Financial Controller

About PayByPhone

At PayByPhone, our strength is our people. Behind our product is a talented, creative, and driven multi-disciplinary team united by a shared ambition: to make everyday mobility simpler. We believe innovation should be collaborative, learning should be constant, and work should be enjoyable. As we grow, we’re looking for people who want to grow with us.

Together, we’re on an ambitious mission to create intuitive technology solutions that deliver world-class user experiences. We are a fast-growing, forward-thinking company and already help more than 60 million users across North America and Europe. Our technology helps millions of consumers pay quickly, easily, and securely — without waiting in line, carrying change, or worrying about costly fines.

About The Role

Location: Hatfield, UK (Hybrid)

Employment type: Permanent, Full-time

Reports to: Senior Director, Corporate Controller 

The UK Financial Controller leads the UK finance function and owns the accounting operations of the UK PayByPhone entities. This includes periodic financial reporting, maintaining accounting records and a robust control environment to mitigate risk, ensure accuracy, and comply with applicable accounting standards. The role owns UK cash management, statutory and regulatory compliance, and company secretarial responsibilities for the UK entities.

Beyond core controls, the UK Financial Controller partners with UK commercial leadership, provides financial input into client contracts and renewals, and supports FP&A with UK budgeting and forecasting. The role also supports the Senior Director, Corporate Controller on PayByPhone-wide close (monthly, quarterly, and year-end) and cash flow, and leads the growth and development of the UK Finance Team.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, manage and develop the UK Finance Team, including work allocation, coaching, objective setting and performance reviews;
• Hold 1:1s with each team member at least every 6 weeks;
• Act as the primary escalation point for UK finance issues;
• Drive team growth through hiring, onboarding and succession planning;
• Maintain documented accounting policies, procedures and training materials covering key risk areas.

Reporting and Analysis

• Own UK accounts production, including monthly management accounts and annual statutory accounts;
• Track variances against budget and prior periods, reporting significant issues to management;
• Provide analysis and commentary on revenue and cost trends to support decision-making.

Statutory, Regulatory and Company Secretarial

• Oversee year-end statutory accounts, the annual tax return, and VAT/HMRC reporting and payments, ensuring accurate, timely filing;
• Manage the annual audit and the auditor relationship;
• Own company secretarial duties for PayByPhone UK entities, including Companies House filings, statutory registers and confirmation statements.

Commercial Finance and Business Partnering

• Act as finance business partner to UK commercial leadership;
• Provide financial input into new client contracts and renewals, including commercial terms, pricing and VAT implications;
• Engage finance early on new clients and contract changes to reduce downstream queries and rework.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Cash Management

• Support FP&A on the UK budgeting and forecasting cycle with granular UK insight, and provide same-time-zone support for UK queries;
• Oversee treasury, cash management and forecasting, ensuring sufficient funds across all bank accounts;
• Review and approve vendor payments in line with Global Purchase Approval Procedures and Limits.

Operational Finance and Controls

• Manage UK operational finance, including client remittance, suppliers, banking relationships and audit;
• Oversee all Merchant of Record (MOR) tasks, including reconciliation, escalation and chargebacks, plus PSP and merchant account maintenance;
• Review and approve balance sheet and bank reconciliations;
• Ensure timely month-end processing (depreciation, accruals, prepayments, client recharge reconciliation);
• Keep aged debt and aged payables to a minimum;
• Oversee and sign off monthly payroll;
• Maintain the chart of accounts, filing system and controls over accounting transactions.

Process Improvement and Global Support

• Drive process efficiency, standardisation and documentation across the global finance function with the Corporate Controller;
• Identify and implement AI/automation opportunities across close, reconciliations and reporting;
• Support the Senior Director, Corporate Controller and CFO on PayByPhone-wide monthly, quarterly and year-end close;
• Support the global consolidation process, including review of the group P&L and balance sheet.

Other

• Provide cover for UK Finance Team members during absences, and take on other tasks as requested by your manager.

Required Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or local equivalent), with 7+ years managing a full-cycle accounting function;
• Public practice experience preferred;
• Working knowledge of UK GAAP, UK VAT and HMRC filing requirements;
• Experience with NetSuite or another ERP;
• Demonstrable experience leading, coaching, developing and hiring a finance team;
• Strong internal-controls and process-improvement background;
• Excellent attention to detail, organisation, and ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines (especially month-end);
• Able to gather, analyse and present material clearly;
• Discretion in handling confidential matters;
• Advanced Excel, plus Word and PowerPoint;
• Takes ownership, shows initiative, and delivers results with minimal supervision, both independently and as part of a team.
  

What We Offer

Compensation: The expected salary range for this role is £70,000 - £80,000. Final compensation will be based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity.

Private Healthcare: Available to all permanent employees effective Day 1, with no waiting period as well as optional dental coverage.
Pension scheme: All permanent employees get access to our pension scheme with 5% employer contribution
4x Life insurance: All permanent employees are covered under our life insurance

Career Growth & Learning Support: Opportunities for professional development, continuous learning, and career progression.

Working at PayByPhone

We operate in a world that’s constantly evolving — and change is something we embrace. Our values guide how we show up for one another and for our customers every day. In short, we:

• Make things happen
• Stay curious
• Work together
• Have fun
• See through our customers’ eyes

 

These principles shape how we collaborate, innovate, and deliver on our commitments.

We’re also committed to fostering a diverse and representative workforce and an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect and fairness. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment in our workplace or throughout our hiring process. Our hiring decisions are grounded in business needs, role requirements, and individual qualifications — ensuring we reflect the talent and communities we serve.

 

PayByPhone is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodation, please reach out to us at askhr@paybyphone.com.

Want to see our values in action? Visit our Instagram and LinkedIn. Curious about the story behind our values? Head over to our About Us page to learn more.