Finance & Operations Manager

Overview

Intersect MBO is the member-based organization that underpins Cardano’s decentralized governance. Formed to ensure that the Cardano ecosystem remains community-led and self-sustaining, Intersect acts as both a convenor and enabler - connecting developers, Delegated Representatives (DReps), project teams, and members to shape the blockchain’s future collectively.

Through its committees, working groups, and open membership model, Intersect develops governance frameworks, coordinates ecosystem initiatives, and supports transparency across technical, strategic, and financial domains. Intersect operates independently of IOG, EMURGO, and the Cardano Foundation, while collaborating closely with them to deliver on Cardano’s long-term vision.

Intersect is currently administering over 400 million ADA worth of initiatives on behalf of Cardano’s ecosystem and decentralized treasury, while also playing a key role in supporting tier-1 ecosystem integrations and operational coordination across a rapidly evolving governance landscape.

At its core, Intersect is about community governance in action, giving the people who build and use Cardano the power to guide its direction.

Role Purpose

The Finance & Operations Manager is a hands-on role responsible for the effective day-to-day management of Intersect’s core financial operations, while also supporting wider operational activity across the organisation.

Working closely with the Head of Operations, Finance team and fractional CFO, the role ensures that financial processes, reporting, controls and governance are accurate, reliable and well managed. It provides the operational financial information needed for effective budgeting, forecasting and organisational decision-making, while coordinating specialist accounting, statutory and compliance activity where required.

Alongside its core Finance responsibilities, the role supports the wider Operations function with cross-functional processes, systems, administration and improvement initiatives, helping create reliable and scalable ways of working across Intersect.

This is a hands-on Finance role within a broader Operations environment, suited to someone who combines strong financial management capability with the flexibility and curiosity to contribute beyond a traditional Finance remit, and who has demonstrated experience and capability to help coordinate an Operations team. 

Core Accountabilities

Financial Operations & Reporting

• Manage the day-to-day operation of Intersect’s Finance function, amongst other functions including and associated financial processes.
• Coordinate monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting, ensuring information is accurate, timely and clearly presented.
• Maintain visibility of cash position, expenditure, commitments and financial performance.
• Oversee payments, reconciliations, financial systems and close processes.
• Ensure financial records and supporting information are complete, accurate and appropriately maintained.
• Provide clear financial information and analysis to the Head of Operations, Executive Director and wider leadership as required.
• Identify and investigate financial variances, anomalies or emerging issues and ensure these are appropriately addressed or escalated.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Coordinate organisational budgeting and forecasting activity in partnership with the Head of Operations, Executive Director and Finance specialists.
• Maintain accurate budget and forecast information and support Heads in understanding and managing their budgets.
• Track actual and committed expenditure against organisational plans.
• Provide reliable financial data and analysis to support resource planning and organisational decision-making.
• Support scenario planning and financial modelling where required.

Financial Controls, Governance & Compliance

• Maintain and continuously improve proportionate financial controls, policies and approval processes.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and financial governance across operational processes.
• Coordinate audit preparation, statutory reporting and other financial compliance requirements with the fractional CFO, accountants, auditors and specialist advisers.
• Maintain clear documentation and evidence supporting financial processes, controls and decisions.
• Identify financial risks or control weaknesses and escalate material concerns to the Head of Operations.
• Support effective purchasing and supplier controls in partnership with Procurement.

Operational Coordination & Improvement

• Support the Head of Operations with wider operational planning, coordination and improvement activity.
• Identify opportunities to simplify or strengthen processes across Finance and Operations.
• Support the development of repeatable, well-documented and scalable operational processes.
• Coordinate operational activity that crosses Finance, Procurement, Administration and other functions where appropriate.
• Support organisational and entity administration, governance activity and coordination with external advisers where required.
• Contribute to operational projects and priorities outside the core Finance remit where appropriate.
• Help maintain clear ownership, documentation and follow-through across operational processes and commitments.

Decision-Making Scope

Owns:

• Day-to-day financial operations and processes.
• Financial reporting coordination and accuracy.
• Financial controls and supporting documentation.
• Finance systems, reconciliations, payments and close processes.
• Budget and forecast tracking.
• Financial process improvement.

Leads:

• Monthly and periodic financial reporting cycles.
• Operational budgeting and forecasting coordination.
• Audit and statutory reporting preparation.
• Financial controls and process improvements.
• Finance-related operational projects and initiatives.
• Cross-functional operational activity assigned within the Operations function.

Consults:

• Head of Operations on financial performance, risks, controls, operational priorities and material issues.
• Executive Director and Heads on budgets, forecasts and financial information.
• Fractional CFO, accountants and specialist advisers on technical accounting, tax, statutory and complex financial matters.
• Procurement on purchasing controls, supplier commitments and cost governance.
• Wider Operations teams on cross-functional processes and operational improvement.

Does not own:

• Overall organisational or Operations strategy.
• Executive financial decision-making or organisational resource allocation.
• Specialist technical accounting, tax or legal advice where external or fractional expertise is required.
• Senior oversight of functions sitting within the wider Head of Operations remit.

Key Sector Relationships

• Head of Operations: Financial information, controls, operational priorities, escalation and process improvement.
• Executive Director: Accurate financial information and operational support for organisational decision-making.
• Fractional CFO & Finance advisers: Technical accounting, financial planning, statutory requirements and specialist financial advice.
• Heads of Function: Budget management, forecasting, financial accountability and operational coordination.
• Procurement Manager: Purchasing controls, supplier commitments, contracts and cost governance.
• Delivery Assurance & Administration Lead: Financial administration, operational coordination and process alignment.
• IT: Finance systems, tooling, access and operational systems.
• External Auditors & Advisers: Audit, statutory reporting, accounting, tax and compliance activity.

Success Measures

Success in this role looks like:

• Financial operations run reliably, accurately and with clear ownership.
• Financial reporting is accurate, timely and trusted by the Head of Operations, Executive Director and wider leadership.
• Budgets and forecasts are maintained with clear visibility of actual and committed expenditure.
• Cash, expenditure, commitments and material financial issues are visible and understood.
• Financial controls are proportionate, documented and consistently applied.
• Audit and statutory processes are well coordinated with minimal findings or avoidable rework.
• Finance processes become increasingly efficient, repeatable and scalable.
• Operational work crossing Finance and other functions is effectively coordinated.
• The Head of Operations has reliable financial information and operational support to enable effective oversight and decision-making.

Skills, Experience & Behaviours

• Strong practical Finance experience within a complex, scaling or evolving organisation.
• Experience managing or coordinating day-to-day financial operations and reporting.
• Strong experience of budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial controls.
• Good understanding of accounting principles and the ability to work confidently with accountants, auditors and senior Finance professionals.
• Experience with payments, reconciliations, month-end processes and financial systems.
• Experience supporting audit, statutory reporting or financial compliance activity.
• Strong analytical capability and attention to detail.
• Able to translate financial information into clear insight for non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong process improvement and systems-thinking capability.
• Comfortable taking ownership of work outside a narrowly defined Finance remit and contributing to wider operational priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional communication skills.
• Comfortable operating in an evolving environment where structures and processes continue to mature.

Desirable:

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant, or equivalent experience.
• Experience working within an internationally distributed or multi-entity organisation.
• Experience supporting corporate/entity administration or governance requirements.
• Experience working within a not-for-profit, membership or similarly complex organisation.
• Previous experience in a role spanning both Finance and broader business operations.