Head of Finance & Performance

Head of Finance & Performance

We are now looking for a Head of Finance & Performance to work alongside the CFO. This company‑wide mission spans 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 role is for someone who wants to shape how a high‑growth tech group runs its finances, 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 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.

What You’ll Do

• Own company budget and performance reporting and 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; pressure‑test the assumptions and raise 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 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

How You Can Inspire

• You make hard calls quickly and with autonomy, taking decisions at your level rather than pushing everything upward, and you own what follows
• You focus effort where it actually matters and step away from opportunities that are not right for Critical, rather than chasing every deal
• You see AI as the biggest shift of this generation and you act on it, reshaping how business development itself works with AI, not just adopting the tools, and raising the bar for everyone around you
• You communicate with clarity and honesty, without ambiguity
• You bring urgency and positive energy in equal measure

What We’re Looking For

• 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 must
• 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 Portuguese and English language skills, spoken and written

What We Offer

• Private health insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme (mental health, legal, financial support)
• Home office support
• Extra holidays: two additional days after year one, more as time goes on
• Extra parental leave: two additional months fully paid
• Gradual return‑to‑work support – we’ll help you ease back from long breaks
• Sabbatical programme for long‑term employees
• Training, mentorship, and growth opportunities – we’ll invest in where you want to go next

About Critical Software

Every day we work on missions across industries as diverse as aerospace, space, defence, transport, telecoms, government, energy, finance, and healthcare. Building better and safer isn’t a slogan. It’s how we show up in the world.

We are an equal opportunity workplace. If you need any adjustment in your recruitment process to show us what you can do, please let us know.

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