Freelance Junior Accountant / Controller (Part-time)

Looking for a new adventure? You’ve come to the right place.

We're an Amsterdam-based team of 90 (and counting) with 25+ nationalities amongst us! A varied bunch of citizens of the world with a wide range of skills and hundreds of thousands of kilometers under our travel belts. And we have something important in common (other than our very well-worn passports): We want to change the way people travel.

And that's exactly what we're doing, with the travel app to plan, track, and relive trips in a smart and beautiful way.

Polarsteps has 20 million users already, but, for us, this is just the beginning. We have super ambitious plans and we need a talented Junior Accountant / Controller to help us on our journey.

Want to know more about us? Here you go.

Your expedition: Finance at Polarsteps

Over the past 10 years, Polarsteps has grown into a global platform used by millions of
travelers, all while keeping our internal operations lean and focused.

As we scale up, so does the complexity behind the scenes. With more users, partners, and financial processes to manage, it’s time to deepen the accounting and control capability within our finance team. We’re looking for a junior accountant or controller who’s excited to get hands-on with the core of our financial operations - and who wants to grow with us as we bring more of those processes in-house over time.

Your mission:

You’ll be a key part of our finance team, helping Polarsteps run tighter, more accurate
financial operations as we scale. This role is squarely focused on the accounting fundamentals - AP, invoice processing, reconciliations, and month-end close - with real opportunity to shape how those processes evolve. You’ll work closely with the Finance Manager and our external bookkeepers, with the long-term goal of gradually bringing core bookkeeping work inside the team.

What you’ll be doing:

Own the invoice, AP, and payment flow
You’ll manage incoming invoices through Basecone, ensure correct coding and VAT
treatment, keep approvals moving in Pleo, and run the full payables cycle - making
sure payments go out correctly and on time via Rabobank.

Keep our books clean and reconciled
From bank reconciliations to balance sheet line items, you’ll maintain a clear and
accurate picture of where we stand - following up on differences and keeping
everything audit-ready.

Support month-end close
You’ll work closely with our external bookkeepers who currently own the month-end close process - shadowing, supporting, and gradually taking on more of that work over time. The goal is for you to become the primary owner of month-end close as we bring that function in-house.

Run the finance inbox
You’ll be a reliable point of contact for supplier and internal finance queries - keeping
communication clear and issues resolved quickly.

Support compliance and VAT
You’ll assist with VAT filings and help keep us on solid ground across our financial and
regulatory obligations.

Use AI and automation to work smarter

We’re actively exploring how AI and automation can take the manual grind out of finance. You’ll help monitor what’s working, spot where repetitive steps can be cut, and contribute to rolling out smarter ways of working across our finance stack.

Help improve how we work
Beyond automation, you’ll flag process gaps, support tooling improvements, and contribute to making our operations sharper month by month - less admin, more impact.

Long term view

The goal is for this role to become the primary owner of key finance processes as we bring certain bookkeeping functions in-house so scope and hours may expand after the initial contract.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has 1–3 years of relevant experience in an accounting or financial control role
  (internship, traineeship, or junior position)

• Holds a BSc in Accounting & Control, Finance, Business Administration, or similar

• Is comfortable owning AP, invoice processing, and reconciliations - not just assisting with them

• Is structured, accurate, and proactive - you spot issues before they become problems

• Knows their way around Excel or Google Sheets and isn’t afraid of a deep dive

• Experience with Exact Online is strongly preferred; familiarity with Pleo or Basecone is a plus

• Has an interest in AI and automation tools and how they can improve financial operations

• Understands VAT basics and financial compliance in a Dutch context

• Communicates clearly in English (Dutch is a plus)

Commitment & Duration:

• Part-time: 2-3 days per week

• Initial contract: 3–6 months

• Junior-level role

• Scope and hours may expand after the initial contract

At Polarsteps, we believe the best products are built by people as diverse as the travelers using our apps! That's why we specifically encourage people underrepresented in the tech industry to apply for a role with us. Because we believe that diversity - be it age, race, sexual orientation, physical ability, ethnicity, or gender identity - makes both the world and the workplace better.