Finance Manager
About this role
About Universal Quantum
At Universal Quantum, we are building the next generation of quantum computers — machines capable of solving problems once thought impossible. Our technology has the potential to transform industries from healthcare to aerospace, materials science, and beyond. As we scale from breakthrough R&D to global delivery, resilient execution becomes as critical as technical innovation.
What You’ll Accomplish
- Lead and manage the day‑to‑day finance operations including accounts payable, accounts receivable, invoicing, bank reconciliations, and month‑end routines.
- Manage supplier processes from onboarding to payments.
- Maintain accurate financial records aligned with UK accounting standards and internal controls.
- Take ownership of preparing and submitting VAT returns, ensuring compliance with HMRC requirements.
- Support month‑end and year‑end close processes, including journals, accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Assist with internal and external audits by ensuring documentation and processes are complete and audit‑ready
- Monitor spend, highlight variances, and work closely with budget owners to ensure financial discipline.
- Identify inefficiencies in financial processes and implement streamlined, scalable solutions.
- Contribute to automation initiatives across invoicing, supplier management, and reconciliations.
- Strengthen internal controls and introduce best‑practice financial processes as the business grows.
The 3 Most Critical Attributes We’ll Use to Compare Candidates
Must-have Skills
- Part‑qualified ACCA, CIMA, or ACA, with ambition to complete qualifications.
- Solid understanding of UK accounting principles and VAT rules.
- Strong hands‑on experience with invoicing cycles, AP/AR processes, reconciliations, and month‑end tasks.
- Proficiency with accounting software (e.g., Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite) and strong Excel/Google Sheets skills.
- Experience managing supplier onboarding, purchase orders, payment runs and resolving queries.
- Ability to maintain accurate ledgers and ensure robust, auditable financial processes.
- Comfortable working in organisations with multi‑entity or international considerations.
- Excellent organisational and time‑management skills.
- Ability to work independently with accountability for outcomes.
- A mindset geared toward continuous improvement and financial process optimisation
Nice-to-have Skills
- Advanced Excel skills, including complex formulas and data modelling.
- Experience supporting ERP implementation or systems migration, particularly in scaling multi‑entity environments.
- German language skills, useful for supplier communication and coordination with Germany based accountants.
Company at a glance
A quantum computer harnesses the fundamental forces that govern the physical world. It can efficiently model complex systems in ways that would take the best classical computer millions of years, and so help revolutionise drug design, climate modelling, battery chemistry, and many other vital processes.
But to achieve all this, we need to make quantum computers work reliably at scale.
We started Universal Quantum to meet this challenge - because we believe that by doing so, we can help solve the most difficult problems faced by humanity. We’re following a pragmatic, engineering-based roadmap to build a device that is useful in the real world: a quantum computer that has utility. Every approach we take, every solution we devise, is geared towards this goal.
Tired of cold applications?
Sign up with Clera and we'll reach out the moment a role actually fits you — no more spraying applications into the void.
Know someone who'd be great for this?