The Mission
Direct Lending is a fast-growing, award-winning lending fintech on a mission to empower people’s lives with simple and responsible financing. Having built a sustainable, profitable foundation, we are now entering a scaling-up phase. Our roadmap is clear: scale our needs-based financing, grow our revenue 5X and become IPO-ready by 2030.
We are seeking a Finance Lead/ Financial Controller to be the architect of our financial "Machine". You will own the end-to-end finance function, ensuring as we scale, our financial data is accurate, our loan management system and accounting platform are in perfect sync and our processes are audit-ready.
This is a high-growth role; for the right candidate, this position is designed to evolve into the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as we scale our fundraising and operational complexity.
Why Join Direct Lending?
- High growth as future CFO: You aren't just joining to manage books; you are joining to earn the CFO title. Reporting directly to the Founder, you will have a front-row seat to fundraising, debt financing, and the strategic decisions that drive a 2030 IPO.
- Architect of a 5X Growth Story: We have already disbursed over RM 600M with a proven 80% CAGR. You will build the financial infrastructure required to scale our revenue 5X.
- High-Velocity, High-Impact: Tired of "death by committee"? We are a lean, profitable fintech where decisions are made in hours, not months. You will have the direct mandate to automate the "Machine”.
- Mission-Driven Work: At Direct Lending, finance isn't just numbers; it’s about providing simple and responsible financing to underserved segments. You will be part of a team that empowers people's lives while building a sustainable, profitable business.
- Ownership of the "Truth": As our "Truth-Teller," you will provide the data-driven clarity that guides our 2030 strategy. Your work in hardening our LMS and accounting integrity will be the foundation of our future success.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Financial Operations & Loan Management System Integrity (The “Machine”)
- System Integrity: Establish and maintain rigorous systems to ensure the Loan Management System (LMS) is updated accurately and in sync with our accounting records, including daily reconciliation with bank statements.
- Operational Oversight: Manage a Finance Executive primarily focused on disbursements, reconciliations and payables.
- Process Architecture: Audit and refine the logic of our automated disbursement/repayment flows to eliminate reconciliation gaps. Implement robust internal controls for all company payments and documentation.
- Automation: Proactively identify bottlenecks and automate operations and reporting functions to move to 90%+ automation.
- Product Collaboration: Partner with product, tech and business teams to address financial considerations in new product launches.
2. Financial Control, Reporting & Compliance (The “Foundation”)
- Management Accounts: Lead the month-end closing process to provide accurate management accounts for stakeholders by 10th of the following month.
- External Stakeholder Lead: Act as the primary point of contact for external auditors, tax agents, and company secretaries.
- Regulatory Governance: Ensure 100% compliance with financial regulations, including e-Invoicing, SST, Withholding Tax.
3. Strategic Support & Fundraising (The “Growth”)
- Investor Relations Support: Prepare monthly and quarterly financial updates for existing investors and support Q&A.
- Data Room Management: Own the preparation of the Data Room and financial data sets for fundraising and debt financing exercises.
- Founder Partnership: Act as the "Truth-Teller" to the Founder, providing data-driven insights for high-stakes decisions.
- Treasury & Liquidity: Support on company liquidity management and cash flow forecasting.
Who You Are:
- Experience: 8+ years in finance, ideally in a Fintech, Lending, or Banking environment where reconciliation of high-volume transactions is key.
- Qualification: Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CPA, ICAEW or equivalent) with "Big 4" audit experience is preferred.
- Mindset: Exceptionally detail-oriented with a "Systems-First" approach to solving problems. You enjoy "getting your hands dirty" in the data & systems to build a perfect foundation.
- Technical Fluency: Comfortable with large datasets and navigating back-end system logic. You understand lending specific accounting, including effective interest rates and automated repayment logic.
- Ambition: You are a high-performing Controller looking to earn the CFO title by building an unbreakable financial foundation for an IPO-bound company.