Head of Finance - R&D

As Head of Finance – R&D, you will take strategic ownership of the financial infrastructure, treasury operations, and banking ecosystem supporting fast-growing international technology businesses. You will play a key role in building scalable, multi-jurisdictional banking and payment solutions while ensuring financial stability, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. Working closely with founders and senior leadership, you will oversee multi-currency liquidity, cross-border transactions, financial risk management, and strategic banking partnerships. You will also establish robust financial processes from the ground up and develop a high-performing treasury and finance operations team. This is an opportunity to shape the financial foundations of ambitious digital businesses operating across global markets. The role offers significant autonomy, complex international challenges, and direct influence on business growth and long-term financial performance.

• Design and implement a flexible, multi-jurisdictional banking and payment infrastructure to support international digital businesses with complex compliance requirements.

• Identify, negotiate with, and onboard strategic financial partners, including leading banks, Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), Payment Service Providers (PSPs), custodians, and financial platforms.

• Negotiate favorable commercial terms, including transaction fees, payment settlement periods, foreign exchange rates, and hedging solutions.

• Establish backup banking relationships and alternative payment channels to ensure uninterrupted transaction processing and operational resilience.

• Manage multi-currency liquidity, working capital, cash pooling, and treasury operations across multiple legal entities.

• Oversee complex international transfers through SWIFT, SEPA, and ACH networks, optimizing transaction speed, security, and costs.

• Monitor and reduce treasury-related expenses, including foreign exchange spreads, acquiring fees, and banking charges.

• Coordinate banking due diligence, manage KYC and AML processes, and maintain effective communication with banking compliance and risk management teams.

• Ensure long-term stability of banking relationships and payment flows, supporting financial restructurings and corporate changes when required.

• Build comprehensive treasury and financial operations processes from the ground up, ensuring scalability and operational transparency.

• Partner with founders and senior executives on financial strategy, unit economics, ROI analysis, and financial modeling.

• Recruit, develop, and lead a treasury and financial operations team capable of supporting the organization's international growth.

• At least 5 years of experience in a senior finance leadership position, such as CFO, VP of Finance, or Head of Treasury, preferably within fast-growing businesses.

• Proven track record of opening and managing international bank accounts and building payment infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions.

• Strong understanding of international AML/KYC standards, cross-border compliance requirements, and the regulatory specificities of different financial jurisdictions.

• Hands-on experience managing multi-currency funds, foreign exchange exposure, FX risk, and international settlement instruments.

• Demonstrated ability to negotiate banking and payment service agreements and optimize transaction fees and financial operating costs.

• Strong knowledge of international payment networks and banking operations, including SWIFT, SEPA, and ACH.

• Strategic financial mindset, with the ability to translate complex financial challenges into scalable solutions that support business growth.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with experience working directly with founders, senior executives, banking partners, and legal teams.

• Advanced English proficiency (C1/C2), with the ability to lead complex negotiations and communicate confidently with international financial institutions and legal professionals.

• High level of autonomy, strategic thinking, problem-solving ability, and attention to detail.