Apply: Send your CV and a covering letter to the recruitment team at jobs@seeds.technology. No agencies. Applicants must have full right to work in the UK.