Job Description

Our client, a licensed financial services company operating within the EMI/payments sector, is looking to appoint an experienced Operational CFO to lead its finance and operational finance function in Malta.



Location: Malta

Type: On-site, full-time

Start date: ASAP

About the Role:

This is a hands-on senior leadership role for someone who is not only technically strong in finance, but who also understands how an EMI business operates from an operational, regulatory, safeguarding, payments and client funds perspective.

The successful candidate will lead the Malta-based finance team, ensure the department is structured and operating effectively, and make sure the team understands how their work connects to the wider business operations. This includes payment flows, settlements, reconciliations, safeguarding, liquidity, reporting, regulatory obligations and day-to-day operational finance controls.

Direct EMI experience is essential for this role.The company requires someone who has worked within an EMI, payments institution, PSP, fintech or similar regulated financial services environment and can bring practical knowledge of how these businesses operate.



Key Responsibilities

Requirements:

• Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role such as CFO, Operational CFO, Finance Director, Head of Finance or similar.
• Direct experience within an EMI, payments institution, PSP, fintech, banking or regulated financial services environment is essential.
• Strong understanding of how EMI operations work, including payments, settlements, safeguarding, reconciliations, liquidity, client funds and regulatory finance obligations.
• Experience leading and developing a finance team.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, audit, internal controls and statutory obligations.
• Ability to work closely with operations, compliance, risk, payments and senior leadership teams.
• Experience dealing with auditors, banks, advisors, regulators and board-level stakeholders.
• Strong operational mindset with the ability to improve processes, controls and team performance.
• Excellent communication, leadership and decision-making skills.
• Professional accounting qualification such as ACCA, ACA, CPA or equivalent is preferred.

Essential Experience:

• EMI / payments / PSP / fintech experience.
• Leadership of a finance team.
• Operational finance oversight.
• Safeguarding and client funds exposure.
• Reconciliations, settlements and payment flow understanding.
• Regulatory reporting and audit experience.
• Strong financial controls and governance experience.