Freelance Procurement & Budget Controller

About Toloka At Toloka AI we create data that powers leading GenAI models and innovations. We work with frontier labs, big tech, renowned AI startups, enterprises and non-profit research organizations worldwide. We use a combination of Experts + Crowd + Tech Platform to teach AI models to reason and evaluate their efficacy and safety. We have experts in more than 50 different domains—from doctors and lawyers to physicists and engineers—and boast one of the most diverse global crowds, representing over 100 countries and speaking 40+ languages. We are a well-funded startup with an enviable portfolio of clients including Anthropic, Amazon, Microsoft, Poolside, Recraft, and Shopify. Recently, we secured strategic investment led by Bezos Expeditions and Nebius Group with participation from Mikhail Parakhin, CTO of Shopify and board advisor to leading GenAI companies, who now serves as our Chairman of the Board. Our remote-first team is globally distributed around the world: USA, UK, the Netherlands, Serbia, and more. About the Position Toloka is looking for a Procurement & Budget Controller to own the end-to-end purchasing process and help keep company spending under control. The Procurement & Budget Controller will manage the full Purchase Order and vendor lifecycle in NetSuite, review expenses and contracts against budget and maintain the procurement policies and workflows that keep the process running smoothly. This role will also support month-end close by preparing accruals and reconciling purchasing-related transactions. What you’ll do Purchasing Operations • Manage the end-to-end Purchase Order (PO) lifecycle: PO creation, updates, Item Receipt processing, and reconciliation • Manage PO approval workflows • Manage vendor master data: Supplier creation, maintenance, and data validation in NetSuite; review and validate vendor banking details and financial master data • Coordinate supplier invoice processing and payments • Create and maintain items, GL accounts and other analytics in NetSuite • Develop and maintain internal process documentation and work instructions in Notion • Support audit and other finance-related ad-hoc requests • Work with business stakeholders and cross-functional teams to resolve operational issues and support smooth finance processes Budget Controlling • Control actual and planned spending against budget at the point of expense/contract approval, before sign-off • Analyze and maintain budget analytics (cost centers, categories, projects, etc.), ensuring spending is correctly classified and budget structures stay accurate and controllable • Implement and maintain cost controls, spend approval thresholds Procurement Process Management • Own and maintain the end-to-end procurement process (requisition → approval → PO → receipt → payment), defining clear steps, roles, and controls at each stage • Develop, update and maintain procurement policies and approval workflows; ensure they are followed and compliance requirements are met • Monitor process compliance, track deviations, and escalate where needed • Identify process gaps and inefficiencies and contribute to process improvements • Train and support internal stakeholders on procurement process, tools, and policy requirements Financial Reporting Support • Review and process Item Receipts at month-end, verifying that goods and services received during the reporting period, and preparing the related PO accruals for unbilled expenses • Prepare and validate monthly accruals for non-PO and project-related expenses • Support the monthly financial close, ensuring accurate recognition of expenses, accruals and project costs What we're Looking For • 5+ years of track record in finance roles • Deep expertise in Budget controlling & Procurement processes • Solid understanding of AP processes and month-end close (accruals, reconciliations) • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment • Working with NetSuite is a plus • Fluent English • Bachelor’s degree in Finance - or equivalent advanced degree • Big4 experience, ACMA/ FCMA/FCCA, is preferred [Important Notice] Scam Alert Regarding Fake Job Postings It has come to our attention that an individual or group is fraudulently impersonating Toloka to post fake jobs and solicit personal information from applicants. Please be aware: • Official Communication: Our recruiting team will only contact you from an official "toloka.ai" email address. We will NEVER use Gmail, Yahoo, Tolokainc, toloka.inc, or other personal or seemingly business email accounts. • Our Process: We will never ask for your bank account details, credit card number, or any fees as part of the application or interview process. • Official Listings: All legitimate job openings are posted on our official careers page: https://toloka.ai/careers#job-list What to do: If you see a suspicious job posting or have been contacted by someone you suspect is a scammer, please do not provide any personal information. Instead, report the incident to us directly at security@toloka.ai and report the profile/post to LinkedIn. We are taking this matter very seriously and are working with the appropriate parties to resolve it. Thank you for your vigilance! To learn how we collect, use, disclose, and store personal data, check out our Privacy Notice.