Financial Accountant at Kappa in London, England, GB

About Kappa

African businesses import $700 billion worth of goods and services per year but paying their suppliers abroad remains a massive challenge. Their options today are limited to traditional banks and the black market. Going through banks means poor customer service, high transaction costs and unfavorable exchange rates. Transactions that should take a few days end up taking weeks and cost merchants up to 9% in fees. The situation is equally dire for consumers who pay some of the highest P2P transfer fees in the world and are stuck with mobile money technology that is now decades old. We are building Kappa to fix that. Our cross-border payments platform is designed for ultra low-cost, near-instant money transfer at significantly higher transaction sizes than what’s currently possible. Our mission is to break down the barriers that have held back African businesses for decades.

About the opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Finance, this is a role for someone early in their career who is hungry to grow fast, looking to broaden their experience in a demanding and commercially interesting environment. You will be working at the heart of our finance function at a pivotal moment, helping us build the foundations of a world-class finance team as we scale across Africa and prepare for our next fundraise. You won't have done everything we need yet, and that's fine. We are looking for the right person, not the finished product.

What matters most to us is that you have sound technical foundations and are genuinely curious, willing to roll up your sleeves, and excited to learn in a fast-moving environment. If you don't know something, we want to see that your first instinct is to go and find out, not to wait to be told.

What you'll do

• Month-end close — supporting the monthly close process, including the preparation of reconciliations, expense schedules, and balance sheet substantiation
• Intercompany reconciliations — assisting with the reconciliation of intercompany balances across a multi-currency, multi-entity group
• Management accounts — contributing to the preparation of monthly consolidated management accounts and supporting commentary for the Head of Finance
• Audit support — preparing schedules and working papers to support the year-end external audit process
• Process improvement — identifying inefficiencies and proposing practical improvements is strongly encouraged; candidates who take an interest in how new tools and technology might enhance the finance function will find a genuinely receptive audience
• Fundraise support — as the business approaches its Series A, assisting the Head of Finance in the preparation of financial information for investor due diligence and the data room
• General finance support — contributing across the finance function as required, including tax, compliance, and regulatory reporting

What you'll bring

• ACA qualified — or equivalent, with a strong technical grounding from training with a mid tier audit firm
• Intellectually curious — when presented with an unfamiliar problem, the natural response is to research it thoroughly before seeking guidance; solutions are brought back, not just questions
• Rigorous and dependable — work is prepared to a consistently high standard; reconciliations are clean, deadlines are met, and quality does not vary with the perceived importance of the task
• Collegiate in approach — contributes to the success of the team as a whole, shares knowledge openly, and exercises sound judgement about when to work independently and when to ask for help
• Clear and considered communicator — able to present findings in writing and in conversation in a manner that is concise, accurate, and appropriate to the audience
• Genuinely interested in the business — has taken the time to understand what Kappa Pay does and the environment in which it operates

Desirable but not essential

Additional experience we would welcome

• Some familiarity with or interest in African markets, fintech, or cross-border payments
• Awareness of what a Series A fundraising and due diligence process entails
• Notions of French

What the role offers

• Substantive early responsibility — this is a hands-on position within a lean team; the work is consequential and the learning curve is commensurately steep

• Access to experienced senior practitioners — the postholder will work closely with the Head of Finance and will have regular exposure to high-calibre senior team members and advisers; the professional environment is one that demands and develops high standards

• Direct involvement in the fundraising process — the successful candidate will contribute meaningfully to the Series A process rather than observe it from a distance

• Equity participation — the role carries an equity allocation; we expect the postholder to take a long-term view of their contribution to the business

• Purpose-driven work — Kappa Pay operates in a market where improved financial infrastructure has a measurable and material impact on the businesses and communities we serve

• An opportunity to build something that matters.

• Highly competitive salary and equity — top of market. We believe in hiring fewer but better people and paying them more.

• Work from our offices in Douala, London or Barcelona, or remotely from any Africa-friendly timezone (GMT+2h to GMT-2h).