Head of Finance

Aurelius Systems•San Francisco, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Aurelius Systems is a VC-backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge-deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. We build laser weapons to shoot down drones. We are a small team of engineers, former US military operators, and subject matter experts scaling America's directed energy dominance. The first cost-effective, reliable and robust laser weapon system. We operate with a small team, unreasonable output, and no hiding behind the unachievable. In addition to our San Francisco lab, we’ve opened a Detroit manufacturing hub and we field test weekly on our own 400-acre private range. We need a Head of Finance to stand up and own the finance function at Aurelius. You'll partner directly with the CEO across investor relations, budgeting and accounting, and the financing strategy that gets us from prototype to production. This is a Director-level founding finance role with a clear path to grow as the company scales. You're not a controller waiting for headcount. You're the operator who builds it.

Requirements

10+ years in finance with experience as a senior finance leader at a hardware, defense, aerospace, or manufacturing company
Track record running both accounting and FP&A, not one or the other
Direct experience supporting a venture-backed company through fundraising rounds and board cycles
Manufacturing finance experience including capex planning, equipment financing, or production cost accounting
Comfortable in a founding finance seat where you build the function rather than inherit it
BS or MS in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related.
Extreme bias for action. You ship the expenses, the close, the board deck, on time, every time
Comfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration in a startup environment
You translate financial reality into clear decisions for non-finance leaders
Clear communicator across founders, investors, vendors, and the engineering team
Self directed. You identify what needs to happen next and do it without being told
This role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require "U.S. Person" status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a "U.S. Person": (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Nice To Haves

Defense industry finance experience including ITAR, FAR, or DoD contract finance
CPA or MBA
Experience standing up ERP, accounting systems, or finance tooling from scratch
Equipment financing, asset-backed lending, or government contract financing background
Experience with R&D tax credits or defense-specific financing instruments
CPA and/or MBA a plus.

Responsibilities

Investor relations including board materials, investor updates, data room hygiene, and active support of fundraising rounds
Budgeting, forecasting, and FP&A across engineering, manufacturing, and operations
Accounting, monthly close, AP/AR, financial statements, audit readiness, and tax compliance, partnering with external firms where appropriate
Manufacturing financing strategy including capex planning, equipment financing, working capital, inventory accounting, and supplier terms as we scale Detroit
Cash management, runway tracking, and scenario modeling tied to program milestones
Vendor and procurement finance discipline including contract review and payment terms
Building the finance team and tooling as the company scales