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Head of Finance - Freelance - 3 to 5 days/week

  • Hybrid
    • Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Job description

About Vertical Compute :  

We are a fast-growing startup operating in Belgium (Leuven) and France (Grenoble), now entering a new phase of expansion and structuring. We are a European deep-tech startup working on the future of compute, accelerating the AI revolution, To achieve our ambitions, we are looking for a Head of Finance who will ensure strong financial foundations, secure cash and risk management, and act as a strategic partner to the CEO and the executive team.


Your mission

As Head of Finance, you will be responsible for building scalable and compliant financial operations while supporting value creation through strategic decision-making. You will combine operational excellence with forward-looking financial leadership and play a key role to ensure robust financial foundations, manage cash and risk, and contribute directly to strategic decision-making and long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Establish robust financial foundations

  • Implement reliable financial systems (ERP, reporting tools, internal controls) with local accountants in BE & FR.

  • Automate processes wherever possible to reduce manual workload.

  • Ensure compliance, governance, and transparency in a fast-scaling environment.

  • Build scalable financial operations, including:

    • Multi-entity consolidation to provide a consistent group view,

    • Clear group-level cash flow visibility for precise resource allocation.

    • Finance reporting and dashboard management.

2. Act as a strategic business partner

  • Serve as a close sparring partner to the CEO and co-founders.

  • Provide financial planning and analysis, scenario modeling, and risk/reward analysis to support key decisions.

  • Contribute to strategic planning, captable management,  fundraising, and investor relations

  • Develop a compelling fundraising narrative and maintain high-quality investor communications.

Success Metrics (12–18 months)

  • Financial infrastructure: ERP, reporting tools, and monthly close discipline implemented within 6–12 months.

  • Group consolidation: Regular consolidated reporting across all entities.

  • Cash flow mastery: Rolling 12–18 month cash flow forecast at group level, updated monthly with variance analysis.

  • Governance & compliance: Board-ready reporting and audit-ready financials, including proper controls and segregation of duties.

  • Decision support: Robust financial models for hiring plans, capex, partnerships, and M&A opportunities.

  • Investor relations: Regular, transparent updates for current investors and a compelling story for new ones.

  • Strategic alignment: Embedding a financial perspective into all key company decisions.

Profile

  • Proven experience in finance within a startup/scale-up or top-tier firm (audit, transaction services, M&A).

  • Strong expertise in financial operations: cash management, consolidation, compliance, and governance.

  • Demonstrated ability to support fundraising processes and engage with investors (Series A/B experience a plus).

  • Strong analytical mindset with a hands-on approach and appetite for entrepreneurial environments.

  • Excellent communication (English) and stakeholder management skills.

  • Knowledge of French and Dutch is a bonus.

What we offer

  • Meaningful work that directly impacts our startup´s ambition and runway

  • Be part of an international team across Belgium and France.

  • Comprehensive health coverage.

  • Generous vacation allowance + public holidays.

  • Flexible working arrangements.

  • Office perks and team events.

Our Culture

We are Doers – problem solvers, resilient, and autonomous. We build, fail, learn, and build again.

We are inspired by ambitious goals – we dream big and lead the way in Europe.

Our journey is guided by four core values:

  • Trust – Ownership & empowerment, transparency, open feedback.

  • Care – For the people, the product, the planet.

  • Together – We succeed and we fail as ONE team.

  • Innovation – Everywhere. We rewrite the playbook.


Hiring process 

30 min calls to the CEO and meeting the HR team.

Present your vision of the role and your action plan for the next 30, 60 and 90 days.

Join us to build, structure, and scale a bold entrepreneurial journey in Belgium and France — and take a pivotal role in driving our next stage of growth.

We hire humans, not bullet points. Don’t meet every single qualification? That’s okay. We care more about who you are than what’s on your CV. We’re looking for people who are curious, resourceful, and ready to roll up their sleeves. If you think you could make an impact here, we’d love to hear from you.

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