Job Description

LYVA Labs was created to deliver economic growth through commercialisation of R&D, inspiring ideas, creating partnerships, and attracting investment.

Our mission is to increase investment in innovation and we do this by:

Making pre-seed equity investments of up to 250,000 directly into companies based in the Liverpool City Region with 7m currently under management Co-investing with other VCs Leveraging these investment monies with grants from funding bodies such as Innovate UK, SBRI and NIHR and through our Investor Partnership status with Innovate UK Providing grant-writing, investment readiness and commercialisation support through a range of programmes Providing innovation consultancy services and grants to more established SMEs Establishing collaborative partnerships across the innovation ecosystem
We believe innovation will drive growth and create jobs in our region - if we create the right environment to unlock it.

We are seeking a part-time Finance Director (FD) to support our business on a 0.2FTE or 4 days per month contract basis over a 12-month period initially.

This role is ideal for

an experienced finance leader with grant-funded programme experience who enjoys building robust financial foundations

and with a passion to support LYVA Labs' mission and purpose.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing board-level financial reporting, establishing the financial strategy for the investment portfolio, and our programme reporting to funders. You will also be the line manager of our finance manager, a part-qualified accountant, supporting them to prepare monthly management reports and lead day-to-day finance operations alongside our appointed accountants.

Key duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the CEO, you will be responsible for the following:

Develop and implement robust financial reporting for the board of directors, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strategic insight. Advise the leadership team on financial strategy, risk management, and capital allocation across multiple grant funded projects and consultancy income streams. Support scenario modelling, budgeting, forecasting, and dashboards to inform decision-making. Governance and reporting structures oversight for our grant funded programmes. Governance and reporting structures oversight for the management of our investment portfolio. Recommend and implement best practices for tracking and evaluating investment performance, working with our investment team. Mentor and coach our part-qualified accountant, enabling them to take ownership of monthly management accounts and day-to-day finance operations. Improve financial systems, processes, and controls, driving efficiency and scalability. Help refine the month-end close process and ensure timely reporting. Liaise with external stakeholders such as auditors, tax advisors, and banks. Ensure compliance with relevant financial regulations and accounting standards. Provide ad hoc financial analysis and guidance as required by the board. Contribute to funding strategy, supporting grant applications and fundraising processes, as required.

Skills, personality, and experience

Proven experience as a Finance Director or senior financial leader within SME, public agency, or investment environments. Strong technical accounting knowledge and financial modelling skills. Experience with large public sector grants. Experience of SME investment. Excellent communicator and mentor with a collaborative approach. Familiarity with UK financial regulations and reporting requirements. ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent qualification preferred. Comfortable working autonomously and delivering high-impact work with minimal supervision. Ability to distil complex financial data into actionable board-level insights. Experience in managing investment portfolios or working in a public funding environment.

Package

Terms: Part-time (0.2FTE) or 4 days per month (contract)

Location: Liverpool City Centre, Knowledge Quarter

Salary: Up to 20,000 per annum (0.2 FTE employee) or 500 (gross) day rate on a consultancy contract

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Benefits (not applicable to consultancy contract)

Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata), increasing to 27 days after 3 years' service

6% pension contribution

Company training and development budget accessible to all employees

Local gym discount

For an informal discussion about the role please email lorna.green@lyvalabs.com.

Expressions of interest and CVs can also be submitted to this email.

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: 20,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 7.5 per week

Benefits:

Company pension
Ability to commute/relocate:

Liverpool, L3 5LJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Liverpool, L3 5LJ