Institute of Foundation Models logo

Finance Operations Specialist

Posted about 1 month ago

OfficeSunnyvale, CA70k - 110k USD
### Key Responsibilities

 Manual Accounts Payable & Expenses

  • Invoice Processing: Manually intake, verify, and track all vendor invoices in a master spreadsheet.
  • Reimbursements: Process researcher travel and expense reports, ensuring all "out-of-pocket" spends are documented and repaid via payroll.
  • Vendor Setup: Maintain a "Vendor Master File" with W-9s and banking instructions to ensure we pay the right people.
  •  

    Budgeting & Financial Reporting

    • Variance Analysis: Maintain and update monthly financial spreadsheets comparing Planned Spend vs. Actual Spend to flag variances.
    • Runway Forecasting: Calculate and provide a vital monthly Cash Runway Report to ensure leadership has clear visibility into cash flow.
    • Data Integrity: Serve as the primary focal point for all financial data entry, ensuring clean, audit-ready records.
    •  

      Accounts Payable (AP) & Expense Management

      • Manual Invoice Processing: Manually intake, verify, and track all incoming vendor invoices within a master spreadsheet to ensure accuracy before payment.
      • Vendor Setup & Compliance: Maintain a comprehensive "Vendor Master File," collecting and organizing W-9s and banking/wire instructions.
      • Reimbursements & Travel: Process researcher travel and out-of-pocket expense reports, ensuring full documentation and compliance before coordinating repayment via payroll.
      •  

        Banking & Treasury Setup (Ground Zero)

        • Account Establishment: Research business banking options (e.g., Mercury, Brex, or traditional banks) and coordinate the paperwork (EIN, Articles of Incorporation) to open accounts.
        • Card Administration: Issue and monitor lab credit cards, setting manual spending limits and chasing down receipts for every transaction.
        • Cash Control: Actively reconcile petty cash and ensure rigorous oversight of all physical and digital funds.
        •  

          Contract & Document Management

          • Contract Repository: Build and maintain an organized digital repository of all vendor contracts, agreements, and financial commitments.
### Academic Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
  • Experience: 2–4 years of experience in accounting, bookkeeping, or finance operations (experience in a startup or research lab environment is a major plus).
  • Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in MS Excel / Google Sheets. Familiarity with modern banking platforms (Brex, Mercury) and payroll/accounting software is preferred.
  • Attributes: Extreme attention to detail, a high degree of integrity when handling confidential financial data, and the ability to thrive in an environment requiring manual process setup.
### Professional Experience
  • Minimum of 2- 3 years of experience in an office and administrative role.
  • Proven experience with basic accounting tasks, invoicing, and expense management.
Job details
Workplace
Office
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Salary
70k - 110k USD
per year
Institute of Foundation Models logo
Institute of Foundation Models
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Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is a graduate research university dedicated to advancing AI as a global force for good.

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