External Affairs Operations Specialist

External Affairs Operations SpecialistThe External Affairs Operations Specialist is responsible for coordinating and executing the core operational processes that enable the Qcells External Affairs function to operate effectively, accurately, and at scale. The role manages department workflow across budget administration, financial processing, sponsorship operations, procurement coordination, stakeholder materials, reporting, and operational readiness. This position serves as a key cross-functional partner to External Affairs, Finance, Treasury, Procurement, and other internal teams to ensure requests move efficiently from initiation through approval, payment, reconciliation, and closeout.The ideal candidate is highly organized, process-oriented, analytical, and accountable, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, identify gaps, resolve issues, and improve operating processes. Success requires strong judgment, attention to detail, comfort working with financial and enterprise systems, and the ability to maintain disciplined records and reporting in a fast-paced manufacturing and corporate environment.Key ResponsibilitiesExternal Affairs Operations & Process ManagementOwn and coordinate day-to-day External Affairs operational workflows, ensuring requests are prioritized, documented, routed, and completed on schedule.Maintain operating processes, trackers, calendars, templates, procedures, and documentation that support consistent department execution and visibility.Coordinate department procurement and resource needs, including office supplies, PPE, meeting materials, stakeholder materials, and other operational requirements.Monitor open action items, pending approvals, payment requests, and operational dependencies; proactively resolve issues or escalate delays as needed.Coordinate operational requirements for special projects, stakeholder visits, and leadership priorities while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, controls, and service delivery.Financial Operations, Controls & Treasury CoordinationServe as a primary operational liaison between External Affairs and Finance, Treasury, Procurement, and Accounts Payable for department financial activity.Initiate, track, and manage department requests through Cleverse and other applicable enterprise systems from submission through completion.Validate required documentation, coding, approvals, and supporting materials before financial requests are submitted.Coordinate check requests, invoices, purchase requests, sponsorship payments, reimbursements, and other transactions; monitor status and resolve exceptions or delays.Maintain auditable transaction records and apply department procedures and internal controls to ensure expenditures are properly authorized, documented, and aligned with approved budgets and company requirements.Budget Management, Reconciliation & ReportingMaintain the External Affairs operating budget, expense trackers, commitments, and supporting documentation.Track actual and committed spend against approved budgets and flag variances, risks, or forecast concerns for leadership review.Lead monthly and periodic reconciliations, research discrepancies, and coordinate resolution of coding, documentation, or payment issues with Finance and responsible team members.Prepare recurring budget summaries, spend reports, payment status reports, and other operational reporting for the Head of External Affairs.Support annual planning, forecast updates, accruals, and year-end close activities while maintaining accurate records of invoices, purchase requests, payments, sponsorships, and other External Affairs costs.Sponsorship Operations & GovernanceManage the end-to-end operational process for approved sponsorships, from documentation intake and internal routing through payment and record closeout.Confirm required approvals, supporting materials, payment details, and compliance documentation are complete; prepare and track sponsorship payments through completion.Maintain the official sponsorship database, including organization, amount, approval date, payment status, event/program date, internal requestor, and supporting documentation.Maintain historical sponsorship records and produce reports and basic analysis to support reconciliation, audits, planning, leadership updates, and investment visibility.Follow up with internal stakeholders on missing information, pending approvals, or unresolved payment requirements to keep sponsorships on schedule.Stakeholder Engagement OperationsCoordinate operational support for government, community, business, customer, and other external stakeholder engagements.Manage inventory, ordering, distribution, and replenishment of Qcells stakeholder gifts, promotional items, and branded materials.Maintain appropriate controls and records for stakeholder materials, including quantities, usage, and availability.Coordinate logistical and operational requirements for stakeholder meetings, visits, events, sponsorship activations, and External Affairs programs.Partner with internal teams to ensure materials, payments, approvals, and other operational needs are completed in advance of key engagements.Cross-Functional Coordination & Continuous ImprovementBuild effective working relationships across External Affairs, Finance, Treasury, Procurement, Legal, Marketing, site operations, and other business functions.Act as a central point of coordination for operational questions, documentation, and status updates related to External Affairs business processes.Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, checklists, trackers, and process documentation for recurring workflows.Recommend practical improvements that reduce cycle time, strengthen accuracy, improve visibility, or simplify team processes.Support department readiness for internal reviews, audits, leadership reporting, and other requests requiring organized and traceable records.Qualifications• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Operations, Communications, Public Affairs, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.• 2-4 years of experience in business operations, financial coordination, project coordination, procurement, program operations, or a related field preferred.• Demonstrated experience managing operational workflows, tracking multiple concurrent requests, and driving items to completion.• Experience with invoices, purchase requests, check requests, budgets, reconciliations, or other financial processes strongly preferred.• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.• Ability to interpret process requirements, identify missing information, and independently resolve routine operational issues.• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with multiple internal stakeholders.• Ability to manage confidential or sensitive business information appropriately.• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams; strong Excel capability preferred.• Experience with financial management, procurement, workflow, or payment-processing systems preferred.• Experience with Cleverse or similar enterprise systems is a plus.Key Competencies• Operational ownership and execution• Process management and continuous improvement• Financial accuracy and controls• Budget tracking and reconciliation• Project and workflow coordination• Data integrity and reporting• Problem-solving and issue resolution• Cross-functional collaboration• Stakeholder service and responsiveness• Prioritization and time management• Follow-through and accountability• Confidentiality and professional judgment• Flexibility and adaptabilityWork Requirements• Full-time position based at the Qcells Cartersville facility.• Required to work onsite five days per week.• Ability to support stakeholder visits, meetings, events, and External Affairs activities as needed.• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing and corporate environment with changing priorities and deadlines.Success in This RoleThe External Affairs Operations Specialist will be successful by creating disciplined, reliable operating processes that keep External Affairs activities moving efficiently. Success includes timely and accurate financial processing, strong budget visibility, complete sponsorship records, well-managed stakeholder resources, consistent follow-through on approvals and open items, and continuous improvement of department workflows. The role should enable the External Affairs team to spend more time on strategic stakeholder engagement by ensuring the operational infrastructure behind the function is accurate, responsive, and well controlled. Q-Cells