In the latest Breaking into Fintech, where we deep dive into what leading fintech companies and financial institutions are looking for in candidates, Finextra spoke to Aysun Ahi, chief people officer at OpenPayd.

OpenPayd is an embedded finance and banking-as-a-service provider that has multiple offerings in banking, accounts, card acquiring, and payments and operates globally.

What top tips can you offer candidates looking to join the industry?

Ahi indicates that creative and innovative thinkers thrive in the fintech sector, as it is incredibly agile and constantly adapting to new challenges. 

What does OpenPayd want from their ideal candidates?

Ahi states that OpenPayd has a collaborative culture at its core, and looks for people who are communicative, collaborative, approachable, flexible, and can contribute to the team from a new perspective.

She says that they look for creative minds and risk takers who are eager to participate in the fast-paced fintech sector and make their mark.

“If you asked all our employees what makes a great OpenPayd candidate, you’d get a few different answers. We’re a team of around 100, spread across our main offices in the UK, Malta, Bulgaria, Turkey - we’re not a bunch of clones. In fact, our diversity is one of the things we value most. But there are certain approaches to work that bring us together. It’s important to us that candidates represent and champion our core values: Make your mark, Embrace the journey, Grow together, Find another way and Do what’s right. These principles guide a lot of what we do and what we look for in candidates. We don’t hide the fact that there are ups and downs – that’s what makes things exciting! But if regularity is what’s most important, you may find that OpenPayd isn’t right for you.”

Ahi adds that strong interpersonal skills and a desire to contribute to the team is vital, and they look for open-minded and understanding people who can operate in an multi-national environment where all employees’ modes of expression and work are respected. She points out that successful candidates are proactive in seeking growth and driving projects forward on their own.

What roles is OpenPayd currently hiring for?

OpenPayd operates in multiple countries around the world, and is hiring internationally in business development and sales. Check out more roles available at OpenPayd.

Why work at OpenPayd?

Ahi describes the company culture at OpenPayd as highly collaborative and supportive, where everyone is heard and valued. She emphasises that at the company, employees will be able to contribute to the future of financial services and embrace innovation.

What can OpenPayd do for you?

Ahi sums up their employee benefits: “We offer a wide variety of perks, including health insurance, wellbeing perks and a personal training budget. We have a hybrid working model for employees, including a two-month ‘work from anywhere’ allowance. We encourage our employees to give back, so everyone is eligible to take one day per year for social volunteering. Naturally, everyone gets an extra day off for their birthday and we finish early on Fridays!”

She adds that OpenPayd offers employees training allowance to work on their skills and knowledge base, access to a learning platform, and regular learning sessions.

Tell us the success story of an ‘OpenPayder’ that has risen through the ranks.

As fintech company on the rise, Ahi describes the career progression at OpenPayd as providing workers with more opportunities more frequently, with many chances for growth.

“A great example of this is our business performance manager, Charlie. Charlie joined in 2020 as an operations executive, dealing with our internal reporting, but his role quickly evolved into a performance management role. When his role started to change, he spoke to Monika, our head of operations about the fact that he felt like his title no longer reflected his work. Monika simply asked, ‘What do you think it should be?’ That really reflects our approach to staff development.”

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