About Us
We are a fast-growing, Series A NatureTech company (backed by leading investors AzureX Space Ventures, Equinor Ventures, and Intercontinental Exchange) on a mission to enable zero deforestation and degradation and support mass forest restoration by producing the highest-quality nature mapping data and insights products.
Data is at the heart of Space Intelligence. We process large volumes of satellite data and analyse it within a machine learning framework to produce valuable nature mapping products for our clients.
Our products are trusted by the developers and investors in nature-based solutions, including Apple, Climate Asset Management, Everland, and WCS. They are also used to support the validation of compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) through our partnership with ICE’s Commodity Traceability Service (COT).
We are a group of passionate, dedicated individuals with deep technical and scientific knowledge necessary for producing reliable, high-quality data and insights. We have a strong understanding of our customers’ needs and develop long-term relationships that add value.
We are a values-driven organisation, embodying these principles in our daily work: we are Science-driven, with a Commitment to Quality, always Acting with Integrity. We have a focus on Innovation to create better products for our clients and an overall commitment to Equality. We are striving to create a commercial culture that is meritocratic and outcome-oriented.
About you and the purpose of the role
Having recently announced our Series A investment, we are now looking for a dynamic and experienced CFO to join our team to support and drive the next phases of the growth of Space Intelligence.
About you
- You have extensive experience as a senior financial leader, ideally within the tech, environmental, or geospatial sectors. You’ve scaled SMEs and high-growth companies, including by raising multiple rounds of PE/VC investment.
- You have very strong leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams and communicate complex financial concepts to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
- You’re ready to scale a mission focussed company 10 x in three years.
- You have deep expertise in Business Operations and Finance.
- You are technically proficient in financial management software, data analysis tools, and IT systems critical for scaling operations in a tech-driven environment.
- You are a chartered accountant or have relevant financial or business management qualifications, such as a CFA, MBA, CMA, CFP or similar.
- You have experience contributing to strategy at a whole business level, where you will have led components around pricing products, and forecasting how revenues and costs will vary under different scenarios.
- You are willing to get stuck into analyses yourself, producing first estimates based on sound and clear assumptions but with high uncertainty, enabling the business to move rapidly with outputs such as profitability analyses for a new business line, where little concrete data might be available.
As CFO you will be using these qualities and this experience to lead our Finance function. But you’ll also be using your impressive experience in supporting fast-scaling companies by rapidly establishing yourself as a trusted leader in the business generally. You’ll pro-actively be setting the agenda and development plans for the finance function and the commercial and cost side of Space Intelligence, and supporting the further internationalisation of the business as Space Intelligence grows to meet the market opportunity and make a significant positive environmental impact by achieving our mission.
You will be the common link between the company and the financial investors, communicating financial results, working through e.g. capital structure issues or M&A opportunities.
You will keep the business in a constant state of preparedness for a capital raise (including preparation and readiness for Due Diligence)
Key Responsibilities and Deliverables
Strategic leadership
- Collaborate with the co-founders and Investors, reporting to the CEO, and becoming a trusted partner in the senior leadership team to drive business performance, creating financial insights to inform key decisions and achieve our commercial objectives.
- Support our Finance Director, and Finance Administrator who have built our Finance function to date.
- Ensure that the company’s financial strategy supports its long-term growth objectives
- Join our Executive Leadership team, and attend the Board as a leader in the business.
- Lead the development and operation of the finance function, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and guide the company through its expansion into new markets, scaling our products and supporting the maturation of the company’s profitability profile over time.
- Embed positive commercial culture throughout the company. This should focus on controlling costs, ensuring return on investment factored into small and large spending decisions (travel, office costs, salaries, hiring, investment in new products/improvements), and that pricing is strategic.
- Network in the external ecosystems, potential partners, and including with financial actors who may become customers
Financial Reporting and Compliance
You’ll be joining an existing team of an experienced Finance Director, and Finance Administrator who have already established processes for consistent, accurate reporting on a monthly basis.
- You’ll help ensure that all financial reporting is accurate, timely, and compliant with UK regulations; plus international regulations as you help expand the business.
- Prepare and present financial reports to the board and stakeholders, highlighting key metrics and growth opportunities. This includes leading the relationships with current and future investors with timely information regarding the financial position and development of the business.
- Ensure reporting and audit decisions/formats are smart and forward looking, and minimise the administrative burden on the business.
Budgeting, Planning & Analysis
- Oversee the Financial Management of the business according to best practice and in accordance with all relevant legislation.
- Lead financial planning using current resources post A-round, marrying our strategy with the requirements and plans of different departments. Use your experience to develop a financial planning process that is appropriate to our size of business, sufficiently nimble to enable us to adapt to changes in the strategy or market during a financial year, but sufficiently robust and rigorous to be useful.
- Undertake Annual zero based budgeting
- Support Finance Director with rolling monthly cash / cash flow / EBITDA / revenue forecasting
- Help drive EBITDA and EBITDA to cash flow conversion maximisation
- Oversee the further integration of the Sales team’s activities to develop a robust understanding of the company’s performance against targets. Specifically,
- Working closely with the sales and business development teams to structure financial deals, including multi-year contracts, project-based pricing, etc.
- Assist in negotiating key partnerships and contracts, while balancing profitability and risk mitigation
- Analyse the profitability of various product offered, and work to increase margins of most relevant products
- Oversee systems for tracking spend against budget, to maximise business insights while minimising friction and unnecessary data collection.
Treasury Develop the Treasury function
- Managing cash
- Supporting the long term strategic development of the company, ensuring sufficient financing for our growth objectives
- Providing funding for core activities
- Maximising net income from cash on hand
- Understanding and exploring debt financing options if any, including engaging with banks
- Securing soft funding from national and international sources
Risk management
- Implement comprehensive risk management practices to protect the company’s financial health, particularly in relation to its high-tech, data-driven operations.
- Evaluate and manage the company’s capital structure, including cash flow, debt, and equity financing
Commercial development
- Support pricing strategy as the business develops
- Lead Profitability and wider Business Management data
- Establishing and providing finance and accounting services/advice to subsidiaries abroad
- Engaging with financial actors in exploring how they can become direct or indirect customers of service provider like Space Intelligence
- Partner with other executives to identify and evaluate growth opportunities, including potential acquisitions or partnerships.
- Cultivate relationships with potential strategic investors or partners whose long-term vision aligns with the company’s objectives
Systems
- Lead the development and implementation of the Finance team’s systems, including integrated ERP.
Fundraising
- Play the leading role in ensuring the readiness of the business for future funding rounds / M&A activity at all times, and to actively participate in the fund raising process.
- Maintain the company collateral and data room
- Use your talent creating financial models and leading the responses to due diligence questions during fundraising or M&A processes.
Team Management and Development
- Lead and develop the existing finance team, comprised of our Finance Director and Finance Administrator, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Work closely with other departments to ensure financial strategies are aligned with operational goals and the company’s mission.
- Be accountable for functional areas that go outside finance function (compliance programs (not only financial reporting compliance).
Salary
This is a senior role compensated commensurate with experience, and a talented and ambitious CFO in a Series A scale-up, in the region of £130,000 – £150,000 pa; plus Participation in the stock option scheme (EMI).
Working for Space Intelligence
At Space Intelligence, we offer a competitive salary and benefits – 33 holiday days per year, an extra day off for your birthday, a good pension plan offering salary sacrifice for tax efficiency, an Employee Savings on Purchases Platform and an Employee Assistance Programme, as well as other benefits. We have a friendly, fun and supportive workplace, and we strongly value work-life balance. We are emphatically not a company with a long-hours culture, we are family-friendly and support flexible working and part-time, where possible. We also schedule a range of events including lunches, escape rooms, pub trips, crazy golf, bowling and much more. In addition, we do company and team away days.
We are, proudly, a diverse, multicultural team and our employees come from 11 different countries.
Where will I work?
We are looking for a candidate who will be based in our office on George Street, Edinburgh. Most of our team are in the office most days, and we feel you will learn fastest if you are in the office most days too. However, we support hybrid working and would be happy for you to work 1-2 days a week from home.
How to apply
Please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’re particularly suited for this role to [email protected]
Please note, that if you don’t currently have the right to work in the UK, we do not sponsor visas so please check out the UK Government website for further information about visas before applying.
Closing date: Midday, Friday 4th October