How to apply for Strategic Finance Lead

About Afresh Technologies

Afresh Technologies is an AI-driven platform tackling the critical issue of food waste in the fresh food supply chain, reducing millions of pounds of waste annually. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven company at the intersection of technology and sustainability, with a remote-first culture that values innovation and impact.

About the role

As the Strategic Finance Lead, you will own the company's financial planning and analysis, building models for budgeting, forecasting, and long-range strategy. This role is impactful because your insights will directly inform leadership decisions, optimize resource allocation, and support Afresh's growth while advancing its sustainability mission.

A typical day

A typical day might start with reviewing real-time dashboards for key metrics, then meeting with the VP of Sales to refine quarterly revenue forecasts. Afternoon could involve building a scenario model for a new market expansion, followed by a cross-functional presentation to leadership on budget vs. actuals and strategic recommendations.

Who Afresh Technologies is looking for

• Has 5+ years of progressive FP&A or strategic finance experience, ideally at a high-growth startup or tech company, with a proven ability to scale financial processes.
• Possesses exceptional financial modeling skills and can build complex, dynamic models from scratch in Excel or Google Sheets, with proficiency in tools like Looker or Tableau.
• Demonstrates hands-on use of AI in finance—e.g., using machine learning for forecasting, automating reporting with Python or R, or leveraging AI tools to enhance analysis.
• Has a strong grasp of GAAP and the three financial statements, and can communicate financial insights clearly to non-finance stakeholders.

Tips for this application

• In your resume, highlight specific examples of how you've used AI in financial forecasting or automation—mention tools (e.g., Python, ML models) and quantify impact (e.g., reduced forecast error by X%).
• Tailor your cover letter to show passion for Afresh's mission of reducing food waste; connect your financial expertise to driving sustainability outcomes.
• Include a link to a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing a financial model or AI-driven project you've built, especially if it's relevant to forecasting or planning.
• Research Afresh's blog and recent news to understand their current challenges (e.g., scaling to new markets) and mention how your skills address those in your application.
• Avoid generic statements; instead, use the job description keywords like 'long-range planning', 'KPIs', and 'dashboards' to align your experience with their needs.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Emphasize your experience with end-to-end planning cycles and partnering with department heads to create ambitious yet achievable plans.', "Highlight your AI/automation expertise, with concrete examples of how you've used AI to improve forecasting accuracy or streamline reporting.", 'Show your ability to turn data into strategic insights—describe a time your analysis drove a key business decision.', "Express genuine interest in Afresh's mission and how your financial leadership can help scale their impact on food waste reduction."]

Research before applying

• Read Afresh's blog posts and press releases to understand their product, customer base (e.g., grocery retailers), and recent funding rounds.
• Study their competitors (e.g., Spoiler Alert, Wasteless) and how Afresh differentiates itself in the food waste tech space.
• Look into their leadership team on LinkedIn to understand their backgrounds and strategic priorities.
• Review any public financial data or case studies about their growth metrics, such as waste reduction percentages or customer adoption rates.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk me through how you would build a financial model from scratch for a subscription-based SaaS company like Afresh.
• Describe a time you used AI or machine learning in a forecasting project. What was the outcome?
• How do you approach variance analysis and communicate results to non-finance stakeholders?
• Given Afresh's focus on reducing food waste, how would you track and measure the financial impact of our platform on customers?
• How would you design a dashboard for the CEO to monitor key strategic metrics? What KPIs would you include?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Don't apply without mentioning AI in your resume or cover letter—the job explicitly requires demonstrated use of AI in finance.
• Avoid vague financial experience; be specific about your modeling skills, tools used, and the scale of budgets you've managed.
• Don't overlook the mission—if you don't show genuine interest in sustainability or food waste, your application may seem misaligned.