Job Description

At Critical Software, building better and safer isn’t a slogan - it’s the impact we aim for in every project. We use technology to solve meaningful challenges, helping organisations work smarter, operate more reliably, and create positive change for people and the planet.

Our people sit at the heart of this mission. Their talent, curiosity, and commitment to quality push us forward and shape the way we deliver technology that truly matters.

We are now looking for a Head of Finance & Performance to work alongside the CFO. This is a company-wide mission spanning sales, delivery and support functions - owning how performance is measured, challenged and reported across the business, and giving senior management a clear, independent read on how the budget is being executed and where the numbers are really going.

This is a role for someone who wants to shape how a high-growth tech group runs its finances, and not just report on them. You'll challenge the standard for how the business plans, forecasts and explains its performance, and you'll have the standing to push back when the numbers don't add up. You'll also help us build a modern, AI-augmented finance function we expect hands-on experience using AI tools and deploying agents to take repetitive work off the team.

Critical Software has grown organically and through investments and joint ventures across the technology space, and finance sits close to that activity: company-wide reporting, transaction support, post-deal integration. The role offers wide exposure across the business and a real seat at the table on the decisions that shape it.

What do we expect from you?

• Own company budget and performance reporting - track where each business area is against plan, surface what's really driving variances, and make sure senior management sees the picture early
• Partner with business-area leaders on their budgets and forecasts by pressure-testing the assumptions and raising the bar on how the business plans
• Identify financial risks early and bring senior management not just an issue, but a recommended path through it
• Act as the financial check on major client and supplier contracts before they're signed, protecting margin and flagging risk in commercial commitments
• Monitor live contract performance and surface risks that area-level reporting can miss
• Review statutory close and financial statements for SNC / IFRS Compliance
• Validate tax compliance in coordination with internal teams and external advisors
• Oversee how procurement decisions land financially across the company (both the spend itself and the policy discipline behind it)
• Be the company's primary face to external auditors, banks and tax authorities
• Drive the AI and automation agenda inside finance — identify where agents can take on more of the workload and show the team the way forward

What makes you a good candidate for this role?

• Degree in Finance, Management, Economics, Accounting or related field
• 10–15+ years in finance, with at least some of that time at a senior level in a multi-entity or fast-moving environment
• Strong knowledge of SNC / IFRS and Portuguese taxation (IRC, VAT, IRS)
• Experience with ERP systems and BI tools (Power BI or similar)
• Experience in a tech, multi-entity or international group is an advantage
• International experience is a plus
• Hands-on experience building or deploying AI/agent-based tools in a finance context - we're looking for someone who's actually done this, not just read about it
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial matters clearly to different audiences
• Independent, intellectually curious, and willing to hold a position under pressure
• Excellent English language skills, spoken and written

Critical Software provides:

• Work that fits your life, not the other way around
• Offices designed to make you feel like you belong
• A team that knows how to work hard, but also how to have fun
• Pay that makes you feel valued, plus performance-based rewards
• Your growth is our priority: training, support, and opportunities!

Plus, Perks with Purpose:

• Private Health Insurance
  Because your health and peace of mind matters.
• Employee Assistance Programme
  Confidential support for you and your household from mental health to legal or financial advice, we're here for whatever life throws your way.
• Home Office Support
  Get what you need to work comfortably from home, without turning your living room into an ergonomic nightmare.
• Extra Holidays
  The longer you’re with us, the more you get. Two extra days after your first year, and more as time goes on.
• Extra Parental Leave
  Two additional months of fully paid leave for both parents — whether you're welcoming a child by birth or adoption.
• Flex-time
  We don’t clock-watch. Work when it makes sense for you, as long as it works for your team and goals.
• Gradual Return to Work Support
  Returning after a long break? We’ll help you ease back in with a plan that fits your pace and needs.
• Away From Keyboard - Sabbatical programme
  Long-term employees can take time off to explore new ideas, projects or experiences and come back with fresh eyes and stories to tell.

Every day we embrace new missions across industries as diverse as aerospace, space, defence, transport, telecoms, government, energy, finance and healthcare

Now, the real question is: are you ready to join us and help make the world a better and safer place?

Critical Software is proud to be a Benefit Corporation. A Benefit Corporation differs from a standard corporation (C-Corporation): It is a for-profit business entity, legally defined in the US and other jurisdictions, whose legally defined goals include the positive impact on society, workers, the community and the environment, in addition to profit.

We are an equal opportunity workplace and committed to allow candidates with disabilities or neurodevelopmental conditions to prove their competencies to their full potential. We are willing to move the barriers that may prevent you from demonstrating that you are the right candidate for this role, so please let us know if you need some adjustment in your recruitment process.

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