VP Controller | PE Backed FinTech | NYC (Hybrid) | $250K–$325K + Bonus + Equity

VP Controller | PE Backed Payment Tech Company | NYC (Hybrid) | $275K–$400K Bonus Equity

Harmonic is delighted to be supporting a leading global payments technology company with their search for a VP Controller. The business delivers secure, reliable, and innovative payment solutions that power transactions for some of the world’s largest retailers, merchants, and enterprises, bridging in-person and digital commerce at scale.

The company began as a public entity and later transitioned to private ownership. Today, it is backed by a well-known private equity firm (Francisco Partners) with a strong record of scaling international technology businesses. Having raised $250 million this year, the business is fueling the next phase of growth, with operations spanning every continent and across 60–70 countries. With $1.5B in revenue and ambitions to double in the next two to three years, they are operating with the intensity of a startup, while achieving 40% EBITDA growth.

The controllership team is already large and well-established, including a shared services center of 300 people. This provides both the scale and resources to deliver results, but also requires a leader who can inspire, manage, and connect across junior and senior levels internationally.

About the Role

The VP Controller will report directly to the CFO and play a central role in leading global accounting operations, compliance, and reporting. You will implement IPO-ready controls, strengthen financial systems, and ensure best-in-class reporting standards, while overseeing lean but critical functions in tax, treasury, and financial operations (AP/AR). This is an environment where cultural fit is essential: the right person is excited by the challenge of complexity, comfortable rolling up their sleeves, and motivated by the opportunity to transform a business at scale.

Responsibilities

• Lead global accounting operations, financial reporting, and consolidation across multiple entities and jurisdictions
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and regulatory requirements in global markets
• Implement IPO-ready controls and processes to support future exit plans
• Partner with the CFO on M&A integration, systems alignment, and finance transformation
• Oversee tax, treasury, and FinOps functions in a lean environment, balancing efficiency with rigor
• Inspire and lead a large controllership team, including a global shared services center of 300 employees
• Collaborate with business leaders across hardware, software, and payments to align finance with commercial goals
• Mentor and develop talent across multiple geographies and functions

What We Need

• Proven experience as a Controller or senior finance leader within a payments, fintech, or transaction-heavy business
• Exceptional technical accounting expertise with deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP and strong reporting capabilities
• Experience implementing controls at scale and preparing businesses for IPO or exit events
• Demonstrated success working with large, global teams and shared service centers
• Comfort managing complexity across hardware, software, and payments in an international environment
• Leadership experience across tax, treasury, and financial operations, ideally in a lean setting
• Strong communication and cultural leadership skills, able to appeal to both junior and senior team members

Why This Role?

This opportunity offers a level of complexity rarely found elsewhere, combining hardware, software, and payments under one roof. It is at least twice as complex as traditional payments giants such as Fiserv, and provides a chance to sharpen technical, reporting, and leadership skills that are extremely hard to replicate in other environments.

You will be joining a PE-backed business that has been under ownership for eight years and is now moving toward a clear exit in the next few years. The management team was specifically brought in to transform the business.

The company is looking for someone energized by challenge, happy to put in the hours when needed, and excited to be part of a journey that will see the business double in size in just a few years.

Summary

This is a rare chance to join a global fintech leader at a critical inflection point. You will step into a business that offers complexity, scale, and international reach, while also providing the intensity, upside, and payoff of a PE-backed growth story heading toward exit.

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please connect with Ollie at

oliver.walker@harmonicfinance.com.

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation