Finance Manager

xUnlocked; London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job description

Company Description

xUnlocked is a fast-growing, purpose-driven company based in London, and we’re proud to be a certified B-Corp. Our mission is to make a positive social impact through digital learning, empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the fields of Sustainability, Finance, and Data. With a unique blend of expert-led content and personalised learning experiences, we help enterprises like Santander, Wells Fargo, and Airbus upskill their teams and foster sustainable change.

As a B-Corp, we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. We’re a team that values continuous learning, collaboration, and making a meaningful difference. We’re now looking for an experienced, proactive, and detail-oriented Finance Manager to join us on our scaling journey.

Job Description

We are seeking an ambitious Finance Manager with a strong background in SaaS to take full ownership of our day-to-day financial operations and support strategic financial planning as we grow. This is the second finance hire, so represents an exciting opportunity to build and lead a modern, scalable finance function. As well as full-time, we will also consider someone 3-4 days a week or with reduced hours across 5 days.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you'll collaborate across the business to provide financial insights, drive operational excellence, and influence strategic direction.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role with a wide scope, covering financial control, operational and strategic aspects of finance. Key responsibilities include:

Business Partnering

• Collaborate strategically with department leads to provide financial insights that inform decision-making.
• Identify risks, opportunities, and solutions to support growth and sustainability.
• Build trusted relationships across the company and serve as a strategic advisor to stakeholders.

Operational Excellence

• Proactively improve financial systems and processes for scalability and efficiency.
• Champion the use of automation and AI tools within the finance function.
• Implement best practices to ensure high-quality financial operations.

Financial Control

• Own day-to-day financial operations including payables, receivables, month-end close, and reconciliations.
• Oversee external bookkeepers and payroll provider to ensure monthly regular processes are completed.
• Manage compliance areas such as VAT returns and statutory accounts.
• Maintain robust financial controls, streamlining and automating wherever possible.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Support with budgeting, forecasting, and scenario planning.
• Own detailed analysis on key areas (e.g. profitability by customer) to underpin strategic decision making.
• Build and maintain insightful financial dashboards.
• Track and analyse key SaaS metrics (ARR, NRR, churn, etc.) to support leadership and board-level reporting.
• Comfort in storytelling with numbers.

Strategic Finance

• Contribute to long-term financial strategy and planning.
• Support fundraising efforts and investor engagement.
• Assist in due diligence processes as required.

Qualifications
Must haves

• Professional experience in commercial finance or FP&A, in a SaaS business, having seen the completion of multiple financial years in more than 1 employer
• Strong knowledge of the SaaS business model, financial statements, and metrics.
• Advanced proficiency in Google Sheets or Excel, and familiarity with three-statement financial modelling.
• Experience driving process improvement and systems implementation using the latest technologies.
• Comfortable in a scale up environment, setting things up from scratch and finding creative solutions.
• A hands-on, solutions-focused approach to finance in a scaling business.

Nice to haves

• Background in EdTech, Sustainability, Finance, or B2B learning environments.
• Experience supporting significant transactions such as Series A funding or similar events.
• Track record of implementing workflow improvements using no/low-code or AI tooling.
• Understanding of how to use SQL or Python.
• Exposure to investor relations and due diligence preparation.

Your Skills

• You are a detail-obsessed finance professional with a proactive mindset.
• You are highly analytical and comfortable using data to influence decisions.
• You are an excellent communicator who can translate financial concepts clearly.
• You are a creative problem-solver who sees complexity as an opportunity for clarity.
• You are efficient, organised, and motivated by operational excellence.
• You are skilled at building strong cross-functional relationships.

Behaviours

• You think big and adapt quickly.
• You take ownership and act with initiative.
• You thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• You are collaborative, empathetic, and mission-driven.
• You are motivated by continuous learning, and passionate about progressing your finance knowledge.

Our Culture & Values

We believe in a culture where everyone can thrive and where high performance is paired with deep purpose. Our values guide how we work together, make decisions, and grow.

Act Like an Owner – We take pride in our work and share accountability for our success.
Do the Right Thing – We make decisions with integrity, always considering the impact on people and planet.
Relentlessly Progress – We are learners at heart, continuously improving and innovating.
Deliver Simplicity – We embrace complexity to create clear, practical solutions.
What We Offer

• Competitive salary and EMI share options
• 25 days holiday
• Hybrid working: primarily remote with at least 4 days/month in our London office
• Co-working credits: work from a location of your choice 2 days/month
• One-off home setup allowance and all required equipment provided
• Private healthcare (Medicash cashback scheme)
• Enhanced parental leave for all parents
• Two days paid volunteering leave annually, plus regular team volunteering opportunities
• Regular team socials and in-person meetups