Interim Finance Director | VC-Backed Deep-Tech Scale-Up

Harmonic Finance™ | Certified B Corp; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 185,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Harmonic are partnering with a VC-backed deep-tech business in London for an Interim Finance Director / VP Finance to lead the finance function in a hands-on or transformation-led capacity. The role focuses on cash, forecasting, working capital, and commercial reporting, with ownership of month-end close, controls, and investor reporting; the candidate will build a capable finance team.

Scope includes upgrading working capital management, building structure around capex, and delivering

Qualifications

• Senior finance leadership experience (FD, VP Finance or CFO) in a VC-backed, high-growth business.
• A strong grasp of complex commercial models, and the ability to turn them into decisions for an operational leadership team.
• Hands-on experience building cashflow forecasting and managing working capital in a cash-sensitive business with capex exposure.
• A track record of fixing core finance processes and building team capability at pace.

Responsibilities

• Build a reliable short and medium-term cashflow forecast and give leadership clear, regular visibility of cash.
• Get control of working capital, tightening the cash cycle across customers and suppliers.
• Put structure around capital expenditure: approvals, tracking, and the link through to forecast and cash.
• Build the commercial insight leadership needs, with clear reporting on unit economics, margin and customer profitability.
• Streamline and drive efficiencies through the core finance processes, starting with month-end close, management reporting and controls.
• Break down silos and set up proper business partnering with operations, commercial and product leads.
• Assess the existing team, raise capability, and hire where needed.
• Support board and investor reporting.

Skills

Senior finance leadership

Cashflow forecasting

Working capital

Process improvement

Team building

Job description

Interim Finance Director | VC-Backed Deep-Tech Scale-Up | London/Hybrid

Harmonic are partnering with a VC-backed deep-tech business in their search for an Interim Finance Director / VP Finance to undertake a number one in finance role for a deep-tech business using optimisation and machine learning to rethink how urban transportation networks operate.

Our client is engineering-led, has grown its revenue run rate exponentially in the last 12 months and is well funded for its next phase of growth.

The Role

As the business continued to scale, they're looking for an interim finance lead who can come in and provide immediate impact to the function. In terms of areas of focus, they will look to upgrade working capital management given the meaningful capex exposure. This is a hands‑on interim brief to bring control, visibility and commercial insight to the function.

Working directly with the founders and leadership team, you will take ownership of cash, forecasting and commercial reporting, fix the core processes, and build depth in the team. The client is open to either a hands‑on player‑coach or a more transformation‑led profile.

Key Responsibilities

• Build a reliable short and medium‑term cashflow forecast and give leadership clear, regular visibility of cash.
• Get control of working capital, tightening the cash cycle across customers and suppliers.
• Put structure around capital expenditure: approvals, tracking, and the link through to forecast and cash.
• Build the commercial insight leadership needs, with clear reporting on unit economics, margin and customer profitability.
• Streamilne and drive efficiencies through the core finance processes, starting with month-end close, management reporting and controls.
• Break down silos and set up proper business partnering with operations, commercial and product leads.
• Assess the existing team, raise capability, and hire where needed.
• Support board and investor reporting.

What We Need to See (Essential)

• Senior finance leadership experience (FD, VP Finance or CFO) in a VC-backed, high-growth business.
• A strong grasp of complex commercial models, and the ability to turn them into decisions for an operational leadership team.
• Hands‑on experience building cashflow forecasting and managing working capital in a cash‑sensitive business with capex exposure.
• A track record of fixing core finance processes and building team capability at pace.

What We'd Like to See (Bonus)

• Exposure to operationally intensive or infrastructure‑led business models.
• Experience scaling finance through a significant funding round and the investor reporting that follows.

Day Rate:

£1,000–£1,250 per day (IR35 status to be confirmed)

Contract:

6 months - potential for temp to perm.

Location

London/Hybrid

Start Date:

ASAP (within 4 weeks)

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.