Jr Accounts Payable & Financial Operations Specialist

TCWGlobal•Sunnyvale, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Our client is a cutting-edge research lab focused on building, understanding, and responsibly deploying foundation models. They are globally focused University offering market-relevant AI degrees that prepare future leaders to apply cutting-edge research to real-world challenges. The team is seeking a hands-on Finance Operations Specialist to support day-to-day financial operations in a fast-paced, startup-style environment. This will be the first dedicated finance-focused hire on the team, supporting a growing organization where many financial processes are still manual and still being built out. The ideal candidate will be comfortable rolling up their sleeves, handling day-to-day financial operations, and helping create more structure as the organization scales. This is a highly operational, detail-oriented role focused heavily on: Accounts payable Invoice processing Expense tracking and reimbursements Budget tracking and financial reporting Spreadsheet management and financial documentation The team is looking for someone who is adaptable, proactive, collaborative, and comfortable working in a small but growing environment where processes are still evolving.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
2–5 years of experience in Accounting/ finance operations
Must have hands-on experience with: Accounts payable , Invoice processing, Expense tracking and reimbursements and financial documentation and reporting
Strong experience in Microsoft Excel and spreadsheet management
Understanding of basic accounting principles (GAAP)
Comfortable and experience working in a manual spreadsheet-heavy environment
Exposure to payroll reimbursements or finance-related payroll coordination (Not HR payroll, finance related payroll)
Experience supporting budgeting, financial tracking, and/or expense reporting
Comfortable working onsite five days per week in Sunnyvale
Experience working in a small growing company, startup, or fast-paced environment
Humble, collaborative mindset with a willingness to support different teams
Comfortable working closely with researchers, scientists, and cross-functional teams
No-ego, can do attitude and willingness to take ownership of tasks
Ability to adapt to evolving processes in a growing organization
Experience using collaboration tools such as: Microsoft Teams Outlook Zoom Slack

Nice To Haves

Experience working in startup, AI, biotech, or research lab
Familiarity with modern banking platforms such as Brex or Mercury
Exposure to shadow payroll or international payroll processes
Exposure to phantom stock or equity-related tracking

Responsibilities

Process vendor invoices, payments, and employee expense submissions accurately
Track invoices and payments using Excel spreadsheets and internal trackers
Review invoices and reimbursement requests for accuracy, approvals, and supporting documentation
Maintain organized accounts payable records and supporting financial documentation
Process employee reimbursements including travel and out-of-pocket expenses
Maintain vendor payment records and finance-related documentation
Maintain and update financial spreadsheets for budget tracking and reporting
Support monthly planned spend vs. actual spend reporting
Assist with financial reporting, reconciliation activities, and expense tracking
Maintain organized, audit-ready financial records and documentation
Support basic accounting and finance operational activities
Assist with transaction tracking, payment records, and banking-related documentation
Support company credit card expense tracking and reconciliation
Maintain accurate records for vendor payments and financial transactions
Support a highly manual, spreadsheet-heavy finance environment
Help improve and organize finance processes as the company grows
Maintain organized systems for invoices, vendor documentation, and financial records
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth financial operations