External Comms & PR Lead

payabl. empowers businesses to grow through payments innovation and banking services. Our ambition is to expand our strong portfolio of global financial services we provide to businesses and make them all available in one place on our platform we call payabl.one. As a licensed financial company with principal membership with card schemes, we specialize in global payments and providing businesses with multi-currency accounts.

The role is about:

We’re looking for an External Comms & PR Lead to define how payabl. is seen, understood, and talked about in the market: to own payabl.’s external narrative, media presence, and public reputation. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can define the direction, execute the work directly, and build the function over time.

In the first phase, you will personally lead PR delivery - owning the media agenda, driving press opportunities, shaping thought leadership, and supporting executive visibility. As the function grows, you will help build out the team further, including hiring and leading a PR Manager, while continuing to own the overall external communications strategy and direction.

You will report to the Head of Marketing and lead the external communications function, with initial management responsibility for the Content Manager and future responsibility for PR team build-out.

Reporting Line: Head of Marketing

What you will do:

• Own annual and quarterly external communications strategy, priorities, and plans aligned to business and marketing goals.
• Own payabl.’s external narrative and lead PR as a core business growth and reputation lever.
• Start as the hands-on owner of PR execution, directly managing the PR calendar, proactive media relations programme, and day-to-day press activity.
• Shape how we communicate launches, partnerships, company milestones, and market points of view.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with priority journalists, publications, and relevant industry voices across fintech, payments, e-commerce, retail, SaaS, and broader business media.
• Develop media angles, pitches, press releases, briefing materials, commentary opportunities, and byline programmes.
• Own thought leadership placements, identify and submit speaking opportunities, manage corporate and executive awards programmes, and lead executive profiling across media and external events.
• Monitor external reputation across media, review platforms, and relevant public channels.
• Maintain practical crisis and reactive communications frameworks.
• Act as senior communications counsel to the CEO and wider leadership team.
• Set team objectives, KPIs, and performance expectations across the external communications function.
• Own overall communications measurement, including coverage quality, share of voice, and broader PR and communications outcomes.
• Line-manage, develop, and evaluate the team, while helping shape the future structure of the function.

What we need:

• 5+ years of experience in PR, external communications, or corporate communications, ideally in fintech, payments, B2B tech, SaaS, e-commerce, or another fast-paced digital industry.
• Strong people leadership capability, with experience in full team management - setting direction, structuring roles, defining priorities and expectations, supporting development, and driving performance.
• Experience owning or shaping external communications strategy, not just delivering against briefs.
• Experience developing thought leadership, executive profiling, interviews, commentary programmes, bylines, speaking opportunities, and award submissions.
• Excellent judgement in shaping narratives for complex, regulated, or trust-sensitive businesses.
• Strong hands-on media relations experience, with a proven ability to pitch stories, build journalist relationships, and secure relevant coverage directly.
• Confidence in handling reputation-sensitive situations with maturity and clarity.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to advise senior leaders on external communications matters.
• Ability to operate strategically while staying close to execution and being hands-on where needed.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
• Bonus: experience with analyst relations, regional PR coordination, or agency management.

Our Hiring Process:

• First Interview: Conducted by our Talent Acquisition team (30-40 min).
• Hiring Team Interview: A 1-hour interview with the Head of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer to explore your experience and expertise in more detail.
• Technical Assessment: A practical assessment designed to evaluate your PR and external communications skills, strategic thinking, and approach to the role
• Final Interview: A 30-minute interview with our Group CEO and Chief Marketing Officer, focusing on leadership, strategic vision, and team fit.

Let's embark on a journey to redefine the landscape of payments together. We're not just offering a role; we're inviting you to be a part of something bigger. Join our team, and let's innovate, disrupt, and lead the future of payments. Together, we can make an impact that resonates. Welcome to the team!

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