Financial Controller

Are you the next Financial Controller to help build and shape the financial operations behind our nextgeneration laser processing platform If so Opsydia would love to hear from you as we expand into new markets and unlock new technical opportunities.

Spun out from the University of Oxford in 2017 Opsydia is a specialist laser technology company harnessing decades of academic excellence and deep expertise in adaptive optics to enable the writing of features in transparent materials. Our writing technology has gone on to provide functionalities across scientific and industrial domains.

Our platform enables the creation of functional devices in optical glass diamond and other transparent media powering disruptive applications in datacoms quantum technologies and advanced sensing.

THE ROLE

As our Financial Controller you will lead and manage the financial operations of the business reporting to the CFO and forming part of the Senior Leadership Team. You will ensure that finance administration and governance processes effectively support a growing technically complex organisation.

We are looking for a technically strong candidate with the drive to contribute beyond their core role including high-performing individuals transitioning from practice (e.g. Big 4) into a dynamic start-up environment.

You will own day-to-day finance activities including budgeting forecasting cashflow management and financial reporting ensuring accuracy integrity and strong financial control. Working closely with the leadership team you will provide clear insightful analysis to support commercial and operational decision-making including project feasibility and cost management.

You will strengthen financial processes and governance oversee statutory compliance and manage relationships with external partners. The role also includes responsibility for board and investor reporting supporting funding activities and contributing to company secretarial requirements.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone who combines financial expertise with commercial awareness takes ownership end-to-end and works collaboratively across teams to drive financial discipline and business performance.

You will co-ordinate Board meeting preparation including Board pack collation and issue minute taking attending Board meetings you will contribute to discussions as a senior member of the management team and ensure all relevant financial factors are brought to the debates.

ABOUT YOU

You may already be a Financial Controller or a Senior Finance Manager ready to step up. You are detail-oriented commercially minded and comfortable operating in a dynamic scaling environment.

Financial operations and reporting

You have strong experience managing finance operations including management accounts budgeting forecasting and cashflow. You produce accurate timely reporting and communicate insights clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.

Commercial partnering and analysis

You work closely with senior stakeholders to support decision-making offering clear financial insight challenging assumptions constructively and contributing to strategic and operational discussions.

Financial control and governance

You understand and implement robust controls proactively improving processes to ensure compliance reduce risk and support audit readiness in a growing business.

Cash and working capital management

You actively manage cashflow monitor spend and optimise working capital taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach to protecting financial runway.

Systems and technical capability

You are confident using cloud-based accounting systems (e.g. Xero) and Excel for financial modelling and analysis with the ability to improve systems and processes as the business evolves.

Compliance and external engagement

You have experience managing statutory requirements including VAT payroll and year-end accounts and working effectively with external accountants banks and advisors.

Contribution to the Board

Able to articulate business commercial and financial matters to the Board

Education and qualifications

You have a strong financial foundation through experience or formal education. A professional qualification (CIMA ACCA ACA) or finalist status is desirable.

You may also have:

• Experience in an early-stage or scaling company.
• Experience in VC/PE-backed environments.
• Exposure to fundraising and investor reporting (including EIS).
• Experience with R&D tax credits and international finance (e.g. FX VAT).
• Involvement in company secretarial activities or an exit process

If you dont meet all of the criteria above but are interested in the role please apply or get in touch to discuss further.

The role is advertised as full-time.

We are pleased to accommodate flexible and hybrid working where appropriate but as a hardware company we find hands-on system and collaboration time to be highly valuable so encourage time spent in the office and expect this when required.

As part of the recruitment process a selected candidate will be required to undergo security screening to BPSS standard.

Closing date: Friday 22nd May 2026. Applications will be reviewed as received so this vacancy may be closed earlier; early applications are therefore encouraged.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

Salary range: 70000 - 80000 FTE pa. potentially more for an exceptional candidate.

Benefits

• Hybrid & flexible working arrangements
• Share option scheme
• Annual bonus scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Group Income Protection and Life Assurance
• Enhanced family leave
• Company matched pension contributions up to 5%. Salary sacrifice arrangement is available
• 25 days paid leave plus bank holidays
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Mental Health and Wellbeing support and activities
• Supported further study or training for your professional and personal development
• Volunteering opportunities

Key First Twelve Months Deliverables

• Spec and build a new fully integrated investor-grade financial model

To include P&L/BS/CFF and work alongside the operational cash flow model.

• Update and maintain the 3-year cashflow and funding model

Refresh the cashflow model to incorporate the latest assumptions and scenarios (commercial technical and cost base). Provide regular re-forecasts and early warning of funding runway risks.

• Strengthen cost control and cash governance

Monitor all spend proactively challenge non-essential costs tighten purchasing workflows and protect Opsydias assets. Ensure cash preservation without impacting product delivery or critical milestones.

• Define and implement cost centre-based accounting

For departmental cost control and project management.

• Project-manage and optimise R&D tax credit claims.

Oversee the full R&D claim process ensuring robust technical documentation compliant cost capture smooth auditor interaction and maximised recovery under current rules.

• Lead future funding rounds

Own the financial workstream for the raise including data-room preparation due-diligence support modelling updates Cap Tables and other investor-facing financial materials. Ensure full readiness ahead of investor engagement.

• Business partner with the senior management team.

Support SMT with insight-driven reporting KPI tracking financial analysis and scenario planning. Translate financial data to enable actionable decisions for engineering operations and commercial leaders.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are an equal opportunities employer and commit to encouraging equality diversity and inclusion in the workplace whilst creating an environment which promotes dignity and respect for all. We post our job descriptions across a wide range of recruitment platforms to enable us to garner the most diverse range of candidates we possibly can.

ADJUSTMENTS AND PROVISIONS

We are dedicated to putting in place any reasonable adjustments that may be required to meet the needs of those who wish to apply for a position at Opsydia.

Please share if you have a declared disability for example but not limited to: a social communication impairment such as autism spectrum disorder a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia dyspraxia or ADHD; a mental health condition a sensory impairment affecting sight or hearing or a physical or mobility impairment.

ALTERNATIVE FORMATS

We can provide our job descriptions in an alternative format of video or audio description

ABOUT OPSYDIA

Opsydia provides commercial systems based on adaptive optics which can directly generate photonic structures in a variety of transparent materials. Learn more at

The company is based in the Centre for Innovation & Enterprise at Begbroke Science Park north of Oxford. Begbroke offers comprehensive facilities on-site including a restaurant coffee shop free parking and a minibus service between the park and Oxford.

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