Strategic Finance Manager

About Liminal Insights

Liminal’s mission is to accelerate the clean energy transition by improving the cost, quality, and reliability of battery manufacturing. We do this by providing customers with better analytics and insights during production. Our breakthrough EchoStat® platform uses ultrasound and machine learning technology to supply customers with the information needed to accelerate production ramp-up, improve productivity and reliability, and detect critical defects early. Liminal has active product evaluations with major cell manufacturers and EV OEMs, and is on track to close multiple $M deployment contracts for commercial cell production in 2023.

Our Culture and Values

• We are dedicated to building a world-class, world-positive company.
• We work closely on a foundation of mutual trust and informed decisions.
• Our core values are trust, empathy, and curiosity.
• We encourage personal growth, continuous learning, and safety.
• We believe the most innovative teams are inclusive of and celebrate all forms of diversity.

Role

As the company transitions from R&D to commercialization, there is tremendous opportunity in maturing the company’s financial operations. This high-visibility role is the company’s first internal finance hire and will lead strategic finance efforts company-wide.

In close collaboration with the Director of Strategy & Operations, as our Strategic Finance Manager, you will be responsible for owning, maintaining, and improving our company’s financial forecast. You will ensure accuracy of the forecast and use this model to inform strategic operational decisions at all levels of the organization, through modeling and scenario planning. This role combines financial acumen, spreadsheet mastery, and a strategic operational mindset.

This role has the option of a hybrid schedule after an initial in-person training period.

Responsibilities

1. Take ownership of the financial forecast model - including ensuring accuracy and improving functionality
2. Map out scenarios to inform how various business models and finance strategies affect the company’s forecast
3. Develop and monitor critical financial reporting and performance metrics, and highlight risks to leadership team
4. Collaborate cross-functionally across the commercial and technical teams to ensure accurate revenue and cost projections, refine our unit economics model, and understand the impact of various pricing strategies
5. Define an accurate COGS of our product, and develop continuous tracking/reporting mechanisms for COGS
6. Monitor budget vs. actuals throughout the year, and provide recommendations to leadership team for cost control
7. Interface with our fractional CFO on issues related to expense coding, purchasing, accounting, and other ad hoc projects
8. Collaborate with leadership on cash management strategies, including identifying and pursuing various sources of funding
9. Facilitate the annual budget planning process at the end of the year
10. Clearly communicate and report our financial narrative to the leadership level

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• 3-5 years of experience in a finance role, or equivalent, in a technology company, management consulting, or venture capital firm
• Deep understanding of financial analysis, scenario planning, and growth strategies
• Skilled at building spreadsheets and financial models (Google Sheets, Excel) and seeing the story behind the numbers
• High attention to detail
• Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills
• Familiarity with GAAP, including revenue and cost recognition principles
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, economics, engineering, or equivalent

Nice to haves

• Experience with software SAAS and hardware COGS business models
• Experience in the battery industry or other manufacturing industry
• Experience managing a start-up’s cash flow
• MBA, CFA

Benefits

• Annual salary of $150,000 to $168,000 based on skill level and experience.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package, including stock options, to help you and your family build a healthy and secure future.
• Group health benefits that provide support for employee well-being and preventative care, including comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• A retirement program that helps build future financial security through both traditional and Roth 401(k) options with employer matching.
• Flexible working hours so you can be productive when is best for you.
• Generous time-off policy to allow you to renew and refresh through vacation