At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive strategic finance partnering and lead financial planning for our Go-To-Market organisation.
- Company: Join Pleo, a progressive tech company transforming spend management.
- Benefits: Enjoy catered lunches, private healthcare, 25 days holiday, and mental health support.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for career development and international expansion.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping commercial strategy and driving growth with data and AI.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior finance roles, SaaS metrics, and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
About Pleo
Messy spend management is tricky business. And tedious processes are a lose-lose situation for all involved, not just finance. At Pleo, we're changing that. We build spend solutions that make managing money seamless, empowering, and surprisingly effective for finance teams and employees alike - with a vision to help all businesses ‘go beyond’. The word ‘Pleo’ actually means ‘more than you’d expect’, and living by that mantra has been the secret to our success over the last 10 years. Now, we’re at a pivotal moment in our journey; every move we make has a direct impact on our 40,000+ customers, our business, and our collective success. We need people who take pride in uncovering customer needs, who turn complex problems into simple solutions, challenge the way things are done (respectfully), and always aim high. With great ambitions driving us forward, we can’t say we’ve got this whole thing figured out. And frankly, that’s half the fun! What we can say is that we’re a driven, progressive, and, importantly, a kind bunch of 850+ people from over 100 nationalities, all committed to delivering the future of business spending, together.
About the role
We're looking for a Director of Finance Business Partnering for Go-To-Market (GTM) to join us at Pleo. In this role, you'll help drive the performance and growth of our GTM organisation and be part of establishing a new standard for strategic finance as we scale. If you're excited about bringing commercial insight to high-growth revenue, sales, and marketing teams and are passionate about leveraging data and AI to transform finance operating processes, then this is the opportunity for you!
Who you’ll be working with and reporting to
You’ll report to our CFO and work closely with senior leaders across our Go-To-Market organisation (including Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Operations). Our team of Finance Business Partners is highly collaborative and dedicated to driving strategic growth, operational rigour, and forward-looking financial insight. You’ll also have the chance to partner with teams across Finance Platform (FP&A, Accounting, Billing/Revenue) and the Offering & Enablement Finance Business Partnering team to ensure Finance speaks with one coherent voice across Pleo.
What you’ll be doing
- Drive Strategic Finance Partnering – Serve as a genuine strategic peer to the Chief Revenue Officer / GTM leadership, translating commercial realities into robust financial plans, stress-testing go-to-market assumptions, and evaluating unit economics, CAC/LTV, and expansion opportunities.
- Lead Financial Planning & Performance – Lead annual budgeting, revenue modeling, and quarterly forecasting cycles for GTM, shifting conversations from backward-looking reporting to forward-looking strategic action.
- Scale & Lead the Team – Develop and support a high-performing team of Finance Business Partners, fostering a culture that is data- and AI-driven, curious, and impact-focused.
- Unify Finance Operations – Collaborate with the Director of Finance Platform and the Director of Finance Business Partnering for Offering & Enablement to ensure consistent methodologies, shared performance standards, and aligned planning cycles.
- Integrate Data & AI Solutions – Embed modern data tools and AI workflows into commercial modelling, revenue forecasting, and finance operating processes.
To put things into context, we currently have international market expansion and commercial efficiency optimisation on our roadmap. You can expect to work with modern commercial data, BI, and AI-driven financial tools alongside standard ERP, CRM, and FP&A stacks.
What you bring
- Senior Strategic FP&A & GTM Expertise – Significant experience in senior finance business partnering or FP&A leadership, specifically aligned with Go-To-Market, Sales, and Marketing functions in a SaaS or scale-up environment.
- C-Suite Influence & Communication – Proven ability and experience in partnering with C-Suite/commercial executives, translating complex financial details into actionable strategic guidance.
- Commercial Acumen – Deep understanding of SaaS metrics, sales capacity models, marketing efficiency, customer acquisition costs (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), and revenue drivers in a Fintech or similar environment.
- Data & AI Tech Savvy – Demonstrable experience leveraging modern data capabilities and AI tools to transform finance processes and revenue forecasting.
- Multi-Entity Navigation – Experience operating within complex, multi-entity, multi-jurisdictional structures.
- Leadership & Coaching – Track record of building, mentoring, and setting clear direction for high-performing finance teams.
Why is this role a good fit for you
- This role is a good fit for you if: You want to be a strategic peer to commercial and revenue executives, directly influencing top-line growth and commercial strategy.
- You thrive in fast-paced, scaling environments and enjoy turning ambiguity into structured, data-led commercial strategies.
- You love building teams and leveraging modern tech/AI to move away from tedious manual processes and toward high-impact insights.
This role is not a good fit for you if:
- You prefer standard, backward-looking accounting/reporting without engaging in commercial strategy or active operational challenge.
- You prefer working in rigid, slow-moving corporate structures with pre-defined, unchanged playbooks.
- You operate strictly within functional silos rather than proactively building bridges across finance, sales, marketing, and product teams.
How you’ll develop in this role
In your first 6-12 months at Pleo, you’ll:
- Lead the commercial financial planning and revenue forecasting cadence for the GTM organisation.
- Collaborate with Finance Platform and Offering/Enablement leadership to align company-wide reporting standards and planning cycles.
- Grow your skills in leading AI-augmented finance operations and executive stakeholder management, taking on new challenges as Pleo continues to scale internationally.
We’re committed to helping you develop your career, whether that means expanding your scope of influence, stepping into broader executive leadership, or pioneering new commercial finance models within the CFO area.
The location
Please note: We can hire on hybrid or in-person set-up in any of the locations listed on the advert but you will need to be physically based in the country of your choice with a valid right to work. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role in any of the listed locations.
Your own Pleo card (no more out-of-pocket spending!)
Lunch is on us for your work days - enjoy catered meals or receive a lunch allowance based on your local office
Comprehensive private healthcare - depending on your location, coverage options include Vitality, Alan or Médis
We offer 25 days of holiday + your public holidays
We use MyndUp to give our employees access to free mental health and well-being support with great success so far
Paid parental leave - we want to make sure that we're supportive of families and help you feel that you don't have to compromise your family due to work
The interview process
We want to ensure you are set-up for success and understand what will be expected of you. If your application is successful, our interview process is as follows:
- Intro call: A 30-minute chat with our Talent Partner to discuss the role and your background.
- Hiring Manager: A 45-minute chat with our CFO about the role and needs.
- Pleo Challenge: A 60-minute Peer chat with our Senior stakeholders with some real life case scenarios.
- Final Stage: A 30-minute chat with our CRO.
Transparency is important to us so we also wanted to share some insights about what we’re looking for in applications to ensure you can set yourself up for success!
Last time we hired a senior Finance leader, we received a high volume of applications, but only a selective group were invited to an intro call. Some of the key reasons why previous candidates didn’t make it past the application screening stage include:
- CV writing and content: We receive a lot of CVs, and many of them are AI-generated. We love seeing people leverage AI—it’s a big focus for us internally too—but without human intervention, these CVs can sometimes become generic and fail to show a candidate in the best light. What we're really looking for is the specific details of real impact that only you know from your previous experience. A top tip from us is to use the “Achieved X, as measured by Y, by doing Z” formula to give a really clear picture of what you’ve worked on. Including links to your previous companies' websites is also a huge help!
- Application care: Every single application we receive is reviewed by a human because we believe that candidates' efforts should be matched by an equal level of human care. Take time to tailor your responses to show how your experience specifically intersects with commercial operations, pipeline dynamics, and go-to-market strategies.
- Profile to role fit: For this role specifically, candidates who lack experience partnering with commercial/Go-To-Market functions or who lack strong SaaS/unit economics fluency often miss the mark. We need someone who understands sales efficiency, marketing ROI, and commercial deal structuring, not just traditional P&L oversight.
About your application
English first. Since it's our company language, please submit your application in English. You’ll be using it a lot if you join us.
A fair look for everyone. Our talent team reads every single application to ensure the process is fair. To keep things running smoothly, we only accept applications through our system—our support team can’t pass on calls or emails.
Diversity drives us. We can only reach our goals if our team reflects the world around us. That starts with you hitting apply, even if you don't tick every single box. We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to join us.
Interview at your best. We want you to feel comfortable throughout the process. If you have any accessibility requirements or need a specific format, email. We’ll design a process that works for you.
Your data is safe. When you apply, we process your personal data as a data processor. For more information on how Pleo processes personal data, read our Privacy Policy here.
Applying for multiple roles? Nothing is stopping you, and we assess every role independently. However, we do look for alignment, so make sure you can explain why your interest and experience are right for each specific role.
Reapplying. If you’re applying for the same role again, please wait six months from your last decision before hitting submit.
Director, Finance Business Partnering / GTM at location: Hybrid - London, Copenhagen employer: Pleo
Pleo is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive culture, making it an ideal place for professionals passionate about AI and data engineering. With a strong emphasis on employee growth and development, Pleo offers unique opportunities to lead multidisciplinary teams in delivering cutting-edge solutions while shaping the future of spending management. Join us to be part of a collaborative environment where innovation thrives and your contributions are valued.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director, Finance Business Partnering / GTM at location: Hybrid - London, Copenhagen
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
The finance world loves a good connection, so jump into industry-specific groups on platforms like LinkedIn where you can find discussions on financial controlling. Engaging in these communities can expose you to hidden job leads that aren't openly advertised!
✨Tip Number 2: Attend Finance Events and Conferences
Make it a mission to attend finance-related events and conferences, even virtual ones! This is a golden opportunity to network face-to-face with people from companies like Pleo. You never know who might be your next boss or a crucial contact!
✨Tip Number 3: Showcase Your Expertise
Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from Pleo.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like Pleo. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Director, Finance Business Partnering / GTM at location: Hybrid - London, Copenhagen
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in Pleo and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show Pleo how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pleo
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with Pleo.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with Pleo's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!