Finance Manager

Finance Manager

Based in Oakland, California, Magrathea is a global category leader in critical mineral production technology. Our mission is to rebuild the magnesium metal supply base, delivering secure access to one of the most critical materials on Earth. Magnesium is essential to the aluminum, steel, titanium, nuclear, defense, and aerospace industries but 95% of global supply comes from China where large amounts of coal are used to make metal. This isn't just an economic risk: it's a national security threat, and Magrathea is fixing it. We've developed a next-generation electrolytic process to make magnesium metal from seawater and brines, unlocking a new path to industrial independence and to a cleaner environment for future generations. We're backed by the earliest believers in Tesla and SpaceX, major European industrial families, and the U.S. Department of Defense. If you're ready to make a lasting real-world impact, let's talk.

You'll be joining a small, high-trust team of builders on a mission to stand up the first major electrolytic magnesium smelter this century. We're doing it this decade. There are no pointless positions here, no layers of middle management, no meetings about meetings: just a deep focus on moving important work forward. You'll be hands-on from day one, shaping the core of a technology that will have major impacts on national security, clean technology, and industrial resilience. If you're the kind of person who is energized by hard, consequential problems, stays clear, calm, and effective when the work is ambiguous or urgent, and wants to build something that will matter far beyond the company, this role is for you.

This is a hands-on operational finance role responsible for keeping Magrathea's internal finances accurate, organized, and running smoothly. Reporting to Ethan, our Chief of Staff, you'll own the daily work that keeps payments moving, financial records reliable, and reporting on time.

You'll work directly in platforms including QuickBooks, Rippling, and Ramp to manage accounting workflows, payroll, expenses, and cash administration. You'll manage our fractional controller and external bookkeeping team, work closely with our fractional CFO, and coordinate government grant reporting, invoicing, audits, and financial information for the board. Fundraising and strategic finance sit with our CEO and you will be a key collaborator with him as part of those processes.

One day you may be resolving a reconciliation discrepancy or preparing a government reimbursement package; the next, coordinating payroll or helping with an unexpected operational project. We want someone who brings energy, sound judgment, and a friendly, practical approach to getting the details right.

Ideal Background

• 5+ years in operational finance, accounting, or finance operations, with direct responsibility for the day-to-day financial processes of a growing organization
• Experience managing cash operations or financial workflows involving large dollar values (e.g. >$50M+) with clear approval controls and accurate records
• Strong hands-on bookkeeping skills, including account reconciliations, transaction coding, financial reports, and month-end close
• Hands-on experience using Rippling for payroll and employee administration, and Ramp for corporate cards, expenses, and bill payments
• Comfort administering business banking and treasury platforms such as J. P. Morgan and Schwab, including payments, statements, cash balances, and access permissions
• Experience coordinating a controller, external bookkeepers, and senior finance advisers, setting deadlines and reviewing their work for accuracy and completeness
• Experience with government grant reporting, invoicing, and supporting records strongly preferred, particularly Department of War, Department of Energy, or similar federal awards
• Experience coordinating financial or grant audits, organizing supporting documents, responding to auditor requests, and following findings through to resolution
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, with the ability to reconcile data across systems and prepare clear cash, spending, and budget reports
• Strong practical fluency with AI tools is essential for this role, including using them to analyze financial data, draft reports, investigate discrepancies, and improve everyday workflows
• Demonstrated experience using AI to save time or improve work quality, with the judgment to verify outputs and recognize when accounting expertise or further investigation is needed
• Working knowledge of accounting fundamentals, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and internal controls; able to investigate discrepancies and ask good questions
• Comfort working in person with our Oakland team and communicating clearly with colleagues, vendors, accountants, auditors, and government contacts
• Bonus: experience in a startup, manufacturing, hard technology, or an R&D organization, including project cost tracking or accounting across multiple entities

You'll Thrive Here If

• You bring energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm to the everyday work of keeping a company running well
• You are kind, approachable, and helpful, and stay constructive when someone needs an explanation or a deadline is tight
• You are organized and dependable: you write clearly, follow through, and close the loop without repeated reminders
• You are comfortable asking for receipts, questioning an unexplained charge, or escalating a concern, even when the conversation is awkward
• You enjoy doing the work yourself, coordinating outside partners, and solving problems without needing a large internal team
• You take pride in accurate reconciliations, complete records, and timely payments, and willingly help with practical tasks outside your usual remit
• You treat company funds and confidential information with care, own mistakes promptly, and hold yourself to a high standard of integrity
• You use AI regularly and instinctively ask how it could help you complete a task more accurately, efficiently, or thoroughly

Compensation

• Salary range: $120,000–$150,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Equity, stock options, and/or milestone-based compensation
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) from day 1 with pre-tax and post-tax investing options

Role Expectations

• Own the daily finance calendar and workflows, keeping payroll, accounts payable and receivable, expenses, close, and reporting on schedule
• Manage our fractional controller and external bookkeeping team: set priorities, review deliverables, resolve open items, and hold partners accountable for quality and timeliness
• Keep our books accurate and current; coordinate month-end close, review reconciliations, and resolve unsupported, unusual, or uncategorized transactions promptly
• Manage vendor onboarding, invoices, purchase documentation, and payment preparation; verify payment details and obtain the required independent approvals before funds move
• Administer payroll and related finance workflows in Rippling, coordinating employee changes with the Chief of Staff and reconciling payroll records with accounting
• Manage Ramp card and expense workflows, collect supporting receipts, review coding and policy compliance, and resolve outstanding items with colleagues
• Monitor cash and account activity; maintain a near-term cash forecast and execute treasury transactions within approved policies and authorities
• Maintain payment approval workflows, appropriate system access, separation of duties, and audit trails
• Prepare and coordinate government grant financial reports, invoices, and reimbursement requests; track award budgets, deadlines, supporting costs, and receivables
• Work with technical leads and the controller to document labor, project expenses, cost allocations, and required cost share, and verify that billed costs meet award requirements
• Manage recurring Department of War grant audits and other financial reviews: maintain organized evidence, coordinate responses, track requests, and follow corrective actions to completion
• Prepare accurate financial information for leadership and board reporting, including cash balances, spending, budget variances, and grant status, tied back to source records
• Coordinate with external finance advisers on tax filings, insurance renewals, and other financial administration; maintain complete records and a reliable deadline calendar
• Support with purchasing, vendor coordination, process improvements, and other operational projects as needed, while keeping core finance commitments on track
• Use AI to support transaction review, reconciliations, spending analysis, and identification of unusual activity, checking findings against underlying financial records
• Develop repeatable AI-assisted workflows and practical automations that reduce manual data entry, document chasing, and repetitive reporting; document these processes so others can use them
• Prepare straightforward financial analyses for hiring, equipment purchases, vendor proposals, and other operating decisions

Location

• Full-time in-person at our Light Metal Technology Center in Oakland