Head of Finance

To support the next stage of growth, we’re looking for a Head of Finance to be our first dedicated finance teammate. This role belongs to someone who enjoys getting close to the details, learning how things actually work, and helping a diverse group of people make well-informed decisions.

\nWhat You’ll Be Working On\n

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• Own Vessev’s financial modelling and planning.
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• Build and maintain the core financial model that informs our budget, hiring plans, pricing, manufacturing strategy, and fundraising.
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• Prepare materials and narratives for board meetings, investors, and strategic partners.
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• Support go‑to‑market with tools that help understand and evaluate the economics of significant opportunities.
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• Support strategic modelling of company opportunities and critical decision making.
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• Develop financial strategies for supporting the business – debt vs capital.
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\nSupporting Development and Production Scale‑Up\n

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• Work with the teams designing and building our vessels to understand true COGS, production bottlenecks, and capital requirements.
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• Analyse decisions such as what to insource versus outsource, which investments unlock margin improvement, and working capital.
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• Collaborate with suppliers and internal purchasing to negotiate contract terms and monitor supplier performance.
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\nBuilding Lightweight Processes From Scratch\n

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• Create planning, budgeting, cost‑tracking, and approval processes — designed to be helpful, not heavy.
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• Build clarity around spend so teams can move quickly with confidence.
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• Identify and recommend cost‑effective solutions and improvements to optimise expenditure.
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\nKeeping the Finances Running Smoothly\n

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• Coordinate with our external bookkeeping and accounting team to ensure payroll, accounts payable, and month‑end processes are accurate and predictable.
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• Support tax compliance, RDTI work, and other operational obligations.
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\nWhat Success In This Role Looks Like\n

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• Cashflow, margin expectations, and runway feel understood and predictable.
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• Teams across Vessev use your work to make clearer, faster decisions.
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• Financial conversations become grounded in shared models and assumptions.
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• Production and GTM plans become easier to evaluate and adapt.
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• Internal processes exist, but remain lightweight and supportive.
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\nAbout You\n

What matters most is that you’re intelligent, willing to muck in, and care about doing meaningful work. You’re energized by building from first principles, comfortable building something from the ground up—creating the models, processes, and routines that help a complex startup scale. You are a great collaborator and team player, and can translate technical complexity into financial clarity.

\nWe’re Looking For Someone With\n

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• A Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or related field. A Master’s degree or professional certification (e.g., CPA, CFA) is preferred.
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• Minimum of 6 years of experience in finance or accounting.
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• Strong knowledge of financial principles, accounting standards, and financial regulations.
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• Proficiency in financial software and Google and Microsoft Office Suites, particularly Sheets and Excel.
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• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
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• Strong leadership and team management abilities.
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• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
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\nEssential Skills\n

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• Organisational excellence: Managing multiple priorities while keeping processes clear and efficient.
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• Attention to detail: Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, presentation, and professionalism.
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• Adaptability: Staying calm and resourceful in a fast‑paced, ever‑changing environment.
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• Leadership qualities: The confidence to guide, motivate, and support others when needed.
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\nBenefits\n

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• 20 weeks fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers, and 4 weeks for secondary (conditions apply).
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• Competitive salaries that reflect the value of the work.
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• Being on the water is part of our job — from trips on our vessels to our offices that border the Tamaki River.
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• And if the water’s where you want to be, you’ll be in good company. You’ll find no shortage of boaters, beach goers, sailors, foilers, surfers, and kiteboarders here.
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