The stock has wings. Your job is to keep the numbers flying just as straight. Full accountability, from factory floor to the board pack.

Minerva Defence is one of the fastest-growing defence technology companies in Europe. We create the software, hardware and networking that make unmanned systems effective on the modern battlefield, all ideated, designed and manufactured end-to-end in the UK, and in active use today. We are deliberately low-profile: a team of around 60, small in headcount and outsized in effect. We look for people who are not just talented but genuinely committed to the work, the team, and the purpose behind it.

You'll own the numbers day-to-day, working directly with our Fractional CFO and our outsourced bookkeepers. That means real scope early: you run the close, you write the commentary leadership reads, and you decide how the finance processes of a scaling manufacturer get built. When something on the ground, a delivery, a milestone, a pallet of components, hasn't reached the accounts yet, you're the one who spots it. Plenty of accounting jobs offer a narrow slice of a large ledger. This one gives you the whole thing, and a clear path onwards to finance manager or financial controller as the team grows around you.

Responsibilities

Own the month-end close, coordinating with our outsourced bookkeepers so the accounts reflect reality
Produce the monthly management information pack, with commentary on performance and variances
Support the CFO on rolling forecasts and the annual budget
Partner with the factory, engineering and procurement leads so production costs are complete and properly understood
Review journals, accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations, posting directly where needed
Support the annual audit and the preparation of statutory accounts
Automate the manual: where a task takes significant effort, find a better way using AI and the tooling available

Minimum:

Meaningful experience in a management accounting or similar finance role
ACCA or CIMA, part or fully qualified; qualified by experience is equally welcome
Proficient in Excel and experienced across more than one accounting or ERP platform
Experience presenting financial information to non-finance colleagues
Eligible for UK SC clearance (UK citizen or 5+ years UK residency)

Preferred:

Experience in a manufacturing, engineering or defence environment
Familiarity with revenue recognition in a contract or project-based business
Experience supporting an external audit
A track record of improving processes with technology or automation

The job is demanding enough, so we try to take the everyday pressures off your plate. The benefits are built around that, starting with a genuine stake in what we are building.

Share options vesting over three years, so you own a real piece of it
Bupa private health, fully funded from day one
6% employer pension contribution
25 days leave plus bank holidays, and properly enhanced cover for both parents
Enterprise level AI tooling, with as many tokens as you need to accelerate your work
Relocation support if you are moving to join us, or a home office budget if you work remotely

The full detail comes with your offer.

Minerva Defence

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