ABOUT US
Our vision is to be the world's leading social travel platform.
We are on a mission to help travellers find their people and create unforgettable moments together. Connections matter as much as destinations, and we are building a global ecosystem to enable them.
Since the launch of our social network in the hostelling category in 2022, Hostelworld has experienced transformational growth. We have successfully welcomed over 2.6 million social members to our platform, proving the strong demand for connection in travel. This vibrant community is not just booking trips; they are actively engaging, co-creating, and becoming our most powerful brand advocates. The platform is rich with user-generated content, including a rapidly growing volume of customer testimonials and authentic travel stories that provide powerful social proof.
The growth in engagement is remarkable: the number of messages sent between travellers has grown significantly faster than the number of trips booked by social members, demonstrating the deep social utility of our platform. This momentum is reflected in our robust financial health, underscored by a strong balance sheet powered by an asset-light, cash-generative business model.
We are not just another Online Travel Agent (OTA); we have created a new category of travel altogether: Social Travel. Our singular focus on helping travellers find people to hang out with is the foundation of our strategy. It has allowed us to build a powerful and defensible market position, which attracts highly valuable customers and shifts more of our business onto our mobile-native apps.
While our app and social features create a sticky user experience, our true competitive moat stems from the incredibly rich, proprietary data set generated by our social network. As our community grows, so does the value of this data, creating a compounding network effect that is nearly impossible to replicate. This "social flywheel" allows us to understand traveller behaviour, predict needs, and personalise experiences in ways that generalist OTAs cannot match. It is the engine that will power our long-term, differentiated growth and solidify our position as the sole player in the Social Travel category we created.
Our Culture
At Hostelworld, our culture is a direct reflection of our customers: adventurous, curious, and social. We have a shared love of travel that fuels our work and connects us on a deeper level. It's a fast-paced environment that blends the agility and "scrappy" resourcefulness of a start-up with the experience and ambition of a global, publicly listed company.
We are a team of pragmatic optimists who are data-obsessed and results-driven. We value a 'test and learn' mindset, encouraging experimentation and empowering our teams to take calculated risks. We believe in doing the right thing—for our customers, our partners, and each other. We foster a supportive and collaborative atmosphere where diverse perspectives are celebrated, and where every team member has the opportunity to make a significant impact on our journey. We embrace the journey, not just the destination, and we seek leaders who will thrive in a dynamic environment and inspire their teams to do the same.
LOCATION
This role is based in Ireland. We have an office hub in Dublin available for those who prefer a hybrid model where you can spend time with colleagues in-person. You will need to be able to commute to our office hub as required from time to time.
WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
The Financial Control team is a highly regarded, high-performing function that works closely with senior management to support strategic decision-making across the Group. The team is responsible for the day-to-day accounting of the Group, reporting to the Board, preparing the Group's annual and interim market reporting, overseeing risk management and the internal control framework, and partnering with teams across the business to effectively manage financial and operational performance.
We operate a hybrid working model, with the team typically coming together in the office one day per week. Our success with flexible working is built on a close-knit team and a strong sense of shared ownership.
We're looking for someone who is genuine and friendly, takes pride in their work, and is willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. This role would suit a technically strong accountant who is looking to take their first step into an industry role and gain experience in a listed company environment.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Within the Financial Control team, you will:
* Prepare the Group's annual and interim financial statements in accordance with applicable accounting standards.
* Lead and manage the Group's external audit process, acting as the primary point of contact with auditors and ensuring timely and high-quality delivery.
* Own the Group's capitalisation of development labour under IAS 38, partnering closely with Product and Technology teams to understand business plans and roadmaps and apply professional judgement against the standard's criteria.
* Lead and oversee the Group's revenue recognition accounting, supporting on strategic initiatives, to ensure accurate reporting and compliance with IFRS, and scalability in a period of growth.
* Prepare the Group's monthly consolidation, delivering timely and high-quality consolidated financial information.
* Act as line manager for accountants supporting your legal entities and revenue recognition, effectively managing their development and performance.
* Oversee the financial, regulatory, and taxation matters of the Group's Portuguese and UK statutory entities, ensuring accurate day-to-day management and compliance.
* Monitor and manage financial performance against forecast for assigned entities, providing clear analysis and effective communication of variances to key stakeholders.
* Provide support on ad hoc technical accounting matters and financial analysis, including areas such as mergers and acquisitions, impairment of assets and strategic initiatives.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
* Qualified ACA/ACCA with min 3 years PQE.
* Strong technical accounting expertise and experience in financial statement preparation.
* Demonstrable attention to detail and analytical mindset.
* Ability to work under pressure and to navigate uncertainty/ambiguity.
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills necessary for regular interaction with product and tech teams, and senior management.
* A proactive, inquisitive mindset with the ability to challenge existing processes and identify opportunities for efficiency and continuous improvement.
* Genuine interest for the Travel / Tech space.
WHAT WE OFFER
* Competitive salary & benefits
* Enhanced annual leave plus 3 Wellbeing Days per year
* Paid family leave (maternity, paternity, surrogacy & adoption)
* Agile working (plus a Working from Abroad Policy)
* Support for your ongoing growth & development
* Inclusive people policies (sickness, menopause, compassionate and fertility leave)
* A chance to give back to your local community with 5 paid volunteering days
OUR BEHAVIOURS
* Grow others - We fundamentally believe that investing in growing others benefits everyone, whether it's helping them develop hard or soft skills. We want learning and growing to be part of our DNA to help makes us a better team, together.
* Master it - We are obsessed with our area of expertise and enjoy developing our skills. We rarely take things at face value; we investigate, interrogate, and always look for 'the why,' and wherever possible, we use data to find the best solution.
* Collaborate - We are in it together, for the tough stuff and the celebrations too. To achieve the best results, we need expertise from all areas of the organisation, and we wholeheartedly welcome diverse thinking.
* Adapt - We work fluidly, adapting to new information and the evolving environment while staying committed to our goals. Innovation and experimentation fuel our projects and we're never afraid to pivot.
* Deliver - Our focus is always on the end result; we value outcomes over activity. We collaborate to deliver work at speed without dropping any of our other behaviours.
We believe in talented and diverse teams that reflect the diversity of our customers and the communities in which we operate. Everyone brings different perspectives and experiences. We lay out the above requirements to guide applicants to the experiences that we believe will allow you to be successful in the role. If you don't meet them all, please consider applying if you think you can still perform the role as described.