Financial Controller

Position Overview

As Financial Controller, you will own the integrity of financial reporting across the Xapo group, a Bitcoin-first, regulated credit institution headquartered in Gibraltar. Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will lead the Financial Controlling and Regulatory Reporting teams and take each cycle from first draft to sign-off: consolidated and entity financial statements under IFRS and FRS 102, the multi-entity close, regulatory returns to the GFSC and FCA, and the external audit.

You will apply IFRS to crypto assets, shape our accounting positions and policies, and work with our finance transformation team to build AI and automation into the close and reporting process.

Responsibilities

Financial reporting and control

• Prepare the group’s consolidated and entity financial statements under IFRS and FRS 102, from first draft to sign-off.
• Run month-end and year-end close for a multi-entity group in Gibraltar and the UK, including consolidation and intercompany eliminations.
• Oversee the statutory accounts of each group entity.
• Ensure the internal control system stays accurate and maintains its integrity.

Regulatory reporting

• Lead regulatory reporting to the GFSC and FCA, including prudential returns on capital and liquidity and periodic management accounts.
• Work with Data, Operations, Compliance, and other teams to prepare client asset reporting.
• Keep up with regulatory change and update reporting when requirements change.

External audit

• Run the group external audit from planning through fieldwork, queries, and sign-off.
• Be the main contact between Xapo and the auditors, answering technical questions and keeping the audit on timetable.

Technical accounting

• Support the Director of Finance on technical accounting, including the treatment of crypto assets under IFRS.
• Write technical accounting positions and contribute to decisions on finance systems and infrastructure.
• Help draft accounting policies, memos, and decision records.

Tax

• Own tax compliance and manage the external tax advisors, including the tax treatment of crypto assets.

Systems, process, and automation

• Improve finance processes and NetSuite reporting.
• Work with the finance transformation team to build AI and automation into close and reporting, and adopt new tools as they roll out.
• Manage the existing close and regulatory reporting review process and look for ways to improve it.

Team management

• Lead and develop the Financial Controlling and Regulatory Reporting teams, fostering strong performance, accountability, and collaboration.
• Drive a high-performance culture by setting clear objectives, developing future leaders, and ensuring the team has the skills to support evolving business and regulatory requirements.

Skills Needed

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) preferred.
• At least 5 years as a Controller leading an accounting function.
• Experience in a bank, fintech, or crypto business.
• Strong technical knowledge of IFRS and FRS 102, with experience preparing financial statements under both.
• Crypto asset accounting under IFRS, including fair value revaluation and on-chain reconciliations, backed by a working understanding of blockchain.
• Regulatory reporting experience, including Basel capital and liquidity returns (e.g., COREP). GFSC or FCA exposure is preferred.
• Experience with external audits.
• NetSuite proficiency is essential.
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets. SQL or BI tools (e.g., BigQuery, Looker) are an advantage.
• Has used AI tools in previous finance roles and is comfortable working alongside AI-driven automations and checking their output.
• Experience leading and developing a finance team.
• Clear writer, able to explain complex numbers to non-finance colleagues and handle regulator and auditor correspondence in a fully remote team.
• Strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and high standards of integrity.