Head of Finance - Planning and Analysis

Tau Finance RoleTau is a venture-backed hardtech company in Redwood City, building power conversion technology for data centers, EVs, and energy systems. Several products are already moving into production. We hire people who own problems end-to-end: power electronics, embedded software, controls, test and validation, mechanical design. Customers are buying, volume is coming, and the people who join now set the standard everyone builds on after.Tau is a Series B company developing next-generation power conversion technology that's transformational to any industry it touches. Our products are already making waves with automotive customers, and we're sizing up energy, datacenters, and defense as the next markets to prove out.On the finance side, that means deal structuring, capital allocation, pricing, planning, and market entry, not waiting for a request and handing back a spreadsheet. Customers are buying, volume is coming, and the person who takes this role sets the standard for how Tau makes its biggest financial decisions.About the RoleYou'll be our first dedicated finance hire and the person leadership turns to for framing the company's most important decisions. Some of that is model-driven strategy: should we chase this new market, what should this deal actually cost the customer, where does the next dollar of headcount or R&D spend do the most good. Some of it is infrastructure: forecasting, budgeting, the long-range plan, the basic financial hygiene a company our size doesn't have yet.When we're deciding whether to go after energy, datacenters, or defense, you build the model that tells us if it's a real opportunity or a distraction: market sizing, unit economics, what it would actually take to win.Build the models behind our large automotive deals: volume ramps, multi-year pricing structures, cost curves, margin sensitivity, and how different pricing structures play out for us and the customer.Help leadership decide where the next dollar of R&D spend or the next hire goes, and make the tradeoffs explicit instead of political.Build the planning function and the infrastructure it runs on. Stand up forecasting, budgeting, and the long-range plan, and get to a P&L view leadership trusts, a forecast that updates, and the basic financial hygiene that lets everyone move faster.Be the finance voice in the room. Sit in on the big decisions, including fundraising prep, build-vs-buy, and new market entry, and be ready to present the analysis and recommendation directly to the board, not just the CEO. Occasionally that means sitting with accounting on a close question or a reconciliation. You may come from management consulting or private equity, or comparable growth-stage strategic finance/FP&A experience. Strong financial and analytical foundation, with a solid grasp of accounting concepts. Fast and fluent in Excel/Sheets. You create structure where none exists and don't wait to be told to move. You can walk into a board meeting and present your own analysis and recommendation, and hold your own on the questions that follow.Genuine interest in automotive, energy, and/or defense, and the willingness to learn the operational details that make the models real.Nice to HaveExposure to capital-intensive or hardware/manufacturing businesses, or to energy or defense markets specifically. Experience with complex, multi-year commercial deals or novel pricing structures.Familiarity with the systems a growing company runs on: CRM, BI/dashboarding tools, accounting systems.Your experience, qualifications, training, critical skills, and/or business considerations determine your compensation. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package that may include an annual performance bonus, equity, and other incentive compensation plans considered part of Tau's total compensation package.Candidates will be expected to demonstrate excellence in their respective fields and possess the ability to learn quickly within a fast-paced environment.PerksBecome part of an emerging company during a rapid growth phase—within an industry undergoing dramatic transformation for a global imperative.Work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields to (1) attack some of the most pressing issues of today while (2) contributing to technically demanding and deeply innovative solutions.Competitive compensation based upon experience level, including stock options—we believe in capturing value in the future we create together.Flexible time off and paid holidays.Centrally located in the Bay Area on the Peninsula in vibrant downtown Redwood City Blocks from the CaltrainWalking distance to food and entertainmentEasy access to both the 101 and 280Excellent medical, dental, vision & life insuranceComprehensive benefits including 401(k), HSA and FSA benefits, commuter benefits and moreEqual Opportunity EmployerTau is an equal opportunity employer that guarantees a work environment that respects and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.