Finance Operations Lead – YC-backed AI Startup

Company DescriptionAt Cerrion, we’re building the future of autonomous manufacturing. Headquartered in Zurich and backed by Y Combinator and top Silicon Valley investors, we’re building with video AI Agents that can see what’s happening on the production floor, automatically spot problems and instantly intervene to keep lines running smoothly. Our technology is live in factories across 15 countries, helping leading manufacturers in glass, beverage, food, CPG, building materials and wood cut downtime by up to 50%. We’ve reached an exciting inflection point — and we’re accelerating fast. We are looking for a proactive finance generalist who can own day‑to‑day finance operations and help us shape strategic finance initiatives that leverage the cash-flow and balance-sheet complexity of our business model to generate operational value. You will be our first dedicated finance hire and will work closely with the co‑founders to build scalable processes and leverage finance to improve our operations as we take our next step in scaling our global business.Role DescriptionThis role combines operational finance with strategic finance and growth. On the business‑as‑usual side you’ll own accounting, payroll, invoicing, revenue recognition, compliance and monthly close. On the strategic side you’ll shape our financial strategy, secure working‑capital financing, negotiate vendor and debt terms, support fundraising and collaborate cross‑functionally to use financial data to improve decision making.You will set up the finance function from scratch, design and run budgeting and forecasting models, maintain internal controls and implement tools. This role reports directly to the CEO and offers a clear path to leading a future Finance function. The ideal candidate has 5‑7 years of experience in corporate finance, FP&A, investment banking or a similar role, preferably in a venture‑backed SaaS or AI startup, and is excited to roll up their sleeves and build systems from the ground up. You should be comfortable managing a full finance stack (GL, AP/AR, payroll, tax) and building financial models, while also driving complex projects like credit‑line negotiations, financial systems implementation and investor reporting. Experience negotiating debt facilities, and working with banks or lenders will truly set you apart. ResponsibilitiesBusiness-as-Usual Finance Operations (Own & Improve)Accounting and bookkeeping: Maintain accurate general‑ledger accounting; manage monthly/quarterly close processes; reconcile accounts payable and receivable, payroll and bank accounts; ensure correct revenue recognition.Invoicing and collections: Generate invoices, track payments, resolve billing disputes, and manage overdue accounts to reduce DSO. Coordinate with Sales and Customer Success to keep accounts current.Budgeting, forecasting & reporting: Maintain annual/quarterly budgets; prepare cash‑flow forecasts, variance analyses and financial KPI dashboards (ARR, GM, CAC/LTV, runway).Payroll and benefits: Administer payroll for our team, coordinate with leadership on compensation and benefits, and ensure compliance with Swiss and EU regulations.Compliance and controls: Ensure timely tax filings (VAT, corporate tax, social security), maintain internal controls, implement approvals, support external audits.Systems & tooling: Select and implement accounting, expense management and procurement tools; drive automation where relevant.Global & Multi-Entity Finance: Manage multi-currency flows (billing, collections, payables) across the 15+ countries of our customers, owning FX exposure monitoring, intercompany and consolidations, transfer pricing hygiene, and ensuring compliance and financial health across our Swiss & US entities (VAT/sales tax, local filings).Global & Multi-Entity Finance (US & CH): Own finances end-to-end for our Swiss and US entities—budgets, cash/runway, covenants—and ensure group integrity. As our operations span 15+ customer countries, manage multi-currency billing/collections/AP, FX exposure, intercompany (recharges/loans), monthly consolidations, transfer-pricing hygiene, and Swiss/US tax & statutory compliance.Strategic Finance Operations (Build for Scale)Working Capital & Credit: Manage working‑capital needs by negotiating credit lines with banks and lenders to improve cash-flow performance. Identify financing options (e.g., asset‑backed lines, trade/supplier financing) to minimize capital outlay, especially for hardware-related operations. Monitor covenants and liquidity.Treasury & Runway: Build scenario models; maintain a rolling cash ladder; set simple investment and treasury policies to protect the runway.Supplier and vendor negotiations: Evaluate and negotiate contracts with hardware suppliers and other service providers. Provide finance review for MSAs/SOWs, pricing/discounts, and payment terms; onboard/monitor key vendors.Investor relations and board reporting: Prepare quarterly board packs and monthly investor updates, highlighting key metrics (ARR, gross margin, cash runway). Support CEO in financial modeling for fundraising and due diligence.Cross‑functional partnership: Collaborate with Sales customer contracts and pricing proposals, with GTM on pricing models, discounting and payment terms, and with Operations on procurement, supplier relationships, and hardware deployment models. Provide finance guidance to leadership on product and market expansion decisions.Qualifications3–6 years of experience in corporate finance, FP&A, investment banking, private equity or strategic finance; ideally 2+ years at a high‑growth VC-backed startup; exposure to AI or manufacturing is a plus.Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field. A professional certification (CPA, CFA, ACA) is a strong plus.Financial & Strong understanding of accounting principles (Swiss GAAP or IFRS) and financial statements; experience managing general ledger, accounts payable/receivable and payroll.Proficiency in financial modeling, budgeting and forecasting; ability to build bottoms‑up budgets, scenario models and multi‑year forecasts, and to prepare board‑quality financial statements and dashboards.Demonstrated ability to negotiate credit facilities or vendor financing; experience working with lenders, banks or alternative financiers; comfortable analysing ROI of hardware financing schemes, modelling covenant scenarios, and managing cash‑flow for hardware or supply‑chain needs.Experience selecting and implementing finance software and establishing internal processes. Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills; working knowledge of SQL or Python for data analysis and an interest in using AI/automation to improve finance workflows are a strong plus.Excellent written & verbal communication skills; able to translate complex financial concepts clearly for non-finance stakeholders, partnering cross-functionally to influence decisions and align resources.A bias towards action, high attention to detail, and ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, ambiguous environment; comfortable building processes from scratch and wearing multiple hats, handling both high‑level strategy and transactional tasks.Passion for AI and technology; curiosity to leverage AI tools to enhance financial workflows.Fluency in English; German or French proficiency is a plus given our Swiss location.Why join Cerrion?Working at Cerrion enables you to get direct exposure to what it takes to build a successful company while disrupting one of the world’s biggest industries. What we offer:Shape our finance function and company strategy: As our first finance hire, you’ll build the systems and processes that power our growth and help define and refine business strategies across finance, operations and customer success.Cross‑functional environment: You’ll work in a highly motivating environment with ambitious colleagues from all over the world. We operate in cross‑functional teams tackling hard challenges together and believe the best idea wins, no matter where it comes from.Competitive compensation: We offer a competitive salary and an attractive stock‑option plan so you benefit directly from the company’s success.Flat, dynamic culture: We maintain flat hierarchies and a “get things done” mentality. You’ll have real autonomy to experiment and the support to succeed.Great location and team: Enjoy a cool office in the heart of Zurich and a diverse, fun team. We organise regular team events you won’t forget.If you’re excited about building the finance engine of a fast-growing AI company and want to structure a Finance function from the outset, this is where you belong.