Director of Finance and Operations

Director of Finance and Operations Reporting to: COO/CFO ABOUT ANELLO ANELLO is innovative hardware company serving both defense and commercial customers with advanced navigation technology based on silicon photonics technology based by over 50 patents. These highly technical products are manufactured through a combination of internal activities, suppliers, and contract manufacturers. The company also performs work under multiple government contracts. ANELLO is at series B stage, has strong growing revenue and operating as a profitable company. ANELLO is seeking a experienced and hands-on Sr Manager OR Director of Finance and Operations to lead the company's accounting and finance function and serve as a strategic partner to the leadership team. This is an individual contributor role with broad responsibility across accounting, financial operations, financial planning, forecasting, and strategic analysis. The successful candidate will work closely with external accounting firm to own the integrity and timeliness of the company's financial information. Through the creation of a wide variety of financial models, the successful candidate will help leadership understand the financial implications of business decisions and identify opportunities to improve profitability, cash utilization, and operational efficiency. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Financial Operations and External Vendor Oversight • Act as the primary corporate point-of-contact to manage an external CPA firm, driving accountability and ensuring highly accurate, timely monthly, quarterly, and year-end close process. • Supervise and audit the external firm's execution of core transaction processing, including general ledger management, accounts payable/receivable cycles, payroll administration, bank reconciliations, and accruals. • Partner with external tax advisors to coordinate all federal, state, and local compliance requirements, including sales/use tax tracking, annual corporate filings, R&D tax credits, and specialized corporate valuations (e.g., 409A). • Continually refine internal data pipelines, financial procedures, and documentation to ensure seamless transfer of financial records between internal teams and the external accounting provider. Financial Modeling, Forecasting & Strategic Advisory • Revenue & Sales Forecasting: Develop dynamic, scenario-based forecasting models across the broader business to project sales pipelines, diverse revenue streams, product pricing sensitivities, and long-term growth velocity. • Build, maintain, and continually optimize financial models analyzing manufacturing costs, bill of materials (BOM), supply chain logistics, inventory turnover, and cost of goods sold (COGS) to maximize margins. • Translate intricate modeling data, variance analyses, and financial anomalies into executive summaries, presentations, and KPIs that directly assist leadership's decision-making. • Run detailed sensitivity analyses and capital allocation models to forecast corporate cash runway, evaluate major operational expenditures (CapEx), and support strategic runway planning. Government Contracting & Compliance • Monitor and track contract costs, expenditures, and invoicing requirements associated with SBIR and other government contracts. • Work closely with technical teams to monitor performance against government budgets and support external compliance reviews. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor's or advanced degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Accounting, or related field. • 5+ years of finance and accounting experience, or experience in an Assistant Controller, Finance Manager, or similar FinOps role. • Demonstrated experience owning monthly close and financial reporting. • Experience in financial modeling, forecasting, and analytical skills. • Advanced spreadsheet skills and ability to build financial models from underlying business assumptions. • Ability to effectively engage with external accounting firms, tax advisors, and other financial service providers. • Solid understanding of cash flow, working capital, budgeting, and financial planning. • Ability to analyze complex business issues and communicate financial implications • Strong attention to detail without losing sight of broader business objectives. • Ability to operate independently and effectively in a small, fast-moving organization. Preferred Qualifications: • Experience in a technology, hardware, engineering, manufacturing, or startup environment. • Experience with contract manufacturers, suppliers, inventory, and product costing. • Experience developing pricing, profitability, cost-benefit, and capital allocation analyses. • Experience supporting fundraising, company valuation, due diligence, M&A, or other strategic transactions. • CPA, MBA, CFA, or other relevant professional qualifications. • Experience scaling finance processes in a growing company. Additional: • Due to US Gov contracts in place, successful candidates will be US Citizens or US Perm Residents.