Epoch is looking for a Finance Specialist and Finance Manager to run our accounting and finance operations. You will work closely with our Head of Operations and Finance Operations Associate to manage finance operations, daily accounting and reporting, and financial oversight.

About the role

You'll inherit a finance system that has been recently rebuilt and documented end to end, with a growing layer of automation. Our team works in QuickBooks Online, and we use Mercury, Wise, and other tools. As we scale, we may also outgrow QuickBooks Online; evaluating and potentially leading a move to more sophisticated accounting software would be part of the Manager role.

The difference between the two levels is ownership. A Specialist executes all or part of the work below with review and direction from the Business Operations Lead. A Manager owns it end to end, including the audit and external provider relationships.

This role is fully remote, but we require at least 4 hours of overlap with PST working times. We invite anyone who is interested to apply, regardless of background, experience, or credentials. Please do not include a cover letter, photograph, or headshot of yourself, or any personal information that is not relevant to the role for which you're applying (including marital status, age, identity traits, etc.).

Applications are rolling.

Key Responsibilities

Managing finance operations
- Review payment requests and disburse payments such as honorariums, reimbursements to internals and externals, per diems, invoices, etc.
- Manage the vendor and contractor payment workflow, including payee onboarding and tax-form collection, and maintain the SOP library for finance procedures
- Manage Mercury and credit card operations, ensuring cardholders submit receipts, ensure compliance of expense policies, and that we properly code expenses according to policies
- Track and support various sub-budgets: team budgets, restricted grant budgets, tech stipends, and retreats
Managing daily accounting and reporting functions
- Keep our books accurate and current in QuickBooks Online: enter cash disbursements and receipts; implement and update dimensions, groups, and reports; and run our recurring journal-entry and close cycles
- Operate and improve our AI-assisted finance automations
- Coordinate with external accountants
- Invoice our clients, keep track of receivables, and issue annual financial forms, such as 1099s, 1042s, etc.
- Manage how Epoch's restricted and unrestricted fund balances are tracked, released, and reported to funders — restricted grants are a core part of our funding structure and this is central to the role
- Prepare the allocations and schedules that feed our audited financial statements and Form 990
- Produce monthly financial reports and management accounts
Providing financial oversight
- Prepare for and coordinate the annual audit: document compilation, schedules, and the day-to-day auditor relationship (owned at the Manager level)
- Own our financial SOPs and accounting policy, support internal controls and reconciliations, and build tools to forecast Epoch's financial standing
- Provide support with capital management strategies, with room to take on treasury and investment execution over time
- Manage relevant contractors and vendors, including external CPA firms (Manager level)
- Evaluate and potentially lead a future migration to more sophisticated accounting software (Manager level)

What we're looking for

2 or more years of experience in finance operations roles in a financially complicated non-profit, with multiple legal entities and restrictions on funds, or fast-paced environments such as high-growth start-ups
Understanding of nonprofit and multi-entity accounting, including restricted funds and GAAP compliance
Knowledgeable in bookkeeping / accounting, with hands-on QuickBooks experience
Comfortable taking ownership and operating with high agency
Comfort with AI tools and automation and enthusiasm for streamlining financial processes
Advanced knowledge and experience using Excel / Google Sheets
Highly organized and attentive to detail, yet able to navigate ambiguity and uncertainty
Interest in and understanding of Epoch AI's mission
Nice to have: Experience supporting or preparing for a nonprofit audit and Form 990

Additionally, for the Manager level

3+ years of relevant experience, including owning recurring close cycles end to end
Experience working directly with external auditors and managing accounting/bookkeeping providers
Nice to have: Experience implementing or migrating accounting platforms

If you don’t tick all these boxes but think you would be a great fit, please consider applying anyway!

Compensation & Benefits

Annual salary between $80,000 USD and $120,000 USD for Finance Specialist, $100,000 and $140,000 for Finance Manager, depending on location and experience.
Salaries are not restricted to USD, and contracts and payments are usually in local currencies. Conversions are based on one-year average exchange rates.
Fully remote environment, including flexible work hours.
Competitive global benefits program, including a comprehensive health insurance program—including supplemental benefits specific to a local country, as available and mandated by local law—and life insurance and a pension plan, if applicable in your country.
Generous paid time off (PTO), including no specific annual limit, with 30 days PTO per year protected, unlimited personal and sick leave, and 4 months paid parental leave for permanent staff with at least 12 months of tenure (prorated parental leave if less than 12 months).
A flexible and generous expense policy for you to spend on equipment and a large range of productivity tools or learning/development opportunities, including unlimited spending on AI tools, subject to regulations and manager approval.
Paid work trips, including 3 staff retreats per year and relevant conferences.
Access to our very well-equipped offices in Berkeley, California, including paid meals, snacks, gym, and more. All staff, independently of where they are based, have access to the office for at least 20 days each year.

Additional Information

While we welcome applicants from multiple countries, we prefer candidates who can overlap with UTC–8 (Pacific Time). We also prefer candidates who can travel: we hold three team retreats per year.

Please submit all of your application materials in English and note that we require professional level English proficiency.

Epoch is committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for you to thrive and do your best work. We’re committed to finding the best people for our team, so please don’t hesitate to apply for a role regardless of your age, gender identity/expression, political identity, personal preferences, physical abilities, veteran status, neurodiversity or any other background. Please email[email protected] if you have any questions about this role, accessibility requests, or if you want to request an extension to the application deadline. However, we will not review applications submitted to this email address; please submit your application through the link on this page.

About Epoch AI

Epoch AI is a research institute that investigates trends in machine learning and the economic consequences of AI. Our mission is to develop a comprehensive, publicly accessible knowledge base on AI that informs policymakers, industry leaders, and society at large.

We strive to achieve both rigor and accessibility to our work, as exemplified by some of our most successful projects, including our database of AI models and our AI trends dashboard. Our body of research includes our work on compute trends (IJCN 2022), data scarcity (ICML 2024), and algorithmic progress (NeurIPS 2024). You can read more about our work and mission on our website and in this Time profile.