How to apply for Head of Finance

About 10a Labs

10a Labs provides adversarial red teaming, model evaluations, and intelligence collection to companies deploying AI systems. Its clients include frontier AI labs, AI unicorns, Fortune 10 companies, and global technology platforms. The company operates remotely and sits at the intersection of AI safety and security.

About the role

The Head of Finance owns budgeting, forecasting, accounting operations, financial reporting, cash management, and strategic finance. You will build scalable financial processes and provide insights to support rapid growth. You will work closely with leadership, department heads, and external accounting partners.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing cash flow and financial reports, updating forecasting models, and meeting with department heads to discuss budget variances. You could also work with external accounting partners on monthly close or prepare materials for a leadership strategy session. The role is remote and highly cross-functional, so much of the day is spent communicating and analyzing data.

Who 10a Labs is looking for

• Experience owning budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning in a high-growth technology company.
• Strong financial modeling skills to support strategic planning, hiring, investments, and operational decisions.
• Comfortable managing accounting operations and working with external accounting partners.
• Ability to translate complex financial data into actionable business insights for leadership.
• Experience in a remote, cross-functional environment with rapid growth.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of building scalable financial processes from scratch or improving existing ones.
• Quantify your impact on budgeting, forecasting, or cash management (e.g., reduced close time, improved forecast accuracy).
• Mention any experience with AI, SaaS, or deep tech companies, as 10a Labs serves frontier AI labs and technology platforms.
• Show familiarity with remote work and cross-functional collaboration with leadership and external partners.
• Address how you would support rapid company growth without sacrificing financial reporting accuracy.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your experience owning the full finance function, from accounting operations to strategic planning.', 'Specific examples of financial models you built that influenced hiring, investments, or operational decisions.', 'How you have improved financial reporting accuracy while scaling processes in a high-growth environment.', 'Your ability to partner with leadership and department heads to provide actionable insights.']

Research before applying

• Understand 10a Labs' services: adversarial red teaming, model evaluations, and intelligence collection for AI systems.
• Research the AI safety and threat intelligence market, including competitors and client types (frontier AI labs, Fortune 10 companies).
• Look into common financial challenges for high-growth AI/security startups, such as revenue recognition or R&D capitalization.
• Check if 10a Labs has publicly shared funding, growth stage, or leadership background to tailor your application.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through a financial model you built to support a strategic decision like hiring or investment.
• How do you ensure accurate financial reporting while managing rapid growth?
• Describe your process for budgeting and forecasting in a remote, cross-functional setting.
• How have you worked with external accounting partners to improve operations?
• What metrics or insights do you prioritize when advising leadership on cash management?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on accounting operations without demonstrating strategic finance and forecasting experience.
• Using generic finance language without connecting it to AI safety, red teaming, or the company's client base.
• Failing to show how you have built or improved scalable financial processes in a remote or high-growth context.