The Role
We are looking for a Finance Controller to take ownership of our finance function and support the company through its next growth stage.
This is a strategic yet hands‑on role where you will own the financial backbone of the business – ensuring clean, audit‑ready numbers, strong internal controls, and reliable reporting across all key areas (month‑end close, reconciliations, regulatory reporting, budgeting and forecasting). You will help build a scalable finance function aligned with the expectations of a regulated fintech/EMI environment.
Given our rapid expansion, this role will require a proactive, commercially minded finance leader who is comfortable with the complexities of safeguarding, capital adequacy, multi‑entity group structures, cashflow management, statutory audits and building internal financial processes. With a lean finance team in the early stages, this role will be very much “hands‑on” – from reconciliations and management accounts to designing financial processes and liaising with external accountants, auditors, and regulators.
The successful candidate will be both strategic and hands‑on: capable of designing, implementing, and scaling finance processes and procedures from the ground up, while also executing day‑to‑day responsibilities with precision. As volumes grow, you will build and lead a finance team to support sustainable growth, regulatory excellence, and investor confidence.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) who thrives in a fast‑paced, high‑growth, and highly regulated environment.
Key Responsibilities
Processes and procedures
- Define and deliver the workflows, including service pricings across product lines (cards, accounts, acquiring, FX).
- Ensure effective management of regulatory capital, safeguarding arrangements, liquidity, and treasury operations.
- Lead financial planning, budgets, cashflow forecasting, and scenario modelling across group entities.
- Build and scale the future finance function (accountants, treasury specialists, controllers, analysts).
- Oversee all aspects of financial management, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.
- Produce and review monthly management accounts, P&L, balance sheet reconciliations, and cashflow statements.
- Ensure compliance with UK GAAP/IFRS, FCA returns, HMRC obligations, VAT, and corporation tax.
- Lead statutory and FCA reporting cycles.
- Manage the annual audit process, preparing all necessary documentation and liaising with auditors.
- Conduct reconciliations (bank, safeguarding, card schemes) and ensure timely resolution of variances.
- Design and maintain a strong internal control environment to prevent errors and fraud.
Financial Planning, Business Partnering & M&A
- Provide timely financial insights to senior management to support decision‑making.
- Prepare budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis with actionable recommendations.
- Partner with compliance, risk, operations, and commercial teams to optimise performance and support sustainable growth.
Systems, Processes & Treasury
- Lead the optimisation and automation of financial processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
- Act as the key finance lead for accounting systems (Xero, QuickBooks), with roadmap to ERP implementation.
- Implement automated integrations between payment systems, accounting, and reporting tools.
- Manage daily safeguarding reconciliations, treasury movements, and liquidity planning.
- Ensure payroll, pensions, employee loan deductions, and HMRC submissions are completed accurately and on time.
Audit, Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure full compliance with FCA requirements (PSRs, EMRs, safeguarding, capital adequacy).
- Lead risk management and financial governance across the group.
- Conduct regular internal audits of financial processes and systems for accuracy and compliance.
- Liaise with regulators and auditors to demonstrate ongoing compliance and financial resilience.
Leadership & Team Development
- Support and mentor junior finance staff, fostering a culture of high standards and continuous development.
- Work collaboratively across departments to embed financial discipline into all business operations.
Requirements
Must Have
- Experience in fintech, payments, EMI or regulated financial services
- Strong understanding of safeguarding and reconciliations
- Experience with multi‑entity finance operations
- Hands‑on experience with Xero or similar accounting systems
- Experience preparing management accounts and working with audits
- Ability to operate independently in a fast‑growing environment
Nice to Have
- FCA / EMI regulatory reporting experience
- Experience building finance processes from scratch
- Exposure to Estonia or international group structures
What We Offer
- A unique opportunity to join a high‑growth fintech at a senior leadership level.
- Ownership of the finance agenda, with the autonomy to design and build a best‑in‑class finance function from scratch.
- Competitive compensation package with potential long‑term incentives. Benefits: company pension, paid sick leave, work from home possibility
- A dynamic, innovative, and collaborative environment where finance is central to growth, governance, and regulatory excellence.
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