Finance Manager

About Magrathea

Based in Oakland, California, Magrathea is a global category leader in critical mineral production technology. Our mission is to rebuild the magnesium metal supply base, delivering secure access to one of the most critical materials on Earth. Magnesium is essential to the aluminum, steel, titanium, nuclear, defense, and aerospace industries but 95% of global supply comes from China where large amounts of coal are used to make metal.

This isn’t just an economic risk: it’s a national security threat, and Magrathea is fixing it. We’ve developed a next‑generation electrolytic process to make magnesium metal from seawater and brines, unlocking a new path to industrial independence and to a cleaner environment for future generations. We’re backed by the earliest believers in Tesla and SpaceX, major European industrial families, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

If you’re ready to make a lasting real‑world impact, let’s talk.

You’ll be joining a small, high-trust team of builders on a mission to stand up the first major electrolytic magnesium smelter this century. We’re doing it this decade. There are no pointless positions here, no layers of middle management, no meetings about meetings: just a deep focus on moving important work forward. You’ll be hands‑on from day one, shaping the core of a technology that will have major impacts on national security, clean technology, and industrial resilience.

If you’re the kind of person who is energized by hard, consequential problems,stays clear, calm, and effective when the work is ambiguous or urgent, and wants to build something that will matter far beyond the company, this role is for you.

This is a hands‑on operational finance role responsible for keeping Magrathea’s internal finances accurate, organized, and running smoothly. Reporting to Ethan, our Chief of Staff, you’ll own the daily work that keeps payments moving, financial records reliable, and reporting on time.

You’ll work directly in platforms including Quick Books, Rippling, and Ramp to manage accounting workflows, payroll, expenses, and cash administration. You’ll manage our fractional controller and external bookkeeping team, work closely with our fractional CFO, and coordinate government grant reporting, invoicing, audits, and financial information for the board. Fundraising and strategic finance sit with our CEO and you will be a key collaborator with him as part of those processes.

One day you may be resolving a reconciliation discrepancy or preparing a government reimbursement package; the next, coordinating payroll or helping with an unexpected operational project. We want someone who brings energy, sound judgment, and a friendly, practical approach to getting the details right.

• 5+ years in operational finance, accounting, or finance operations, with direct responsibility for the day‑to‑day financial processes of a growing organization
• Experience managing cash operations or financial workflows involving large dollar values (e.g. >$50M+) with clear approval controls and accurate records
• Strong hands‑on bookkeeping skills, including account reconciliations, transaction coding, financial reports, and month‑end close
• Hands‑on experience using Rippling for payroll and employee administration, and Ramp for corporate cards, expenses, and bill payments
• Comfort administering business banking and treasury platforms such as J. P. Morgan and Schwab, including payments, statements, cash balances, and access permissions
• Experience coordinating a controller, external bookkeepers, and senior finance advisers, setting deadlines and reviewing their work for accuracy and completeness
• Experience with government grant reporting,…