Finance Manager (Mountain View)

Finance Manager

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in networking for AI and enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

We are seeking a driven Finance Manager to join our growing team and provide financial support to the organization. You will play a key role in partnering with engineering to analyze costs, forecast future spending, and ensure financial viability of projects. In addition to supporting engineering, this role will drive rigor and best practices around revenue forecasting and predictability, and help scale the organization and implement financial planning software. This role will be an instrumental part of building a successful semiconductor company from the ground up. This position is the first hire within the FP&A team reporting to the Director of FP&A.

Location: This is a hybrid role based in our Mountain View, CA office.

Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly/quarterly forecasting process for Lightmatter’s engineering and supply chain groups including all spending and headcount to ensure the accuracy of attaining the operating plan.
• Provide impactful analysis on historical spending for engineering and supply chain and maintain forecast to actuals tracking.
• Partner with engineering teams to understand project scope, timelines, and resource allocation across all engineering costs, including materials, labor, and overhead.
• Drive the monthly/quarterly units and revenue forecasting process in collaboration with the sales and supply chain teams.
• Own and enhance recurring FP&A processes including month end close, forecasting, financial planning, reporting, business reviews, and planning initiatives.
• Provide ROI/cost benefit financial modeling of business initiatives.
• Manage and monitor hiring requests and open requisitions ensuring alignment to plan.
• Support Lightmatter’s response to requests for proposals (RFPs) and negotiate with vendors for cost-effective solutions.
• Assist in the quarterly preparation of board deck materials.
• Help select and implement financial planning software.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives to improve systems, and automation to help scale the business.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Operations, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in a financial or operations related function within the semiconductor industry.
• Worked at a semiconductor company, supporting engineering groups.
• Strong knowledge of Excel and modeling skills.
• Experience in strategic financial planning, analysis, and scenario modeling.
• Proficient in financial reporting concepts and principles (e.g., GAAP, ASC 606).
• Effective communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders; comfortable interacting with executives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working in finance at a pre-IPO high-growth technology company.
• Experience implementing financial planning software (Adaptive, Anaplan, etc.).
• A strong understanding of cost accounting principles.
• Experience using SQL and modern business intelligence platforms.
• Be passionate about AI and use it in your work to drive efficiencies.
• Find excitement operating in ambiguous environments with high degrees of task and deadline pressure while maintaining attention to detail and quality.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• 401k matching
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Paid Family Leave
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Flexible, hybrid workplace model
• Stock Option Plan

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role, inclusive of all US locations will be from $130,000 to $170,000 determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.