Director, Finance & Accounting

$150,000 - $168,750/Yr

Tbwa Chiat/Day - San Francisco, CA

Full-time - Senior

Hybrid - San Francisco, CA

About the position

As the Director of Finance & Accounting at Gradient, you will be the senior finance executive responsible for shaping the financial strategy and managing day-to-day operations. This role is critical in guiding financial planning, analysis, and reporting to ensure alignment with the company's mission of promoting environmental sustainability through innovative heating and cooling solutions. You will report directly to the COO and play a key role in optimizing financial health while supporting the company's growth objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement financial strategies that support the company's growth objectives and align with our mission.
• Own the Corporate forecasting and budgeting processes, including Annual Planning as well as monthly and quarterly forecast processes.
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management to optimize resources.
• Own operational accounting management, month-end closing, audit collaboration, and reporting.
• Prepare and present financial reports to the executive team, board of directors, and investors, providing insights and recommendations.
• Manage financial model and provide financial data and insights to support fundraising efforts.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to analyze revenue models and assess financial performance for both pre-revenue and post-revenue phases.
• Develop and own a strategic asset allocation framework for measuring ROI of spend.
• Build out systems and processes: ERP, including order management, purchasing module, inventory and costing, etc.
• Lead financial audits and ensure compliance with regulations and accounting standards.
• Research technical accounting issues, draft white papers and policies.
• Manage company 401k plan and administer employee stock option plan.
• Coordinate tax accounting firm on compliance and tax planning.
• Mentor and manage one direct report, fostering their professional growth while ensuring high-quality output.
• Forecast future growth needs in the finance department & scale for growth as needed.

Requirements

• 10+ years of strategic finance and accounting experience.
• Bachelor's degree required; CPA and/or MBA preferred.
• Proven experience in a senior finance role within a hardware company; familiarity with cleantech is a plus.
• Familiarity with QuickBooks advanced, other SaaS applications (A/P, T&E, PO, Equity).
• Broad and in-depth experience with operational accounting - GL, Cost and Inventory, Revenue and A/R, A/P, Equity and toolsets.
• Intermediate to advanced excel skills.
• Demonstrated success working with both pre-revenue and post-revenue business models, showcasing adaptability in diverse financial landscapes.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to execute tactical plans efficiently.
• Strong leadership skills coupled with a collaborative mindset, capable of inspiring teams across the organization.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in early-stage (Series A or earlier) startup in accounting and finance.
• Experience leading an accounting function, with the demonstrated capability to mentor, train, and develop a diverse team.
• A track record of grants management, especially related to compliance and reporting.

Benefits

• Estimated salary range of $150,000 - $168,750 per year + equity.
• Hybrid work model with 2-3 days in the San Francisco headquarters.