Finance and Operations Lead

• Work with the team leads to develop accurate pricing models for our digital products, consultancy services, and commercial bids ensuring profitability and competitiveness
• Develop and maintain robust financial models and forecasts, monitor cash flow and burn rate and runway to guide strategic decision-making and investor conversations
• Provide strategic financial advice to the Director and leadership team, contributing to key business decisions
• Identify suitable investment opportunities and potential funding sources for our tech products (VCs, angels, grants, strategic partners)
• Develop investor materials to position the Centre as an attractive investment opportunity
• Ensure operational and financial discipline, creating the structures and reporting investors expect from a start-up
• Guide the Director and senior team through investor negotiations, due diligence, and deal structuring
• Lead on the development and oversight of effective business development, bid writing, and sales processes
• including using AI to help increase the efficiency and quality of team efforts
• Track our business development success and proactively propose initiatives to improve team win-rate
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and forecasting (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
• Manage cash flow proactively, ensuring sufficient liquidity for operations and growth
• Implement and oversee project-based financial tracking, ensuring accurate revenue recognition, cost allocation, and profitability analysis for each client project
• Review and ensure financial terms of client contracts are robust, mitigate risk, and align with financial objectives
• Prepare management accounts and insightful financial reports for the Director and Nesta exec team, highlighting key performance indicators (KPIs), variances, and actionable insights
• Oversee the operational design and implementation of CCI’s transition out of Nesta into an independent legal entity
• Lead on setting up critical business infrastructure, including legal frameworks, contracts, finance systems, HR processes, compliance, and operational policies to ensure the transition is smooth
• Ensure seamless systems migration (finance, CRM, data systems) with minimal disruption
• Develop and maintain operational KPIs to monitor business performance, strategy alignment and profitability
• Responsible for oversight for all resource planning across our team, facilitating prioritisation decisions with the Leadership team, and introducing improvements to existing processes to support efficiency and decision making
• Lead on all People related matters across CCI, working closely with the Nesta People Team whose processes and policies we follow while still within Nesta, and introducing new People related initiatives which support our work
• Design, implement, and optimise operational processes and workflows to enhance efficiency and productivity across all functions (e.g., client onboarding, project delivery support, invoicing)
• Support the Director to evolve and embed a high-performance, dynamic and entrepreneurial team culture, and ensure CCI’s values are embedded throughout the team and our work
• Manage relationships with key suppliers and vendors, negotiating contracts and ensuring value for money
• Support the Director to implement the new strategy, strengthen ways of working across CCI, report to Nesta’s Board and establish our own CCI Board
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to overall strategy, governance, and organisational culture and success
• Act as a key interface between CCI and Nesta, building strong relationships with a wide range of contacts and peers such as Finance, Legal, People, IT, Business Processes teams
• Collaborate with the senior leadership to align financial strategy with long-term growth and scaling plans
• As the organisation grows, build and manage a small operations team

• Proven track record in a senior finance or operations leadership role within an innovation-focused organisation, consultancy, or start-up
• Financial qualification such as CIMA, ACA or ACCA
• Experience scaling an organisation from incubation or start-up
• Experience and knowledge of raising venture funding and dealing with outside investors
• Hands-on experience managing organisational transitions and growth, including legal, operational, and systems migration
• Strong financial acumen, with experience in business modelling, P&L management, commercial accounting principles, and ensuring profitability and risk management
• Ability to analyse complex data, identify issues, and propose practical solutions
• Strategic thinker with the ability to execute at pace in a complex, dynamic environment, while also having excellent attention to detail
• Excellent project management and problem-solving skills
• Collaborative leadership style with experience of being in senior leadership teams
• Excellent communication skills to articulate complex financial and operational information to diverse audiences (board, consultants, employees). Ability to build strong relationships and influence others
• Have experience in managing resourcing of multiple projects within a project-based or consultancy environment and have knowledge of best practices for effective resource planning and management
• Have experience of change management and be comfortable and enthusiastic implementing change and supporting other team members through periods of change
• Demonstrate a clear passion and commitment to the vision of CCI

Past experience in the public opinion research / market research sectors

• private medical insurance
• dental insurance
• the ability to buy and sell annual leave
• eyecare vouchers