Head of Finance AI Transformation

Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M), led by deep-tech investors Plural (whose portfolio spans fusion energy and space exploration), Relay is scaling faster than 99.98% of venture-backed startups. We're assembling the most talent-dense team the logistics industry has ever seen. Relay’s Mission is to free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone. We're building a finance function that scales faster than the business — not by adding headcount, but by designing a system where AI, automation, and clean architecture do the heavy lifting. We're looking for someone to build that system from scratch: the finance stack, the AI workflows, and the operating model that ties it all together. Reporting to our CFO, you'll work directly with founders and functional leaders to turn Relay's finance function into a real-time decision engine. This is not a "transformation" role in the traditional sense. This is a 0 to 1 build role with direct leverage on company velocity.

Responsibilities

Design the finance function from first principles; Own how finance operates in an AI-native, high-growth company; Rebuild core processes (R2R, P2P, O2C, FP&A) to eliminate manual work before it takes root; Deploy AI across every high-leverage workflow; Identify and ship use cases in weeks, not quarters — AI-driven forecasting and scenario modelling, automated reporting and commentary, close and reconciliation workflows, and collections, risk, and anomaly detection; Build and own the technical stack; Select the minimum viable, maximum scalable architecture; Make strong calls on ERP vs lightweight tooling, build vs buy, and data design; Ensure everything is modular, API-friendly, and AI-ready from day one; Work directly with engineering and data teams; Translate financial logic into production systems; Redesign the operating model around augmentation; Define how humans and AI work together — including which roles don't need to exist; Deliver the outcomes leadership needs; Reduce time to close, time to forecast, and time to decision; Build systems that scale from current revenue to £100M+ without breaking

Requirements

Built or redesigned finance systems and operating models end-to-end; Deployed automation or AI in real finance workflows; Fluent in the TA and Ops/data hybrid: FP&A, R2R, funnel diagnostics, and partnering with RevOps/FP&A to forecast and drive decisions; Thinks in systems, not processes; Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information; Worked closely with CFOs, founders, or operators on scaling finance in high-growth environments; Proven experience owning finance programs and delivering systems implementations end-to-end; Hands-on deployment of AI or automation in real finance workflows; Experience in hypergrowth startups or scale-ups; Strong technical fluency — comfortable working directly with engineering and data teams; Structured, clear communicator with strong stakeholder management skills; Combines strong technical fundamentals with entrepreneurial drive

Nice to have

Aim with Precision: You define problems clearly and measure your impact meticulously; Play to Win: You chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, and view constraints as fuel, not friction; 1% Better Every Day: You believe that small, consistent improvements lead to exponential growth; All In, All the Time: You show up and step up; People-Powered Greatness: You invest in your teammates; Grow the Whole Pie: You seek out win-win solutions for merchants, couriers, and our customers

Benefits

Generous equity, richer than 99% of European startups, with annual top-ups to share Relay’s success; Private health & dental coverage, so comprehensive you’d need to be a partner at a Magic Circle law firm to match it; 25 days of holidays; Enhanced parental leave; Hardware of your choice; Extensive perks (gym subsidies, cycle-to-work, Friday office lunch, covered Uber home and dinner for late nights, and more)