Our mission
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…


How you’ll help us achieve it
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 a Payroll Manager, you will shape and manage payroll and benefits processes in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Playing a pivotal role in our rapid expansion across Senegal, you’ll ensure seamless payroll operations, optimize employee benefits, and contribute to building a world-class organization.


In this role, you’ll;
Payroll management
• Ensure accurate and timely payment of salaries, taxes, and benefits.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as HR, finance, legal, and IT departments to streamline payroll processes and resolve any issues and discrepancies.
• Conduct regular audits and reviews of payroll data to identify and rectify errors, discrepancies, or areas for improvement.
• Analyze payroll-related data and metrics to generate insights and reports for management review and decision-making.
• Participate in payroll projects, such as system implementations, process improvements, or expansion into new markets.
• Support with managing payroll team members if needed.

Benefits Administration
• Manage administration of health insurance, retirement, disability, and other employee benefits plans.
• Execute fraud analysis of benefits programs, including vacation, gym, lunch, and travel expenses to identify potential cases for investigation by the HR team.
• Support relationship management with benefits vendors.
• Monitor benefits costs and identify irregular spending.
• Provide support and service to employees for all benefits-related inquiries.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records on employee benefits.


Key details
• Location is based primarily in Dakar, with possible short-term relocation within Senegal.
• This is a permanent position.
• Our salaries are competitive and calculated using a transparent formula.
• We run Performance Reviews twice a year and give bonuses or promotions to exceptional performers who have been at the company for more than 6 months.
• We offer generous health insurance for yourself and your dependents.
• We support working parents – we offer 26 weeks of parental leave for mothers and 4 weeks for fathers, in addition to subsidized child care when they return to work.
• Airtime reimbursement.
• Free food and a beautiful office space.


Requirements
• +3 years experience in a comparable role, ideally for an international company.
• Proficiency in basic accounting principles, including understanding financial transactions, performing calculations, and interpreting financial data in compliance with accounting standards.
• Strong knowledge of the Senegalese labor and HR compliance.
• Experience with major payroll software such as Workday, ADP Workforce Now, Sage
• Proficient in MS Office (especially Excel) and/or Google Sheets.
• Proficiency in English, with the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Human Resources.


You might be a good fit if you
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills.
• Approach problems with analytical precision.
• Exhibit strong attention to detail, striving for excellence in everything you do.
• Operate as an autonomous self-starter, knowing when to seek guidance.
• Show tenacity and a commitment to go the extra mile to accomplish tasks.



Our 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.
In 2023, we were on Y Combinator’s top 50 companies by revenue.


How to apply
Fill out the form below, and upload a resume in English and a cover letter describing your interest in Wave and the role.
We review applications frequently and recommend that you apply to the role that most closely aligns with your skills, experience and career goals.
Wave is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.