From managing payments and reporting to helping shape internal tools, Efeoghene is right at the heart of Hyphen’s finance function.

Having joined initially on an interim basis before becoming a permanent member of the team, she is now playing a key role in ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Working closely with both Finance and Client Partnerships, Efeoghene operates across the full finance cycle while also contributing to the development of our proprietary systems and processes.

In this Q&A, Efeoghene reveals:

• How a broad, hands-on role is accelerating her development.
• What she has learned from working across teams and functions.
• How she is helping to shape internal tools and systems.
• What stands out about Hyphen’s collaborative culture.
• Why variety and responsibility are key to her growth.

Hyphen: First off, can you describe your day-to-day role?

Efeoghene: On a day-to-day basis, I handle accounts payable and receivable – so that’s processing every form of payment that goes out of the company and also interfacing with clients to receive money coming into the business. Everything else is really tied around that.

I also manage the monthly cycle, including management reporting, and take ownership of those processes. Beyond that, it’s about tracking everything linked to money coming in and out of the business – from timesheets that support invoicing to expenses and payments.

While it sounds simple, there are a lot of layers and processes involved. It’s not just about reporting – it’s also tracking benefits and other operational details. It really covers the full picture of what is happening financially across the business.

Hyphen: Finance is very connected with other aspects of the business so how do you find it working with other teams?

Efeoghene: A big part of my role is also supporting the Client Partnerships team. That includes tracking who is working on which projects, whether contracts are in place and whether everything is ready for a project to begin properly.

Sometimes a project gets approved and moves quickly, but we still need to make sure all contracts are signed and everything is in place. That way, when it comes to invoicing and payments, everything runs smoothly.

I also join CP meetings so I’m aware of new projects, onboarding and offboarding, and new contractors. That helps us track timesheets and ensure everything is aligned.

Hyphen: You are working with a familiar face as you know Faith from well before your time here. What has it been like working closely with her?

Efeoghene: I think this is a very interesting one, because everybody’s always curious to know how it is. We first worked together in 2022 but that was just a brief project; now we work together every day and it’s a lot more focused on work. We have regular meetings, sometimes for several hours, because there are so many things to cover. It feels like a bit of a new dynamic now that I report to her but it’s been good.

Hyphen: You have worked in organisations of very different sizes – how does this experience compare?

Efeoghene: My career has been a bit of a mixture when it comes to the types of organisations I have worked for. For example, THG, which owns Myprotein and is worth billions of pounds. I’ve also worked in startups as well before and everything in-between, and with all of that, I would say I’ve been in teams of four people right up to ones with more than 100, and I’m happy regardless.

Since working with Hyphen, I would say it has been a challenge but in a good way as it is pushing me and that’s very exciting because I don’t get to do just one thing. I get involved with the whole full finance cycle rather than just specialising. I think that that’s very good for me as it exposes me to all sorts of challenges and I’m learning a lot so it’s been a great experience so far.

Hyphen: Another aspect of your role is that you are closely involved with Chronos – how do you find working with it?

Efeoghene: I think I must use Chronos much more than anybody within the business. It’s a very good tool and the fact that it’s proprietary makes it even better because it’s tailored to what we need.

With Chronos, I can go in each month and pull all of the timesheets in one place, which makes things much easier. You can also track who has submitted their timesheets or invoices and who hasn’t.

Adam [Kovacs, part of the Technology team] and I are often thinking about new features as well. We’re always trying to improve things, whether that’s upgrading processes or testing new ideas. We’re currently exploring how AI can interact with our internal systems so we can get more value from the data we have.

This is the first time I’ve been so involved in building something like this. In other roles, you would just use a tool, but here you can suggest ideas and actually try them out, which I really appreciate.

Hyphen: As well as working with the Technology team, you also mentioned that you work with the Client Partnerships team earlier – what has that been like?

Efeoghene: It’s been very collaborative. At the end of the day, it’s about partnering with people so that everything runs smoothly.

One thing I’ve really noticed is how supportive everyone is. Nobody is just focused on their own work and ignoring everything else – people genuinely want to help each other.

That applies across the whole business. Everyone is approachable and willing to support you, which makes a big difference.

Hyphen: We’ve talked about your working with other teams, but as this is a remote-first company, what difference did it to make for you being able to meet everyone in person while on the Abu Dhabi co-working retreat?

Efeoghene: It definitely gave everything a different feel. Speaking to people remotely is one thing, but meeting them in person allows you to connect properly and put faces to names.

It was at that point that I really started to feel part of the team. Working in finance can sometimes feel quite isolating because you are focused on your tasks and not everyone sees what you’re doing day-to-day, but meeting everyone helped bridge that gap.

I also got a much better understanding of what everyone else does. During the retreat, people shared their roles and responsibilities, and that really helped build those connections. It made everything feel much more integrated.

Hyphen: Overall, how would you describe your experience so far and how has it been compared to your expectations?

Efeoghene: I didn’t have many expectations at the start, to be honest. The opportunity came through Faith and I just decided to go for it.

But once I started, I saw how the team works and how everyone contributes, and that’s been really positive. Everyone is supportive and pulls their weight.

The role itself has been challenging, but in a good way because it pushes me to improve. It’s also been exciting because I’m learning a lot, so overall it’s been a really good experience so far.

Hyphen: Looking back at your career so far, what have you learned matters most to you in a role?

Efeoghene: Looking back, a few things stand out. Autonomy is really important to me — I work best when I’m trusted to take ownership of things and get on with it. That’s something I’ve always valued and actively looked for in a role.

Culture is probably the biggest one though. You can have a great job on paper but if the environment isn’t right, it affects everything. I’ve been fortunate to work in places where people genuinely support each other, and that makes a real difference to how you show up every day.

In terms of the work itself, I’ve found that both breadth and specialisation have served me well at different points in my career. There are times when going deep into something builds real expertise, and other times when working across different areas gives you a broader perspective and makes you more adaptable. I’ve genuinely loved both and I think having experienced both is what makes me effective now, because I can see the bigger picture while still being comfortable in the detail.

Hyphen: What is it about finance that you personally enjoy most?

Efeoghene: Honestly, it starts with numbers, I’ve always been drawn to them. It’s just something that comes naturally to me, and I think when something clicks like that early on, you tend to follow it.

But what I’ve come to appreciate more over time is how useful finance is beyond just a career. Understanding how money works, how businesses operate financially, how to manage and track things, that knowledge translates directly into your personal life as well. It gives you a different lens for decision-making, whether you’re at work or not.

So it’s both, I genuinely enjoy it professionally, but I also think it’s one of those disciplines that keeps giving outside of work too, which makes it feel like more than just a job.

Hyphen: On the subject of enjoyment, what do you like to do away from work?

Efeoghene: Outside of work, I spend a lot of time with family — that’s where I recharge. I also really enjoy spending time with children, whether that’s family or people around me. I find the way their minds work fascinating — the curiosity, the honesty, the way they get genuinely excited about the smallest things. There’s something really grounding about that perspective. I think adults could learn a lot from children, honestly — they haven’t yet learned to overcomplicate things.

I’m also at a point where I’m intentionally exploring new interests and figuring out what I want that side of my life to look like, which is actually quite exciting in its own way.