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Finance Manager - Operations and Procurement

Vow

Vow

Accounting & Finance, Operations
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted on Nov 6, 2024

About us

Vow is a cultured meat company on a mission to feed billions and create food that’s good for your tastebuds, your health and your planet.

We’re bringing together cutting edge innovations in science, engineering, culinary and design to create new meats that meat lovers can choose selfishly because it’s nutritious and delicious, and we’re doing so in a sustainable way.

The role:

We are searching for an experienced Finance Manager – Operations and Procurement to join our growing finance team. This role is essential in managing the financial operations of Vow’s global supply chain, procurement strategies, and factory-level capital expenditures. As the finance lead for these operations, you’ll dive into FP&A (budgeting, unit economics, gross margin analysis, etc.) and work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure Vow’s operational and financial goals are met.

You’ll bring a combination of financial acumen and hands-on experience in multinational supply chain and procurement, and play a critical role in streamlining processes, managing risk, and driving operational efficiencies as we continue to scale.

The experience/skills you will bring:

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; CPA or equivalent certification is strongly preferred.
  • 5+ years of finance experience with a strong focus on finance within supply chain, procurement, and factory operations for a multi-national manufacturing company.
  • FP&A Mastery: Proven expertise in financial planning and analysis, especially in budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis related to operations
  • Capex & Unit Economics: Demonstrated ability to manage capital expenditure budgets and optimize unit economics to drive gross margin improvements
  • Technical Skills: Expert in Excel for financial modeling; ERP experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite) is a plus
  • Soft Skills: Strong analytical, communication, and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across international teams
  • Audit Background: Preferred but not required; candidates with audit experience will bring valuable skills in internal controls, compliance, and financial reporting.

You will:

  • Supply Chain & Procurement Financial Management: Oversee the financial aspects of supply chain and procurement activities, including supplier negotiations, cost analysis, and risk management.
  • Factory-Level Capex: Manage the budgeting, forecasting, and monitoring of factory-level capital expenditures. Ensure that capex projects align with overall financial goals and provide clear reporting on project spend and financial returns.
  • Unit Economics & Gross Margin Analysis: Develop, monitor, and analyse unit economics across manufacturing sites, focusing on optimising gross margins and improving operational efficiency.
  • FP&A for Operations: Lead the FP&A activities related to the supply chain, including supporting the preparation of annual budgets, quarterly forecasts, and variance analysis. Provide insights and recommendations based on financial data to support decision-making within operations.
  • Financial Reporting: Prepare and deliver accurate financial reports related to supply chain, procurement, and capex to senior management. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track operational performance and financial impact.
  • Process Improvement: Work with cross-functional teams to streamline processes, improve cost efficiency, and enhance financial controls related to procurement and manufacturing operations.
  • Cost Controls and Compliance: Implement financial controls to ensure that procurement and capex spending adheres to company policies. Ensure compliance with internal and external audit requirements.

What success looks like:

In the first 3 months, you will have established a deep understanding of Vow’s supply chain, from an operating and financial perspective, and have streamlined initial processes in capex management. You will have begun to take ownership of financial controls within supply chain and procurement.

By the 6-month mark, you will have led the development of a comprehensive budgeting and forecasting model for operations, contributed to gross margin improvements, and implemented cost-saving initiatives.

Within your first year, you will be a trusted financial partner across Vow’s operations, recognized for your insights and ability to drive data-informed decisions that enhance our supply chain’s efficiency and scalability.

Who we are and why join:

  • We are building a diverse, mission-led dream team of “Vowzers.” Our mission is to make food products for everyone. To do that well we need a workforce that’s representative of the people we serve. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view - so we’re building a culture to match. Be yourself and come as you are.
  • Work on cutting-edge technology. We’re bringing together cutting-edge innovations in science, engineering, and food, to recreate the world’s most tantalising and unique culinary experiences. All without compromising on ethics or our planet along the way. Since our inception in 2019, we have held the title of being the first startup to cultivate meat from the cells of an undomesticated animal, and have served up our exotic meats ranging from kangaroo dumplings to alpaca sliders in tastings with world-renowned chefs.
  • Work with and learn from the best. Our team includes some of the world’s top scientists, innovators, operators, and creatives with decades of industry experience. Despite our experiences though, we all strive to build, break, learn, and repeat. We see the impossible as temporary and strive to learn and support our company and fellow Vowzers' growth as much as possible.
  • We’re fully funded and ready to go. We are a growing Aussie biotech start-up backed by Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Grok Ventures, Tenacious Ventures, P7 Ventures, Toyota Ventures, and PeakBridge VC.

Vow perks and benefits:

  • Everyone is an owner. In addition to competitive base salaries, each and every ‘Vowzer’ owns equity in the company so we can all benefit from our hard work and future success.
  • Generous paid parental leave. We offer 8 weeks of paid caregiver leave and an additional 8 weeks paid leave for the birth giver.
  • Generous relocation budget & support. Support for interstate or overseas team members and their families (including pets!)
  • Flexible working hours and location. We value work-life balance. While we’re mostly back in the office, you’re free to choose the best way for you to work.
  • Unlimited personal leave. At Vow we recognise that sometimes you need time off to recuperate, look after your mental health, or simply deal with an emergency. We put unlimited personal leave in place to empower you to truly bring your best self to work every single day and you are always paid for days taken off as personal leave.
  • Heaps of tasty samples from our culinary centre. Our fantastic "food inventors" on the Vow team are always cooking up new product prototypes, and all Vowzers are given the opportunity to taste, give feedback, and learn from their culinary prowess.
  • An awesome converted warehouse “campus” in Alexandria. Complete with a glass-walled lab, manufacturing line, free snacks, a culinary centre, and professional-grade coffee machine in our cafe, as well as a DIY workshop for all hands-on projects.
  • Human and dog friendly office! An inclusive community and culture, in a welcoming office, complete with friendly “Vowzer” dogs!
  • A variety of social clubs. We encourage all our Vowzers to build the culture with us and share what you love by creating social clubs across the business. From book clubs to hiking groups, we’re always looking for ways to learn and engage with our team.