Senior HR & Payroll Specialist

We're making Africa the first cashless continent.

In 2017, over half the population in Sub-Saharan Africa had no bank account. That's for good reason-the fees are too high, the closest branch can be miles away, and nobody takes cards. Without access to financial institutions, people are forced to keep their savings under the mattress. Small business owners rely on lenders who charge extortionate rates. Parents spend hours waiting in line to pay school fees in cash.

We're solving this by building financial services that just work: no account fees, instantly available, and accepted everywhere. In places where electricity, water and roads don't always work, you can still send money with Wave. In 2017, we launched a mobile app in Senegal for cash deposit, withdrawal, and peer-to-peer and business payments. Now, we have millions of users across six countries and are growing fast.

Our goal is to make Africa the first cashless continent and that's where you come in

Wave is now the largest financial institution in Senegal, with over 7 million users. And, we're still in the early days of our product roadmap and potential impact on people's everyday lives.

As the Senior Global Payroll Specialist, you will play a key role in ensuring the accurate, compliant, and timely delivery of payroll across multiple countries, leveraging partnerships with local payroll providers. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks while driving efficiency and standardization across all payroll processes.

You will collaborate with internal teams, such as HR, Finance, and Legal, as well as external stakeholders, to ensure a seamless payroll experience for our employees globally. The position offers an exciting opportunity to shape the payroll function in a fast-paced, international environment.

In this role, you'll:

• Ensure accurate and timely payrolls for assigned countries in compliance with local tax and labor regulations, including variable pay, stock, supplemental pay runs, and tax deposits.
• Manage relationships with external payroll providers across assigned regions.
• Maintain payroll records, process adjustments, and address payroll-related queries promptly.
• Identify and implement improvements in payroll systems and workflows to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Support internal and external payroll audits.
• Lead or assist in payroll system integrations and upgrades.

• Oversee HR administrative tasks such as employee onboarding, health insurance setup, and compliance with local labor laws.
• Serve as the point of contact for HR-related queries from employees, offering guidance on salary, benefits, and employment policies.
• Manage employee records, ensuring accuracy and compliance with data protection regulations.
• Support the design and implementation of HR policies and procedures that align with company objectives and local laws.
• Assist in handling sensitive HR cases, including employee relations, contract management, and terminations.
• Collaborate with global HR and finance teams to align payroll and HR practices across regions.

• Previous experience in global payroll management (5+ years).
• Ideally 2+ years of experience in US and CA payroll management.
• Strong knowledge of payroll and HR policies in the UK and other European countries.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and a strong sense of ownership.
• Strong analytical skills and flux analysis.
• Experience with major payroll software such as Workday, ADP Workforce Now, ADP Smart Tax Compliance, Ceridian.

• Are excessively detail-oriented and seek to achieve excellence in everything you do.
• Are a self-starter and proactive about achieving ambitious targets.
• Know the value of a great payroll experience and are eager to provide support to employees.
• Are very organized and detail-oriented - you're the type that always looks at rounding errors.
• Are eager to think outside of the box when faced with potential roadblocks.
• Have previously worked for a remote company and enjoy working independently and within a team.

• We have a rapidly growing in-country team in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, and Uganda, plus remote team members spread across the world.
• We're deeply passionate about our mission of bringing radically affordable financial services to the people who need them most.
• We foster autonomy for our employees. You'll own your projects at every stage, from understanding the problem to monitoring your solution in production.
• We raised the largest Series A in Africa in 2021. Our world-class investors include Founders Fund, Sequoia Heritage, Stripe, Ribbit Capital, Y Combinator, and Partech Africa.

Fill out the form below, and upload a resume in English and a cover letter describing your interest in Wave and the role.

Wave is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.