Operations & Finance Lead

Hours: Full-time Time-Zone: U.S. Central Time (CST) or significant overlap Terms: Independent Contractor Compensation: $1600 Hiring Process: Application → Interview → Take-Home Assessment → CEO Interview → References & Background Check ABOUT THE ROLE Anavah Talent is a fast-growing U.S.-based staffing and recruiting firm that helps companies build exceptional remote teams across the Philippines, Latin America, and South Africa. We're looking for our first dedicated Operations & Finance Lead to become the operational backbone of the business. This role owns payroll operations, contractor administration, client invoicing, HR coordination, operational reporting, and internal systems. Beyond execution, you'll help build the operational infrastructure that allows the company to scale efficiently through better documentation, automation, and process improvement. You'll support approximately 30–50 active contractors while partnering closely with leadership, recruiters, clients, and contractors to ensure operations remain accurate, organized, and scalable. ABOUT YOU Do you enjoy bringing order to fast-moving environments? Are you the person who naturally creates checklists, documents processes, and finds better ways of doing things? This role is ideal for someone who enjoys balancing finance, operations, HR administration, and systems improvement. You take pride in accuracy, meet recurring deadlines without constant oversight, and constantly look for opportunities to reduce manual work through better processes and automation. If you're excited about helping build the operational foundation of a growing U.S. startup, we'd love to meet you. RESPONSIBILITIES: Payroll & Finance Operations Own and continuously improve the end-to-end payroll and finance operations function. Own two monthly contractor payroll cycles using Wise Review contractor timesheets, invoices, reimbursements, bonuses, deductions, and adjustments Validate payroll data and investigate discrepancies before approval Prepare payroll approval summaries and recommendations for leadership Maintain and improve the Contractor Masterfile and payroll controls Process contractor rate increases and compensation changes Support month-end financial reconciliation and reporting Manage Stripe subscriptions and recurring billing Maintain accurate financial and operational records Identify weaknesses in existing financial processes and implement stronger controls Client Billing & Business Operations Build reliable systems for client billing and day-to-day business operations. Own preparation and reconciliation of client invoices Investigate and resolve billing discrepancies Establish standardized billing workflows and controls Maintain Monday.com boards, operational trackers, and business systems Build reporting that gives leadership visibility into operational performance Maintain organized HR, finance, and operational records Coordinate recurring operational meetings and administrative workflows Support leadership with cross-functional operational initiatives Identify operational bottlenecks and implement solutions Contractor Operations & People Administration Own the contractor lifecycle and create a consistent, scalable contractor experience. Manage contractor onboarding and offboarding workflows Maintain Independent Contractor Agreements, tax forms, background checks, and compliance documentation Establish reliable contractor records and data management processes Track PTO, contractor changes, compensation changes, and other lifecycle events Conduct scheduled 7-, 30-, 60-, 90-day, and annual contractor check-ins Serve as the primary operational contact for payroll and contractor questions Coordinate contractor engagement initiatives, anniversaries, and recognition Identify opportunities to improve the contractor experience and reduce administrative friction Systems, Process Improvement & Automation Build the operational infrastructure that allows the company to scale. Audit existing processes and identify gaps, inefficiencies, and risks Design and implement scalable operational workflows Develop, document, and maintain SOPs Create checklists, templates, trackers, and operational controls Establish clear ownership and handoffs between teams Build dashboards and KPI reporting Standardize recurring processes across operations, finance, HR, and recruitment Identify repetitive manual work suitable for automation Implement automation using AI, Zapier, Make, Google Apps Script, or similar tools Evaluate existing tools and recommend better systems where appropriate Continuously improve processes as the company grows Leadership & Operational Ownership Act as a strategic operational partner to the CEO. Proactively identify problems before they become operational issues Bring recommendations and solutions, not just problems Establish priorities and manage multiple recurring deadlines Create visibility into operational risks, bottlenecks, and outstanding items Partner with recruitment and leadership to improve cross-functional workflows Help establish the operational standards and infrastructure required for future growth Take ownership of projects from problem identification through implementation 5+ years of progressive experience in Operations, Finance Operations, Payroll, HR Operations, Bookkeeping, Business Administration, or a related field Demonstrated experience owning operational processes independently Experience supporting a U.S.-based company, startup, staffing firm, or distributed remote organization Strong experience with payroll, contractor payments, client billing, financial reconciliation, or related finance operations Demonstrated ability to build or improve systems and workflows, not simply follow existing processes Experience creating SOPs, operational documentation, trackers, controls, or dashboards Strong spreadsheet skills and exceptional attention to detail Experience using platforms such as Wise, Stripe, QuickBooks, Monday.com, or similar business systems Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field Preferred Requirements: Experience as an Operations Lead, Operations Manager, Finance Operations Lead, Business Operations Manager, or similar role Experience supporting contractor-based or remote-first organizations Experience in a staffing, recruiting, professional services, or agency environment Experience building operational systems from the ground up Experience with automation tools such as Zapier, Make, Google Apps Script, or AI workflows Experience building dashboards and KPI reporting Strong knowledge of payroll, contractor administration, and client billing processes Experience implementing new business systems or migrating from manual processes to automated workflows At Anavah Talent, we’re all about helping you find your God-given space at a U.S. Company. And, we know work is more than just a paycheck, which is why we support work-life balance, well-being, and growth. Here’s what you can look forward to as part of the Anavah Talent Community! Competitive Compensation – We recognize your skills and experience with a great compensation package. Regular Payday in USD – Twice per month, we send USD right to your bank account. Work Remotely, Forever - Save on the commute and work from home, wherever that is in the world. Milestone Gifts & Birthday Treats – We celebrate your achievements and make your special day even better! Exciting Team Experiences – Think team offsites, meetups, virtual town halls, and even international paid travel. Stay Connected – Be part of a supportive network where you can learn, grow, and connect with amazing people. Global Networking - Work with top international teams across 12 countries around the world. Mentorship, Advocacy and Support - We stay in the room and advocate for you every step of the way. Promotions and Increases - Perform and earn more with raises, promotions, and scope-increases.