Director of Strategic Finance, Lightmatter
$180-230k
Salary is benchmarked for California, Colorado and New York based candidates and may vary for further location. Offers stock options
Light-powered AI computing
Job no longer available
Light-powered AI computing
201-500 employees
Job no longer available
$180-230k
Salary is benchmarked for California, Colorado and New York based candidates and may vary for further location. Offers stock options
201-500 employees
Company mission
To build an engine that will power discoveries, drive progress, and redefine what computers and human beings are capable of.
Role
Who you are
- This leader will not only have a strong corporate finance background, but also will have experience implementing processes and tools and building teams to prepare an FP&A organization for growth
- Proven experience (12+ years) in high-performing finance roles, preferably within the semiconductor or hardware industry, in corporate finance
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline; MBA and/or CFA preferred
- Demonstrated experience in strategic financial planning, analysis, and scenario modeling. Expert in financial modeling
- Demonstrated experience building robust processes and developing an FP&A function
- Experience with IPO readiness preferred
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret financial data, and provide strategic insights
- Effective communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders; comfortable interacting with executives, investors and employees at all levels. Strong leadership presence
- Sound decision-making abilities and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and understand the nuances of operating in a small company with big aspirations
What the job involves
- The Director, Strategic Finance will be responsible for overseeing and managing all budgeting, forecasting, planning, and financial modeling activities within the organization.
- The Director, FP&A will be comfortable in a highly visible role that requires clear and effective communication skills and comfort influencing stakeholders across all levels of the organization
- Lead the FP&A function, partnering with department and executive leaders on P&L management
- Develop operating plans, budgets, and forecasts aligned with Lighmatter's strategic objectives
- Conduct ad hoc financial analysis and scenario modeling. Influence strategic initiatives and decision making through financial insights
- Implement process improvements and tools to upgrade accuracy and ability to generate meaningful insights from financial data
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and financial metrics to assess the company's financial health and identify areas for improvement
- Prepare reports and presentations for cross-functional executives. Support departmental leaders with business analysis and spending insights
- Lead company-wide internal financial reporting, including budget vs. actuals and other dashboards
- Drive cross-functional initiatives to improve systems, and automation to help scale the business
- Support headcount planning and management, partnering with the People Team
- Build out the FP&A function as needed to support a growing business
Our take
Neural networks and CPUs are vital to AI solutions, but manufacturers have largely failed to maintain innovation in recent years. Lightmatter solves this problem by offering a next-generation computing platform powered by photonics (light waves).
Lightmatter offers a forward-facing platform for AI-building that acts as an alternative to traditional solutions. It works by replacing wired CPUs with a combination of photonics and new algorithms. Lightmatter's solution is not only faster, but it is considerably more sustainable, and it has the potential to drive the next generation of AI development.
As of early 2026, Lightmatter had raised $850 million across six funding rounds and grown to a staggering valuation of $4.4 billion. This showcases the growing demand for faster, more effective AI-building solutions. With products already on the market and a roadmap to tackle even more components in the years ahead, the future for Lightmatter certainly looks bright.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Oct 2024
$400m
SERIES D
Dec 2023
$155m
SERIES C
Total funding: $822m
Company benefits
- Commuter benefit
- Happy hour -Spend time together and build friendships
- Generous vacation policy and holidays
- 401(K)
- Opportunity to learn from your peers and teach them what you know across electronics, photonics, machine learning, and more
Company HQ
Old Mountain View, Mountain View, CA
Leadership
Nicholas Harris
(CEO & Co-Founder)Previously worked as an R&D Product Engineer at Micron Technology, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT.
Thomas Graham
(Head of ML & Co-Founder)Was an M&A Analyst at Morgan Stanley, and worked as an Agency Business Development Manager at Google.
Darius Bunandar
(Chief Scientist & Co-Founder)Worked as a Research Collaborator at Caltech, and was a PhD Candidate at MIT.
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