We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Director, Financial Operations (14 month Parental Leave Cover) to lead and manage the global Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Treasury and Payroll functions.

A critical priority for this role will be owning and delivering a global payroll transformation, which will be the central focus and key challenge across the first 6 months. This includes driving the organisation’s transition to an outsourced global payroll model. The successful candidate will partner closely with the current Director of Financial Operations during the final stages of the RFP and vendor selection process to ensure continuity and context transfer. Following vendor signing, you will assume full accountability for implementation governance, vendor oversight, and the successful transition to steady-state operations.

We are open to candidates who have led or played a key role in large-scale transformation initiatives (such as systems, process, or operating model transformations), even if these have not been payroll-specific.

Beyond transformation, you will provide executive oversight for AR, AP, and Treasury, ensuring strong internal controls (removing single point sensitivity), scalable processes, and high performance. We are looking for a leader who is deeply curious about the intersection of AI and Finance; someone who will proactively identify opportunities to disrupt manual transactional noise with automated, AI-driven workflows and leverage technology to drive efficiencies as Culture Amp scales.

As part of this team of amazing humans, You will 

• Strategy and leadership
• Champion a rigorous assessment of current AR, AP, and Treasury workflows to identify AI-led optimisation opportunities. You will be expected to challenge the default "buy" approach, first exploring how AI and internal system enhancements can drive efficiency before proposing large-scale external vendor implementations.
• Provide high-level leadership across the four pillars of global financial operations: Payroll, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Treasury. Ensure these functions operate with strong "four-eyes" controls and zero single point sensitivity.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, translating broader company strategy into relevant financial operations priorities and anticipating future operational requirements.

• Payroll
• Partner in the payroll outsourcing RFP and vendor selection process, contributing operational insight, risk assessment and implementation considerations to support informed decision-making.
• Post vendor selection, lead implementation governance and vendor management, establishing clear milestones, risk mitigation plans, SLAs and performance metrics to ensure successful transition and long-term service excellence.
• Ensure ongoing payroll accuracy, timeliness and compliance across jurisdictions, leveraging internal payroll specialist expertise for detailed technical configuration and regulatory interpretation.

• Accounts Payable, Receivable & Treasury
• Maintain executive-level oversight of global AR, AP, and Treasury functions, ensuring operational excellence through robust internal controls, clear accountability frameworks, and the intentional removal of single point sensitivity.
• Oversee the strategic direction for AR and AP, ensuring any market scans (e.g., for OCR or automation) are rigorously tested against "AI-native" alternatives and internal system capabilities to ensure long-term ROI.
• Oversee cash flow management related to AP, including forecasting and scheduling payments to optimise working capital.

You have 

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in financial operations, including direct oversight of Global Payroll, AR, AP, and Treasury.
• An AI-forward leader with a 'smarter, not bigger' mindset. You have a proven track record of leveraging emerging technologies and process re-engineering to drive efficiencies and reduce manual 'noise' across transactional finance, consistently choosing automation and innovation over a default reliance on external vendor solutions or manual-heavy workflows.
• Possess a deep curiosity for AI and emerging technologies, coupled with a mindset geared toward innovation and continuous improvement to drive efficiencies and reduce manual 'noise' across transactional finance through automation.
• Experience leading or playing a key role in major system or operating model transformations. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity and "getting your hands dirty" during high-stakes implementations.
• A respected leader who can influence senior stakeholders and external partners, balancing immediate risk reduction with the long-term goal of scalability and operational excellence.
• Proactivity and initiative. You are capable of juggling multiple priorities in a dynamic, rapidly growing and fluid organisation. You are highly organised and skilled at creating structure in situations that are uncertain or ambiguous.
• Deep curiosity and complex problem-solving skills. You are innovative with the ability to create differentiated analysis based on the situation. You are able to clearly and simply present key takeaways and make recommendations.
• Results focus. Strong results orientation and accountability with the ability to solve problems and execute in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Experience with financial software and ERP systems (NetSuite and Salesforce a plus).