Director, Finance and Operations

Role Description

We are seeking a high-ownership and rigorous finance and operations leader to help architect the institutional backbone of a rapidly scaling AI-focused global development organization. This founding role will partner closely with the CEO and leadership team on financial strategy, organizational scaling, and operational infrastructure.

The right person thrives at the intersection of institutional rigor and startup pragmatism. You will:

• Establish high-caliber financial systems and reporting.
• Run analyses to drive strategic organizational decisions.
• Drive organizational spinout and setup.
• Design, procure, and oversee a lean, high-performing finance and compliance ecosystem.
• Enable our expansion.
• Drive high-leverage resource allocation.
• Build and own compliance infrastructure.
• Support governance and board operations.
• Manage legal affairs & contracting.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in finance, strategic operations, consulting, nonprofit leadership, startup operations, or related fields.
• Experience sourcing and managing outside counsel, accounting firms, auditors, insurance brokers, and payroll providers.
• Comfort operating at both strategic and operational levels.
• Strong written communication skills.
• CPA, JD, or equivalent professional credential strongly preferred.
• Experience with nonprofit finance, compliance, and 501(c)(3) environments strongly preferred.

Requirements

• High ownership mindset.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and early-stage environments.
• Collaborative and low-ego.
• Mission-aligned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits including international health care.
• HSA/FSA options.
• Life insurance and disability coverage.
• Retirement plans with a matching component.
• Generous and flexible leave options.
• Other employee perks on a reimbursement basis.

Company Description

We're at an inflection point in artificial intelligence – presenting both tremendous potential opportunity and risk for people in developing countries. Incubated at Evidence Action, we’re launching The AI Access Initiative, focused on scaling AI-enabled ‘big bets’ to benefit tens or hundreds of millions of people in poverty in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

We will operate at the intersection of global development actors, top AI labs, and leading researchers to drive meaningful access to the benefits of AI for the 3.5 billion people living in poverty globally.