Financial Operations Manager

Avalanche Energy is a Washington-based startup building compact, deployable fusion systems through rapid hardware iteration. Rather than pursuing fusion as a single grid-scale outcome, Avalanche develops transportable fusion machines designed to be built, tested, and operated on short cycles, turning real hardware into steady progress. This approach enables near‑term applications that demand extreme energy density and endurance, starting with fusion neutron production for radioisotope power and other defense and space uses, while advancing the underlying fusion platform. Backed by U.S. government programs and a team experienced in delivering complex systems, Avalanche is focused on building fusion that runs in the real world, not just on paper. Avalanche might be a fit for you if: You bring structure to fast‑moving environments and take ownership of the financial operations that keep a company running. You have built and improved procurement, AP, and spend management processes - not just followed them. You are comfortable standing up internal controls, driving cross‑functional accountability, and making systems work at scale. You want to lead finance operations at a company where your decisions directly shape how the business grows. About the Role Avalanche Energy is hiring a Financial Operations Manager to lead the company’s end‑to‑end finance operations function, spanning procurement, accounts payable and receivable, cash management, corporate card and expense programs, and financial systems administration. This is a leadership role with direct accountability for building scalable processes, enforcing internal controls, and delivering reliable financial reporting as the company prepares for its next stage of growth. You will own the operational finance infrastructure: designing workflows, managing vendor and payment operations, overseeing spend compliance, and partnering with the Executive and Finance Team, Contracts Management Team, and cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure financial discipline across the organization. This is a high‑visibility position on a small finance team where operational leadership, judgment, and initiative matter more than hierarchy. Responsibilities Finance Operations Leadership Own and continuously improve the company’s financial operations framework, including procurement, payables, receivables, cash management, and spend compliance. Develop, document, and enforce standard operating procedures and policies across all finance operations workflows to ensure consistency, accuracy, and audit readiness. Serve as the operational finance lead in cross‑functional initiatives, partnering with Engineering, Supply Chain, Contracts, and Program Management to align spend activity with company priorities. Identify process gaps, recommend improvements, and drive automation opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce manual risk as the company scales. Procurement & AP Operations Manage the end‑to‑end accounts payable and receivable cycle: invoice receipt, three‑way match, coding, approval routing, and payment execution (ACH, check, wire). Oversee purchase order workflows initiated by employees in the spend management platform, ensuring proper coding, budget alignment, approvals, and policy compliance. Own vendor onboarding and lifecycle management: W‑9/W‑8 collection, banking verification, payment terms setup, record maintenance, and annual 1099 filing. Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor inquiries, payment status, and dispute resolution; elevate contract or deliverable disputes to the Contracts Manager. Manage the cash application of AP and AR settlements within the ERP system and support balance sheet reconciliations, investigating and resolving variances. Corporate Card & Expense Operations Administer the company’s corporate card program end‑to‑end: card issuance, spend limit configuration, cardholder policy enforcement, and program‑level reporting. Review card transactions for proper coding, receipt compliance, and adherence to spend policies; manage exception workflows and elevate violations to Finance leadership. Systems Administration Own the configuration and day‑to‑day administration of the company’s spend management platform, including coding rules, approval chains, integration settings, and reporting modules. Manage user access and permissions (onboard/offboard), monitor platform‑to‑ERP integrations, and troubleshoot sync errors to ensure data integrity across systems. Internal Controls & Compliance Design, implement, and maintain internal controls across procurement, payables, expense, and cash management processes to mitigate financial and operational risk. Support external audit preparation by maintaining organized documentation and ensuring process controls are operating effectively and in accordance with company policy. Assist with the preparation of various balance sheet account reconciliations and lead the investigation effort of discrepancies identified in a timely manner. Reporting & Analytics Produce and maintain regular reporting on AP aging, cash position, spend trends, and outstanding liabilities for Finance leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders. Analyze spend data to identify anomalies, budget variances, and cost‑saving opportunities; present findings and recommendations to the Executive and Finance Team. Build and refine dashboards and reporting templates that provide visibility into financial operations performance and support data‑driven decision‑making. Month‑End Close Support Run pre‑close syncs, chase outstanding receipts, resolve open coding exceptions, and ensure all procurement accruals are properly recorded. Prepare journal entries related to procurement, AP/AR, cash application, and expense activity; ensure accuracy and completeness before close deadlines. Coordinate with the accounting team to continuously improve close timelines and reduce reconciliation exceptions month over month. Required Qualifications 5+ years of progressive experience in accounts payable, procurement, or financial operations, with demonstrated ownership of end‑to‑end processes. Strong working knowledge of AP/AR processes, vendor management, purchase order workflows, and internal controls. Hands‑on experience administering a spend management or ERP platform (e.g., Ramp, Airbase, Coupa, NetSuite, or similar), including configuration, reporting, and integrations. Proven ability to design, document, and improve financial operations processes in a fast‑paced, evolving environment. High attention to detail with the ability to manage a high volume of transactions accurately while maintaining strong internal controls. Strong communication and cross‑functional coordination skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and drive accountability across teams. Desired Qualifications Experience at a high‑growth or venture‑backed company with evolving processes, controls, and compliance requirements. Experience building or scaling finance operations in preparation for increased audit scrutiny or public‑company readiness. Exposure to CapEx‑heavy environments (hardware, construction, manufacturing, or similar) with complex procurement cycles. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business; CPA or MBA a plus. Interest in or exposure to inventory management; the role may expand to support inventory tracking and asset management as the company scales. Additional Considerations Work arrangement: On‑site, Tukwila, WA. Travel: Minimal expected. Work authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States. Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits. 10 paid holidays and a company‑wide December holiday break. Generous paid vacation and sick time. Small, tight‑knit team with low barriers to action. Exposure to a wide variety of technical and operational challenges for hands‑on professional growth. Meaningful compensation in the form of stock / equity. We value people of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, and sexual orientations. We are an equal opportunity employer, and you do not need to match every listed qualification to apply. If you’re excited about building real systems and pushing fusion forward, we encourage you to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr