Strategic Finance & Business Operations

About HappyRobot

HappyRobot is the infrastructure for enterprises to build and orchestrate AI workforces. Our AI workers don't just communicate - they make decisions, take action, and run operations autonomously across voice, email, and enterprise systems. Born in Y Combinator (S23) and backed by a16z and Base10 with over $60M raised, we power critical operations for global enterprises worldwide.

Our platform is battle-tested in the most demanding environments - where AI has real consequences. We started in logistics, built our own voice stack, models, and orchestration layer from the ground up, and are now bringing that infrastructure to every enterprise that runs the real economy. Learn more about our vision in our manifesto.

About the Role

We are hiring our first Strategic Finance & Business Operations hire to help build the finance function from the ground up and drive high-impact projects across the business. This is a foundational role equal parts strategic finance leader and operator, splitting time between strategic finance (50%) and project-based business operations (50%).

You will report directly to the Head of Finance and work alongside the founders and leadership team. We are looking for someone who combines the analytical rigor of investment banking or private equity with the scrappiness and speed of an early-stage operator. You should be the kind of person who can build a three-statement model on Monday and negotiate a vendor contract on Thursday.

This is not a back-office role. You will be in the room where decisions are made, armed with the data and frameworks to shape them.

What You Will Do

Strategic Finance (50%)

• Build dashboards and reporting that give leadership real-time visibility into revenue, burn, unit economics, and key operating metrics
• Own financial planning and analysis including annual planning, rolling forecasts, and headcount modeling
• Support fundraising, investor relations, and strategic transactions such as M&A and partnerships with data-driven analysis and materials
• Develop and maintain the financial infrastructure needed to operate efficiently as we scale from Series B toward growth stage

Business Operations (50%)

• Take on high-priority, ambiguous projects that move the needle: pricing strategy, market analysis, new market entry, partnership evaluation, sales compensation design, or whatever the business needs most
• Build operational infrastructure and processes as the company scales: the systems, workflows, and playbooks that do not exist yet
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Engineering to bring financial and analytical rigor to business decisions
• Drive procurement, vendor evaluation, and cost optimization across the company
• Identify and solve operational bottlenecks before they become problems

Who You Are

• 2 to 5 years of experience with a strong foundation in investment banking, private equity, or consulting, followed by experience at a high-growth technology company (Series A to D preferred)
• You have built financial models extensively. Excel and Google Sheets are extensions of your brain
• You thrive in ambiguity. You do not need a playbook. You write the playbook
• High agency, low ego. You will build a board deck in the morning and chase down a missing invoice in the afternoon. No task is beneath you
• Exceptional judgment and prioritization. You know the difference between what is important and what is urgent
• Strong communicator who can distill complexity into clear, actionable recommendations for founders and leadership
• SQL proficiency required. Python or BI tools are a plus
• Comfortable operating with incomplete information and making decisions at speed
• You take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. When you see a problem, you fix it

Why This Role

• First strategic finance hire: you will define how this function operates and set the foundation for the team you will eventually build
• Direct access to founders and the leadership team. Your work will directly influence company strategy
• High-trust, low-ego environment where impact matters more than titles
• Join a category-defining company in a massive, underserved market at exactly the right moment: post-Series B, enterprise traction proven, and scaling rapidly
• Competitive compensation including base salary, equity, and benefits

Why join us?

• Opportunity to work at a high-growth AI startup , backed by top investors.
• Rapidly growing and backed by top investors including a16z, Y Combinator, and Base10.
• Ownership & Autonomy - Take full ownership of projects and ship fast.
• Comprehensive Benefits - Healthcare, dental, vision coverage.
• Top-Tier Compensation - Competitive salary + equity in a high-growth startup.
• Work With the Best - Join a world-class team of engineers and builders.

Our Operating Principles

Extreme Ownership

We take full responsibility for our work, outcomes, and team success. No excuses, no blame-shifting - if something needs fixing, we own it and make it better. This means stepping up, even when it's not "your job." If a ball is dropped, we pick it up. If a customer is unhappy, we fix it. If a process is broken, we redesign it. We don't wait for someone else to solve it - we lead with accountability and expect the same from those around us.

Craftsmanship

Putting care and intention into every task, striving for excellence, and taking deep ownership of the quality and outcome of your work. Craftsmanship means never settling for "just fine." We sweat the details because details compound. Whether it's a product feature, an internal doc, or a sales call - we treat it as a reflection of our standards. We aim to deliver jaw-dropping customer experiences by being curious, meticulous, and proud of what we build - even when nobody's watching.

We are "majos"
Be friendly & have fun with your coworkers. Always be genuine & honest, but kind. "Majo" is our way of saying: be a good human. Be approachable, helpful, and warm. We're building something ambitious, and it's easier (and more fun) when we enjoy the ride together. We give feedback with kindness, challenge each other with respect, and celebrate wins together without ego.

Urgency with Focus
Create the highest impact in the shortest amount of time. Move fast, but in the right direction. We operate with speed because time is our most limited resource. But speed without focus is chaos. We prioritize ruthlessly, act decisively, and stay aligned. We aim for high leverage: the biggest results from the simplest, smartest actions. We're running a high-speed marathon - not a sprint with no strategy.

Talent Density and Meritocracy
Hire only people who can raise the average; 'exceptional performance is the passing grade.' Ability trumps seniority. We believe the best teams are built on talent density - every hire should raise the bar. We reward contribution, not titles or tenure. We give ownership to those who earn it, and we all hold each other to a high standard. A-players want to work with other A-players - that's how we win.

First-Principles Thinking
Strip a problem to physics-level facts, ignore industry dogma, rebuild the solution from scratch. We don't copy-paste solutions. We go back to basics, ask why things are the way they are, and rebuild from the ground up if needed. This mindset pushes us to innovate, challenge stale assumptions, and move faster than incumbents. It's how we build what others think is impossible.

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