Finance Manager

Apollo Research; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Application deadline: The deadline for applying is 15 May. We aim to reach out to shortlisted candidates from mid-May. We encourage early submissions.

About Apollo

Apollo Research is a rapidly growing AI safety and model evaluation company, providing third-party evaluations for frontier AI models. As we expand, we are looking for a highly adaptable member of the team to manage and support finance, accounting, and associated compliance functions.

The capabilities of current AI systems are evolving at a rapid pace. While these advancements offer tremendous opportunities, they also present significant risks, such as the potential for deliberate misuse or the deployment of sophisticated yet misaligned models. At Apollo Research, our primary concern lies with deceptive alignment, a phenomenon where a model appears to be aligned but is, in fact, misaligned and capable of evading human oversight.

At Apollo, we aim for a culture that emphasizes truth-seeking, being goal-oriented, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and being friendly and helpful. If you’re interested in more details about what it’s like working at Apollo, you can find more information here.

About the Role

This role is a new addition to Apollo’s Operations team and will work closely with the COO on a daily and weekly basis. In this position, you will play a key role in building the financial systems and processes that enable Apollo to scale and operate efficiently.

What You'll Accomplish

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive financial management system that scales with our organization.
• Build financial forecasting and reporting frameworks that provide leadership with accurate, actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
• Create and document standardized procedures for core financial operations including financial reconciliations, budgeting, AP/AR, and some grant reporting.
• Develop financial controls and compliance processes that satisfy requirements across multiple jurisdictions while maintaining operational flexibility.
• Establish efficient procurement and vendor management processes that reduce administrative overhead while maintaining compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily financial operations, including reconciliations, cash flow tracking, and banking activities.
• Manage accounts payable and receivable, including invoicing and payment processing, ensuring timely payments and collections.
• Assist with procurement and vendor management, including maintaining contracts and ensuring timely payments.
• Coordinate with third-party accounting firms and payroll service providers.
• Support grant reporting requirements and ensure compliance.
• Maintain accurate accounting records and ensure compliance with UK and US financial regulations.
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes to enable strategic planning.
• Prepare and analyze financial statements, reports, and metrics to inform decision-making and track performance against targets.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and maintain financial policies and procedures.
• Stretch into one additional Operations work domain, like compliance.

The Ideal Candidate Has

• Proven ability to initiate and scale systems and processes, as well as independently manage projects.
• Anticipate challenges and provide solutions; strategizing 6-9 months ahead.
• Effectively manage multiple parallel work streams while maintaining attention to detail.
• Apply past experience to new and unfamiliar work domains.
• Write the ‘Ops playbook’ rather than be handed an existing ‘playbook’ to execute on.
• Worked across multiple countries and cultures.
• Interest in AI safety and desire to mitigate the risks associated with advanced AI.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in finance / accounting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field (Bonus: MBA or Master’s degree in a related field).
• Proficiency with accounting software such as Xero or QuickBooks.
• Experience working with third-party accounting firms.
• Familiarity with at least one of US and UK legal / financial compliance (Bonus: Both US and UK).
• Experience in a fast-paced and start-up environment.

Logistics

• Start Date: June/July 2025.
• Time Allocation: Full-time.
• Location: The office is in London, and the building is shared with the London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA) offices. This is an in-person role.
• Work Visas: We may be able to sponsor UK visas for people who currently don’t have UK work permission.

Benefits

• Salary: A competitive UK-based salary.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Flexible work hours and schedule.
• Unlimited vacation.
• Unlimited sick leave. Lunch, dinner, and snacks provided for all employees on workdays.
• Paid work trips, including staff retreats, business trips, and relevant conferences.
• A yearly $1,000 professional development budget.

We want to emphasise that people who feel they don’t fulfill all of these characteristics but think they would be a good fit for the position nonetheless are strongly encouraged to apply. We believe that excellent candidates can come from a variety of backgrounds and are excited to give you opportunities to shine.

Equality Statement: Apollo Research is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are committed to providing equal opportunities to all, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

How to apply: Please complete the application form with your CV. The provision of a cover letter is optional but not necessary.