Head of Finance, UPSIDE Foods
Office located in Berkeley, CA
Cell-cultured meat producer
Job no longer available
Cell-cultured meat producer
201-500 employees
Job no longer available
Office located in Berkeley, CA
201-500 employees
Company mission
To make meat a force for good in the world.
Role
Who you are
- Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting. MBA or CPA preferred
- 15+ years of relevant senior financial experience, preferably spanning start-up and larger organizations through periods of significant growth and covering a wide range of financial disciplines (accounting, financial planning & analysis, investor relations, cash management and treasury). Strategy or banking background is a plus
- Financial acumen with strong financial modeling skills and expertise with financial statements
- Proven strategic thinking and problem solving capabilities with respect to financial strategy and resource allocation
- Superior organizational skills, attention to detail, strong work ethic, and high degree of urgency
- Ability to manage competing priorities and drive towards deadlines
- Love working at multiple levels - from strategic, long-term to engaging in the details
- A great team leader and coach who is eager to roll up your sleeves and build a team that can have fun while working hard to change the world
- High level of interpersonal maturity, poise and professionalism
- Thrive in dynamic, ambiguous environments with evolving responsibilities; growth mindset and highly flexible and adaptable
- Ready to make a ~5 year commitment to this next chapter in your career
What the job involves
- This role will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer and will work closely with the leadership team and numerous cross-functional teams within the company.
- The Head of Finance will also interface with external stakeholders, including prospective and existing investors and the Board of Directors
- Building out and leading an efficient and effective, multi-function finance team that will help UPSIDE achieve its commercial and mission impact goals through efficient resource, capital and risk management
- Leading all core finance activities and functions, including financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, financial planning and analysis, accounting, and treasury and cash management
- Evaluating and advising the Senior Leadership Team on the potential impact of different business model and partnership options, conducting long-range planning, and helping develop and inform enterprise strategies
- Streamlining departmental financial and business intelligence (including a regular cadence of strategic financial reviews, ensuring synching between different teams to ensure one enterprise version of the truth)
- Assist CEO/COO in planning and execution of equity and debt financing and cash management strategies
- Assist with the review of critical commercial partner & vendor agreements to identify financial forecasting implications
- Manage all operational accounting to ensure timely reporting on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis
- Assess financial and operational risks and implement controls, policies and procedures
- Key Contributions in the First Year;
- Build out a robust finance function and define the strategic vision for the finance organization
- Evaluate different business models and potential partnerships through thoughtful strategic financial planning and perspective
- Develop finance dashboards and establish (quarterly) business reviews
- Create core financial models that can help the organization track progress against key goals and report out internally and externally
- Define the financing strategy for our first commercial plant
Our take
Upside Food, previously knowns as Memphis Meats, is actively addressing the growing societal demand for ethical meat production through the cultivation of its own meat products. The company's approach not only ensures delicious offerings but also contributes to improving animal welfare and reducing environmental impact in the food industry.
With a wide range of cultivated meat products that closely mimic their traditional counterparts, Upside Food is capitalizing on the rapidly expanding market for meat alternatives, which is experiencing a remarkable annual growth rate of approximately 36%. Although North America stands as the fastest-growing demographic in this domain, the global market for ethical meat is projected to surpass $8B by 2025.
By catering to the preferences of meat enthusiasts with diverse cultivated meat options, Upside Food effectively minimizes its carbon footprint compared to conventional meat producers. Tightening regulations led to staff reductions in 2024, yet Upside is expanding its product range, bringing two new cultivated chicken foods to the market later that year.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
38% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Apr 2022
$400m
SERIES C
Jan 2020
$161m
SERIES B
Total funding: $581.1m
Company benefits
- Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
- 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
- Pet insurance for your furry family members!
- Unlimited PTO
- DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
- Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities
Company HQ
Southwest Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Leadership
Uma Valeti, MD
(CEO & Founder)Cardiovascular Doctor by training. Professor at the University of Minnesota and Stanford before founding Upside Foods in 2016.
Salary benchmarks
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