Jr Accounts Payable & Financial Operations Specialist, Sunnyvale

Jr Accounts Payable & Financial Operations Specialist
Location: Sunnyvale, CA ***** (Onsite local candidates only)
Duration: 36 month temp-to-perm (based on performance)
Pay Rate: $****/hr + Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)
Schedule: Onsite MondayFriday, 9:00 AM 5:00 PM (flexibility with start/end times)
About the Role
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.
Key Responsibilities
Accounts Payable & Expense Management
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
Financial Operations & Reporting
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
Banking & Payment Support
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
Process & Operational Support
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
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
25 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
Preferred / Bonus Qualifications
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
Additional Information
This is a highly operational role supporting a small but growing team
Many processes are still being built, so the ideal candidate must be comfortable helping create structure and organization
This role is intended to convert to permanent based on performance a brand-new role created for the right candidate!
Team culture values collaboration, flexibility, adaptability, and ownership
TCWGlobal is an equal opportunity employer.
We do not discriminate based on age, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religious belief, or sexual orientation.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment.
An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Important Candidate Safety Notice
This position has been verified and officially approved by TCWGlobal.
Please be aware that fraudulent recruiters and fake job postings may attempt to impersonate legitimate companies online.
For your protection:
Only trust communication from verified TCWGlobal representatives
Ensure a TCWGlobal recruiter is present on all official phone or video interviews
TCWGlobal will never request payment, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or sensitive banking information during the hiring process
Do not share sensitive personal information with unverified individuals or suspicious third parties
If you are unsure whether a posting or recruiter is legitimate, we encourage you to verify active opportunities directly through or by contacting ******
TCWGlobal is committed to protecting candidates and maintaining a safe, transparent, and professional hiring experience.