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- Tasks: Lead financial strategy and growth modelling for a dynamic tech company.
- Company: Wave, a forward-thinking tech firm in London with a hybrid work culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus opportunities, and a chance to shape the company's future.
- Other info: Join a fast-paced environment with significant career growth potential.
- Why this job: Be the financial brain behind innovative decisions and drive international expansion.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with strong commercial judgement and capital markets experience.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 120000 £ per year.
Reports to: COO / Founders
City of London, Hybrid
Competitive Basic salary + bonus
The role:
The commercial and financial brain of Wave's leadership. Models the future of the business, structures the capital that funds it, and owns the decisions founders would otherwise have to make themselves. Thinks like the founders and backs it up with rigour. A senior visible presence in the business, the final point of escalation before founder involvement on finance and commercial decisions, and the person investors meet before they meet the founders. This is a CFO-equivalent role with heavy commercial judgement, not a financial controller. The Interim Finance Manager owns the execution layer beneath; this role owns the strategic, commercial, and capital thinking above it.
What you own and what success looks like:
- Financial strategy and growth modelling
- Own Wave's live financial model across revenue trajectory, EBITDA bridge, cash position, and valuation. No significant decision reaches the founders without a financial model attached. Produce the board and investor financial narrative at a consistent cadence.
- Capital structure: debt, equity, and growth investment
- Own the capital structure strategy across three geographies and three business lines. Manage the invoice finance facility and evaluate alternative debt instruments. Own the equity financing strategy: when, at what valuation, from whom, on what terms. Manage the cash cycle proactively, not reactively.
- International expansion finance
- Own the financial architecture for US and UAE growth: investment cases, funding models, inter-company structures, and return expectations. Build break-even headcount models and entity funding structures for each new geography. Own the intercompany accounting framework and country-specific finance briefings.
- Group P&L and financial governance
- Own the group P&L and margin discipline across all three business lines. Own the financial governance framework: sign-off thresholds, approval levels, escalation structure. The final escalation point before founder involvement on finance and commercial decisions. Maintain the financial risk register.
- Finance systems and Mothership integration
- Own the requirements brief for the Xero to Mothership financial data integration. Define what the financial reporting layer in Mothership needs to surface. Lead the R&D tax credit programme.
- Statutory compliance and multi-entity risk
- Own all statutory obligations across UK entities and active international jurisdictions. Maintain the group compliance calendar and risk register. Manage the external advisor network.
- Direct report leadership
- Lead and develop the Interim Finance Manager at pace with the business's growth.
Who we are looking for:
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with significant post-qualification experience in a scaling professional services, SaaS, or tech-enabled business
- Heavy commercial judgement, not just financial discipline; reads a business situation and identifies the financial implication without being asked
- Senior presence and gravitas with clients, investors, and advisors
- Thinks like a founder and backs it up with rigour; builds models from scratch that drive decisions, rather than reporting on outcomes
- Capital markets experience: managed debt facilities, participated in equity raises, or structured growth financing
- Multi-entity, multi-jurisdiction finance experience
- Willing to challenge founders and SLT with data and back their own calls with conviction
- Comfortable being the final escalation point on decisions that do not need founder involvement
- AI-literate; restructures working practices around AI tools
- High trust, high accountability
Financial Director in London employer: Wave Group
Contact Detail:
Wave Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Financial Director in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the finance sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by doing your homework. Research the company’s financial strategies and recent developments. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around capital structure and international expansion. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You need to convey your commercial judgement and strategic thinking clearly. Role-play common interview questions with a friend or in front of a mirror. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll come across during the real deal.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who take the initiative. Plus, it gives you a chance to showcase your understanding of our business model and how you can contribute to our financial governance and growth strategy.
We think you need these skills to ace Financial Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Financial Savvy: When you're crafting your application, make sure to highlight your financial expertise and strategic thinking. We want to see how you can model the future of our business and back it up with solid data. Don't just tell us about your experience; show us how you've made a real impact in previous roles.
Be Bold and Authentic: We love candidates who think like founders! So, don’t be afraid to express your unique perspective and ideas in your application. Share examples of how you've challenged the status quo and made tough decisions based on data. Authenticity goes a long way with us!
Tailor Your Narrative: Make sure your application tells a cohesive story that aligns with our mission and values. Highlight your experience in multi-entity finance and international expansion, as these are key areas for us. A well-tailored narrative will help you stand out from the crowd!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, it shows us you're serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wave Group
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Financial Director, you need to be on top of your financial models and projections. Brush up on the key metrics that matter for the role, like revenue trajectories and EBITDA bridges. Be ready to discuss how you would approach building these models from scratch.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
This role requires heavy commercial judgement, so prepare examples of how you've identified financial implications in business situations. Think about times when you've had to challenge decisions or provide insights that shaped strategic outcomes.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
You'll be leading the Interim Finance Manager, so highlight your experience in developing teams. Share specific instances where you've successfully guided others through complex financial scenarios or helped them grow in their roles.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that test your ability to think like a founder. Prepare for hypothetical scenarios where you need to make financial decisions without founder involvement. Practice articulating your thought process and the data you would rely on to back your decisions.