Head of Finance (m/f/d)

talpasolutions GmbH; Essen; Vor Ort; EUR 90.000 - 120.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading technology firm in Essen, Germany, is seeking a Head of Finance who will be a core strategic partner to the executive team and responsible for all financial activities. This role involves overseeing financial planning, compliance, and investor relations within a high-growth B2B IoT/SaaS environment. The ideal candidate will have a strong finance background, proven leadership skills, and fluency in German and English. The position is designed as a CFO-track role offering significant growth opportunities.

Leistungen

€1200 training budget

Flexible working hours

Unlimited vacation policy

Free food and drinks

In-house gym

Qualifikationen

• Proven experience as a senior finance executive, preferably as CFO or Head of Finance in a startup.
• Strong knowledge of corporate finance, accounting, and compliance.
• Experience with investor relations and fundraising.

Aufgaben

• Oversee financial activities and drive strategic financial guidance.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and reporting requirements.
• Manage cash flow and banking relationships.

Kenntnisse

Strategic financial leadership

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Team development

Fluency in German and English

Ausbildung

Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration

Tools

Financial software and tools

Jobbeschreibung

Overview

Your mission
The Head of Finance will be a key strategic partner of the executive team, reporting directly to the CEO, responsible for overseeing all financial activities, providing strategic financial guidance, and driving the company's financial planning and analysis.

This role requires a deep understanding of startup financing, investor relations, and financial management in a high-growth environment. This role turns strategy into numbers that can be executed - ensuring TALPA can scale Uptime-as-a-Service with OEM partners while maintaining financial discipline and credibility with board and investors.

You will combine strong hands-on financial leadership with increasing responsibility for strategy execution, capital planning, and cross-functional governance in a high-growth B2B IoT/SaaS environment.

The role is intentionally designed as a CFO-track position, offering significant strategic exposure and the opportunity to grow into a full CFO role within 1–2 years as the company scales.

• Strategic Financial Leadership
  • Translate TALPA’s strategy (growth + profitability path) into a measurable financial plan with clear decision points.
  • Act as financial sparring partner to CEO/Exec team; challenge assumptions and drive clarity.
  • Lead financing work streams (Series C/bridge/non-dilutive), including valuation logic, diligence readiness, and stakeholder alignment.
• Financial Planning and Analysis
  • Own budget, rolling forecast, and long-range plan with driver-based modelling (not only top-down).
  • Build scenario models and ensure the organization reacts early.
  • Create customer/OEM-level profitability views (CAC/payback where applicable, GM, contribution, cash impact).
• Financial Reporting and Compliance
  • Maintain compliance with all financial regulations and standards, including tax, audit, and reporting requirements.
  • Coordinate with external auditors and manage the annual audit process.
  • Deliver accurate monthly reporting (P&L, BS, CF), management packs, and board-ready materials. Own tax/audit timelines, external auditor coordination, and compliance standards. Ensure revenue recognition, contract tracking, and documentation are robust for diligence/audits.
• Cash Flow Management
  • Run weekly cash cadence; optimize AR/AP and payment terms.
  • Manage banking relationships and any debt/credit instruments.
• Risk Management
  • Identify financial, contractual, and operational risks early; propose mitigation plans.
  • Strengthen internal controls appropriate for a scaling startup.
  • Ensure adequate insurance coverage and risk documentation.
• Team Leadership and Development
  • Build a lean finance team and manage external providers (accounting, payroll, tax, legal interfaces).
  • Implement automation and tool discipline to reduce manual work and errors.
• Investor Relations and Fundraising (tasks to grow into as the company scales)
  • Create investor-grade transparency: crisp KPIs, variance explanations, and forward-looking narrative.
  • Maintain a clean data room and diligence toolkit (model, KPIs, cohort/contract views, cap table artifacts).
  • Support CEO in investor comms with fact-based, consistent messaging.

Qualifications

• A degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field
• Proven experience as a senior finance executive, preferably as a CFO or Head of Finance in a high-growth startup environment.
• Strong knowledge of corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, accounting, and compliance.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience with financial software and tools.
• Fluency in both German and English.

• Nice to have: Demonstrated success in leading Series C (or later stage) funding rounds and managing investor relations.

Why us?

TALPA is a value-driven organization, and we are excited about what we do. Exploration, Collaboration, Empowerment, Accountability and Empathy - these are our values. If they are your guiding compass, you will fit right in!

As a team, we bring our diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences together. We support and challenge one another to bring out the best in each of us, and we might even have a little fun along the way. We care about you. Here is a glimpse of what makes life at talpasolutions special:

• Our culture is diverse and inclusive. We are one team with many voices.
• Agile performance: You actively participate in setting your challenges and goals via objectives and key results. Your lead continuously provides feedback and coaches you in dedicated sessions.
• €1200 training budget for training courses of your choice, such as conferences (national or abroad), online learning platforms, etc.
• We believe in trust. You know how you operate at your best. Free choice of hardware and operating system and flexible working hours and unlimited vacation policy are some ways how we will support you.
• We want your life to be hassle-free. That’s why you will find free food & drinks in our kitchen.
• We have a fully-equipped in-house gym on the office premises available 24/7.
• Bring your whole self to work and find a community. Whatever your passion, you will likely find like-minded people at talpasolutions.
• It is as a team that we operate at our best. We offer regular happiness activities that bring all of us together.
• We are a diverse team and want to grow as such. If you are looking to relocate to Germany to join us, we are happy to share our knowledge and help you through the relocation process.

People are at the centre of everything we do here at TALPA. We grew to what we are today because of the cooperation of unique people, and we need unique and diverse people to achieve where we want to go as a company. As a result, TALPA as an equal-opportunity employer prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sexual identity, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, nationality, citizenship, age, disability, medical condition, or any other unlawful consideration. We evaluate your application based on merit and keep your information confidential according to local law and best practice.

About Us

Join TALPA and help shape the future of industrial analytics. We harness advanced technology to transform how industries understand and improve equipment performance. Our platform supports a wide range of sectors, including mining, construction and logistics, by integrating real-time and historical data to deliver actionable insights and enhance operational efficiency. At TALPA, we foster a culture of exploration and empathy, where collaboration and accountability go hand in hand. We empower each other to take initiative, grow through challenges and contribute meaningfully to our shared mission.