CFO

Oedipus. What started in 2011 as an Amsterdam home brew by an enthusiastic group of friends, has grown into a fully-fledged beer brand in no time, with beer giant Heineken as its partner. Business is going well and there are great creative plans in the pipeline. That’s why there’s room for a financial brain in the form of a CFO. One who loves a beer at the right time. Or two.

About Oedipus

Let’s go back to the beginning. During a brainstorm session about the brand name, Oedipus popped up. The name of the mythological king who loved his mother a little bit too much, the source of inspiration of yet another Freudian complex. With their mothers as a source of inspiration, the friends looked for a name that had no connection with beer. Until eight years ago that is.

Oedipus is anything but an average beer brand. From the very first moment, it is clear that it focuses on a larger story of multiple tastes and beer styles. In a beer market in which Belgian abbey beer with standard labelling dominated, the friends were inspired by the flamboyant American craft beers. The results are impressive: beers with imaginative flavours full of eclectic and artistically designed labels.

Hundreds of home brews and selling at markets and festivals, a phase that has become a thing of the past since 2015. Since then, everything has come together in Oedipus’ own production area and taproom in Amsterdam North. From the fresh saison Mannenliefde and creative seasonal beers to a partnership with Heineken. The beer brewery is doing well.

“Beer is not just what’s in the glass, there’s a whole world around it. We want to do even more with nature, even more with music and culture. The five of us could have realised those plans, but it would have taken us twenty years. And we can’t wait.” – Tristan Spits, co-founder Oedipus, interview with Parool. [18 August 2019]

An Oedipus Galaxy, that’s what the group wants to build by brewing. A beer universe in which food, music, culture and nature come together. The connections come back in the form of their own city farm, where the team works with homegrown ingredients and organizes tastings. The creative centre expresses itself in a lively bar and a brew club including a culture and music stage. With the help of Heineken and a very strong CFO, this dream will soon come true.

Vacancy: CFO

To make the growth of Oedipus a resounding success, now is the time to enter the ship as CFO. This strong personality is a major professional asset in the financial organisation. By establishing an unambiguous policy and drawing up the correct reports and analyses, she or he leaves an important mark on the growth of the beer business.

It doesn’t stop there. From finance and legal to the operational side of HR and the back office, all financial activities fall within the scope of the CFO. A solid financial background with excellent stakeholder management skills is therefore essential. Think of experience within a corporate, or the consultation or investment angle, but also non-profit and the cultural sector are logical sectors. A good financial basis in combination with entrepreneurship is essential.

In addition to all daily decisions, the CFO, as an integral part of the MT, is essential for the future policymaking of Oedipus. For example, the CFO actively contributes to strategic thinking about new product developments. Thanks to a proactive attitude and a clear vision, she or he simply translates these into ideas during the brainstorming sessions within the management team.

Good to know: Heineken has a minority interest, but Oedipus remains an autonomous company that values creativity, open-mindedness and no politics. They set their own course and are super ambitious, as is the entrepreneurial CFO. In addition to having financial facts on hand, this numerical talent is eager to talk about taste and also has a broad cultural interest.

The ideal candidate, just like the Oedipus beer itself, is open-minded, socially engaged and thrives perfectly within an informal atmosphere. The brewer’s current team consists of 40fte, both in regular employment as well as flexible appointment. The focus on diversity that the brand propagates also plays a major role within the organisation.

Candidate profile

• More than five years of professional experience with a broad financial scope
• Familiar with fast-growing start-ups or scale-ups
• Business modelling and accounting skills
• Creative team player, entrepreneurial, self-starter
• Broad interest in culture and the connection with taste

Oedipus works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Vivian Linker at vivian.linker@topofminds.comfor more information.