Finance Director

Salience Labs
Salience Labs

Accounting & Finance

California, USA · Oxford, UK

Posted on Sep 8, 2026
The Role

As Finance Director at Salience Labs, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth financial operations, compliance, and insightful reporting to support our business strategy. Working closely with the CFO and cross-functional teams, you will lead financial processes and provide actionable insights in a fast-paced, high-tech environment.

Responsibilities
  • Overseeing bookkeeping, ledger accounting, and financial control

  • Preparing monthly financial statements, management accounts, and Board presentation materials

  • Developing and implementing internal control guidelines, policies, and procedures

  • Managing payroll, cash flow, expense processes, and financial close cycles

  • Designing and delivering detailed financial reporting, focusing on project-based actuals and cash use against budgets

  • Ensuring compliance with payroll, VAT, income tax, and other statutory requirements in the UK, Germany, and the U.S.

  • Supporting vendor negotiations and maintaining key financial relationships

  • Monitoring and reporting on grant, R&D, and contract expenditures, including preparing and submitting grant reimbursement claims

  • Implementing and optimizing finance technology stacks to enhance efficiency

  • Collaborating with external accountants, auditors, and payroll providers

  • Contributing to strategic projects, including budgeting/reforecasting and share option scheme management

What We're Looking For
  • Minimum 10 years of post-qualification experience, including 5+ years in start-up or fast-growth environments

  • Proven expertise in financial controllership, IFRS and/or GAAP knowledge, and UK tax/payroll compliance

  • Strong proficiency in accounting software, Excel, and financial reporting tools

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively across teams

  • A detail-oriented problem-solver who can manage change and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced setting like a start-up

Even Better If You
  • Have familiarity with financial regulations and practices in Germany and the U.S.

  • Bring experience from fabless manufacturing or high-tech industries like semiconductors

  • Have a track record of leading software selection and implementation projects

  • Possess leadership skills to drive innovation and growth within the finance function