Head of FP&A | Rapid Physical AI Start-Up ($1B+ Series Bay Area

Head of FP&A | Rapid Growth Physical AI Start-Up ($1B+ Series A) | Bay Area
The Client

Harmonic are proud to have been retained by a rapidly growing VC-backed Physical AI start-up revolutionizing mankind’s understanding of the physical sciences. They are preparing to manufacture multiple complex Hard Tech products utilizing AI, with the ability to take massive leaps forward in our interpretation of the laws which underpin physics.

The business has applications impacting space exploration, climate and green energy, advanced computing, robotics, defense and the global food supply chain.

They are currently in stealth mode and incubated by a major VC player with a track record of launching some of the fastest growing and most transformative AI businesses in their respective fields. They are preparing to announce one of the largest Series A fund raises in start-up history, well in excess of $1 billion, backed by multiple top-tier VC investors.

Our client has a genuinely values-led culture with an incredibly bright leadership team. Founded by award-winning scientists and AI industry leaders, the team includes Founders and early employees from some of the world's leading AI labs and Hard Tech businesses.

The Head of FP&A will own the build-out of the FP&A function, establishing the financial planning, forecasting, reporting and analytical infrastructure required to support an extraordinarily fast-scaling organization.

Partnering closely with the CFO and executive leadership team, this person will own the company-wide budgeting and forecasting process, long-range planning, scenario analysis and management reporting.

The role will sit at the center of some of the company's most important decisions, developing financial models across R&D, compute infrastructure, manufacturing, headcount and new product launches.

This is a genuine blank-slate opportunity. With the business expected to scale from approximately 150 to close to 1,000 employees over the next 12 months, the Head of FP&A will have the opportunity to build the function, systems and processes required to support that growth.

• Build and own the company-wide FP&A function, including annual budgeting, rolling forecasts, long-range planning and scenario analysis.
• Develop the company's integrated financial model, connecting headcount, R&D investment, compute requirements, manufacturing programs and product launches to P&L, cash flow and liquidity.
• Establish scalable FP&A processes, reporting infrastructure, KPIs and dashboards to give leadership clear visibility into financial and operational performance.
• Partner with Engineering, Infrastructure, Operations and Procurement to forecast significant investment across compute, data center capacity, hardware and technical infrastructure.
• Build detailed financial models supporting the scale-up of complex manufacturing programs, including Cap Ex, production capacity, unit economics and operational requirements.
• Own headcount and workforce planning as the organization scales rapidly across technical, operational and corporate functions.
• Lead monthly and quarterly forecasting, including budget versus actual analysis, variance reporting and identification of key business drivers.
• Develop scenario models around different growth, investment and hiring assumptions, helping leadership understand the impact on cash requirements and financial performance.
• Partner with functional leaders to establish budgets, operating plans and measurable KPIs, creating accountability around financial performance.
• Support the CFO and executive team with Board reporting, investor materials and financial analysis for major strategic decisions.
• Build financial models supporting GTM strategy, pricing, commercialization and the launch of new products.
• Select and implement the systems, tools and processes required to create a highly automated, data-driven FP&A function.
• Build and lead the FP&A team as the organization continues to scale.

• Significant FP&A, Strategic Finance or Corporate Finance experience within a high-growth technology or similarly complex organization.
• Experience owning budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning and management reporting.
• Strong understanding of P&L, cash flow, headcount planning and investment analysis.
• Ability to partner effectively with highly technical and operational stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial analysis into clear recommendations for senior…