Senior Finance & Payroll Operations Analyst

Location: Remote – Colombia

Employment Type: Contract

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Finance & Payroll Operations Analyst to join our growing team and take ownership of payroll while supporting a broad range of financial and operational responsibilities.

This is a hands-on role for an experienced accounting and finance professional who can manage day-to-day financial activities, oversee payroll processes, support financial reporting and controls, and take ownership of operational initiatives as the company continues to grow.

The idóneo candidate has experience as an Accountant, Senior Accountant, Financial Controller, Group Accountant, or Finance Analyst, with strong exposure to payroll and financial operations. Experience working with international companies, particularly U.S.-based organizations, is highly valued.

This person should be comfortable operating independently, working across multiple functions, improving processes, and partnering with leadership to build efficient and scalable operations.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management

- Take primary ownership of end-to-end payroll operations.
- Coordinate payroll processing and ensure accuracy, timeliness, and appropriate documentation.
- Review payroll calculations, deductions, taxes, benefits, and other employee-related payments.
- Maintain accurate payroll records and resolve discrepancies promptly.
- Coordinate with external payroll providers and internal stakeholders.
- Support payroll-related reporting and compliance requirements.
- Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, and systems.

Accounting & Financial Operations
- Manage and oversee day-to-day accounting activities, including General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and reconciliations.
- Support monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes.
- Prepare and review financial statements and management reports.
- Perform balance sheet and account reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
- Support cash flow management, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.




- Analyze financial performance against budgets and prior periods and provide meaningful insights to leadership.
- Support multi-entity and/or international accounting activities as needed.
- Assist with ad-hoc financial analysis and projects.

Financial Controls & Compliance
- Maintain strong internal controls across finance and payroll operations.
- Identify control gaps, financial risks, and process inefficiencies and recommend improvements.
- Ensure financial information is accurate, complete, and properly documented.
- Coordinate with external accountants, tax advisors, auditors, and other financial partners.
- Support internal and external audit processes.
- Help develop and maintain finance and payroll policies and procedures.

Systems & Process Improvement
- Support the implementation, optimization, and administration of accounting, payroll, HR, and financial systems.
- Identify opportunities to automate and streamline financial and payroll processes.
- Develop and document processes, workflows, and internal controls.
- Work with third-party providers and vendors to resolve system or operational issues.
- Help ensure financial and operational systems provide accurate and timely information for decision-making.

Business & Operational Support
- Partner with leadership and other teams on financial and operational initiatives.
- Provide financial insights and recommendations to support business decisions.
- Take ownership of projects outside of core accounting and payroll responsibilities as business needs evolve.
- Support the development of scalable processes as the organization grows.
- Act as a trusted resource for finance, payroll, and operational questions.




- Proactively identify issues and take action before they become larger problems.

Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field .
- 3+ years of progressive experience in accounting, finance, financial control, payroll, or a related field.
- Strong experience managing end-to-end payroll processes .
- Experience with General Ledger, AP, AR, reconciliations, month-end close, and financial reporting .
- Experience preparing or reviewing financial statements under GAAP and/or IFRS .
- Experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial analysis.
- Experience working with external auditors, accountants, tax advisors, or other financial service providers.
- Strong experience using Excel and financial/accounting systems.
- Experience with accounting or financial platforms such as Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Zoho Books, MYOB, or similar systems is a plus.
- Experience with payroll platforms or HR systems is a plus.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
- Strong written and verbal English communication skills .

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience supporting U.S. employees or international organizations .
- Experience in a SaaS, technology, professional services, or other fast-growing environment.
- Experience working across multiple entities or countries.
- Experience with financial systems implementation or optimization.
- Experience with Power BI or other reporting/analytics tools.
- Experience developing internal controls, policies, and financial procedures.
- Experience supporting both finance and payroll functions in a growing organization.

What We're Looking For We are looking for someone who can go beyond processing transactions. The ideal candidate is a well-rounded finance professional who understands accounting, payroll, financial reporting, controls, and business operations and can take ownership of different areas as the organization grows.

📌 Senior Finance & Payroll Operations Analyst (Colombia)
🏢 Polaris Advisors
📍 Colombia