Financial Accountant - SPV & Fund Accounting

THE ROLE The Head of Finance needs to provide strategic leadership, governance, and end‑to‑end oversight across the finance function, including all third‑party and outsourced finance arrangements. The role ensures the organisation delivers accurate, compliant, and scalable financial outcomes across multiple entities, geographies, and operating models. As a senior finance leader, the role acts as a trusted partner to senior leadership, providing insight, challenge, and direction to support high‑quality decision‑making, operational resilience, and sustainable growth.   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Financial Management & Reporting * Oversee statutory accounts and Group reporting (Local GAAP/IFRS) * Ensure timely monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting * Manage external audits and auditor relationships * Supervise NAV reporting (where applicable) Portfolio & Asset-Level Oversight * Monitor portfolio performance (revenues, EBITDA, cash flow) * Oversee SPV accounting and intercompany reconciliations * Ensure compliance with financing agreements (covenants, DSCR, distributions) * Support acquisitions, disposals, and refinancing processes Budgeting, Forecasting & Analysis * Lead annual budgeting and rolling forecasts (P&L and cash flow) * Deliver variance analysis and actionable insights Treasury & Cash Management * Oversee liquidity planning and cash flow forecasting * Manage banking relationships * Coordinate with debt management teams to ensure compliance * Supervise payments and capital allocation Tax & Compliance * Coordinate tax planning and risk mitigation with external advisors * Ensure compliance with VAT, WHT, and international tax regulations * Oversee transfer pricing processes Internal Controls & Governance * Implement strong financial controls and processes * Ensure compliance with corporate governance and fund requirements * Drive continuous improvement and transformation initiatives Team Leadership * Lead and develop finance teams (accountants, controllers) * Manage day-to-day operations and workload allocation * Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture Stakeholder Engagement * Act as key contact for investors, lenders, and senior stakeholders * Support fundraising and due diligence processes * Prepare board-level reports and investor presentations   SKILLS & COMPETENCIES * Advanced financial modelling and analytical capabilities * Strong expertise in accounting systems and Excel * Experience with consolidation and reporting tools * Strategic mindset with strong commercial acumen * Leadership and team management skills * Excellent stakeholder management * High attention to detail and accuracy   EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS * Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Economics (ACA / ACCA / CFA preferred) * 7+ years’ experience in finance roles, ideally within: * * Asset management * Renewable energy / infrastructure * SPV-driven environments * Strong knowledge of: * IFRS and Local GAAP * Project finance and structured finance * Multi-entity, multi-jurisdiction operations   WHAT WE OFFER * A busy role in a supportive team, with plenty of opportunities to learn * International scope – we operate in over 8 countries * Hybrid working – we will need you in the central Milan office at least three times a week, but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week * BUPA Healthcare for you and qualifying dependents * Annual discretionary bonus.   HOW TO APPLY If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the link to apply or send your application to careers@nextenergygroup.com. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage, we will be in contact within 14 days. By selecting “Apply” or sending us your CV, you indicate you have read and acknowledged NextEnergy Group’s Candidate Privacy Notice.   DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things, be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be. We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race, colour, ancestry, social background, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity.   ABOUT US  NextEnergy Group was founded in 2007 to become a leading market participant in the international solar sector.  Since its inception, it has been active in the development, construction, and ownership of solar assets across multiple jurisdictions.  NextEnergy Group operates via its three business units: NextEnergy Capital (Investment Management), WiseEnergy (Operating Asset Management), and Starlight (Asset Development). NextEnergy Capital manages the Group's investment activities and has invested in over 520 solar plants, exceeding 2GW in capacity across its institutional funds. * NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF): Listed on the London Stock Exchange, NESF manages 102 solar and energy storage assets in the UK and Italy, with a total installed capacity of 983MW and a gross asset value of £1,014m. * NextPower II (NPII): A private fund of 105 solar plants (149MW) focused on Italy, successfully divested in January 2022, delivering net IRRs exceeding its 10-12% target. * NextPower III ESG (NPIII ESG): A private fund targeting solar infrastructure in OECD countries (e.g., US, Spain, Italy), with $896m raised, exceeding its $750m target. * NextPower UK ESG (NPUK ESG): A private fund dedicated to new-build solar plants in the UK, with ~£600m raised. * NextPower V ESG (NPV ESG): A private OECD solar fund investing in solar and adjacent technologies like battery storage. To date, it has raised $745m, targeting $1.5bn ($2bn ceiling). WiseEnergy® is NextEnergy Group’s operating asset manager.  WiseEnergy is a leading specialist operating asset manager in the solar sector.  Since its founding, WiseEnergy has provided solar asset management, monitoring, technical due diligence and under construction services to over 1,500 utility-scale solar power plants with an installed total capacity in excess of 3.4 GW.  WiseEnergy clients comprise leading banks and equity financiers in the energy and infrastructure sector.  Starlight is NextEnergy Group’s development company that is active in the development phase of solar projects.  It has developed over 100 utility-scale projects internationally and continues to progress a large pipeline of c.10GW of both green and brownfield project developments across global geographies. NextSTEPis the venture capital fund of NextEnergy Group, dedicated to investing in innovative startups in the field of environmental sustainability. The fund primarily focuses on investments in Italy and the United Kingdom but also extends its reach to the rest of Europe and the United States, targeting startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. NextSTEP pays particular attention to emerging entities from incubators, startup accelerators, universities, and research centers, supporting projects that address global challenges in crucial areas such as Climate Change, Energy Transition, CO2 Capture and Sequestration, Circular Economy, Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Mobility, Sustainable Fashion, Waste Management, Water and much more. NextEnergy Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by the NextEnergy Group that operates internationally and whose mission is to proactively participate in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions by providing clean energy sources in regions where they are not yet available and thereby contributing to poverty reduction. As the main sponsor of this foundation, the NextEnergy Group donates at least 5% of its consolidated net profits each year. The NextEnergy Foundation has no overhead costs and therefore 100% of the funds raised go to donations for the various projects. Since 2016, in 8 years of operation the foundation has donated more than £1.2 million, supporting over 30 projects in 27 different countries around the world.

Who We Are We build the intelligence that lets robots sense, reason, and act in the real world—moving beyond the lab and into everyday industrial settings like warehouses and factories. Our technology closes the automation gaps that traditional systems can't solve. We are on a mission to redefine how physical work gets done, and we're looking for curious, bold thinkers to help shape the future of robotics with us. Overview As Sereact scales, financing our robotics deployments becomes a strategic capability in its own right. We are looking for a Director Asset-Backed Financing based in Stuttgart to build our ABF program from zero—incorporating the SPV, designing the structure, raising the debt, and running the vehicle long-term. This is a true founder-style mandate inside Finance: you start with a blank page, a supportive Board, and Tier 1 investors, and you own the program end-to-end. Your Responsibilities: Program Design & SPV Setup * Design Sereact's asset-backed financing program from the ground up—asset class definition, eligibility, structure, jurisdiction, tax and accounting treatment. Incorporate the SPV(s): * select jurisdiction, engage corporate services providers, set up governance, bank accounts, and the operational infrastructure required to run a financing vehicle. * Work with external counsel, tax advisors, and auditors to put the legal and accounting architecture in place—true-sale opinions, security packages, servicing arrangements. Fundraising for the SPV * Own the debt fundraising process end-to-end: build the lender universe, prepare the data room, run the process, negotiate term sheets, and drive transactions to close. * Engage banks, private credit funds, and alternative lenders—starting with a first warehouse or seed facility and progressing to larger or syndicated structures over time. * Build and maintain ongoing relationships with debt capital providers as a repeatable funding channel. Structuring & Modeling * Build the cash flow models, waterfalls, and capital structure analyses that underpin every facility. * Define and negotiate advance rates, eligibility criteria, concentration limits, covenants, triggers, and reserve mechanics. * Pressure-test structures against downside scenarios and ensure the vehicle remains robust as the asset pool scales. Running the Vehicle * Stand up the operational backbone of the SPV: borrowing base calculations, lender reporting, compliance certificates, servicer reports, audit trails. * Own data quality end-to-end—from the operating company's source systems to the data tape that lenders see each month. * Manage amendments, waivers, upsizes, and refinancings as the program matures. Strategic Partnership * Partner with the CEO, Director Finance, and Commercial leadership to align the financing program with commercial models such as Robotics-as-a-Service, equipment leasing, or customer financing. * Advise on contract design, pricing, and unit economics where financing structures create constraints or unlock new offerings. * Brief the Board and equity investors on the program—capacity, cost of capital, and the trade-off between dilutive and non-dilutive funding. Qualifications: Education & Experience * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Economics, or a related field with a focus on Finance. * 5+ years of practical experience in structured finance, securitization, asset-based lending, or private credit, ideally a mix of originating-side (investment bank, structured finance desk, debt fund) and borrower-side (corporate treasury or finance team that has closed an ABF facility). * Demonstrable track record of taking at least one asset-backed structure from concept to close. Experience financing hardware, equipment, or recurring-revenue contracts is a strong plus. Soft Skills * A builder's mindset with high ownership—energized by a blank page and willing to do the unglamorous setup work alongside the strategic negotiation. * Strong commercial judgment and a pragmatic approach to structuring in a technology-driven environment. * Excellent communication skills—able to translate structured finance concepts for Founders, engineers, and Board members alike. * Fluency in written and spoken English (German optional). Our interview plan: * Application * Take‑home assignment: A short structuring case with clear instructions and a deadline—size a facility for a hypothetical asset pool, propose a structure, flag the key risks. * Cultural fit interview (40 min): A conversation about how you work, what motivates you, and what you're looking for. Expect CV highlights, your "why," and time for your questions. * Interview with our Director Finance (60 min): A discussion on capital strategy, prior deals, and how the role connects to company priorities. * On‑site visit: Meet the team and one of the Founders at our office and collaborate on a real challenge similar to the work you'd do here. You'll get a clear feel for the environment and ways of working. What We Offer: * Wellpass (gym membership) * Flexible working hours * Option to work from home * A genuine zero-to-one mandate in an innovative AI-robotics startup: build the SPV, raise the debt, run the program * Direct exposure to Founders, Board, and international Tier 1 investors * A motivated team and an open corporate culture * Competitive compensation and excellent opportunities for development