Finance and Operations Assistant

About the role

We are looking for a Finance and Operations Assistant to support the COO of a fast-growing AI-native fintech company building a client relationship companion for financial advisors. The company is in an active growth phase with a small, lean team moving quickly. The COO is building the financial and operational infrastructure from the ground up and needs a capable, detail-oriented operator to own that function alongside him. This role involves setting up systems from scratch—including QuickBooks, chart of accounts, bookkeeping processes, and payroll—rather than maintaining existing ones. As the foundation is established, you will own ongoing financial admin and support the COO with research, documentation, and operational tasks as the business scales.

The ideal candidate is comfortable with ambiguity, figures things out independently, and brings rigor and critical thinking to tasks. If you have strong QuickBooks experience, a solid grasp of bookkeeping fundamentals, and a proactive mindset that surfaces problems early, we’d like to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• QuickBooks Setup and Configuration
  • Set up QuickBooks as the company’s primary accounting system from scratch
  • Build out the chart of accounts and account structure tailored to the company’s needs
  • Configure QuickBooks settings to ensure accurate tracking of income, expenses, and liabilities
  • Set up payroll inside QuickBooks and establish a reliable payroll process
• Ongoing Bookkeeping and Financial Admin
  • Manage all bookkeeping entries on a weekly and monthly basis
  • Perform regular reconciliations to ensure financial records are accurate and up to date
  • Maintain organized and accurate internal financial records across all accounts
  • Prepare monthly financial summaries for the COO covering income, expenses, and anomalies
  • Flag discrepancies, unusual entries, or financial risks proactively
• Research and Operational Support
  • Support the COO with research tasks across evolving business needs
  • Validate and challenge AI-generated research output rather than accepting it at face value
  • Summarize research findings into clear, actionable briefs for the COO
  • Assist with internal documentation and ad hoc operational tasks as needed
  • Identify opportunities to automate routine financial or operational processes using AI tools like Claude or Perplexity

Requirements

Must Have

• Hands-on experience with QuickBooks, including setting up accounts and managing ongoing bookkeeping
• Solid understanding of bookkeeping fundamentals (chart of accounts, reconciliation, journal entries, financial reporting)
• Experience with payroll setup and processing, or a strong willingness to learn quickly
• Strong critical thinking—able to read AI output critically and validate before acting
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving early-stage environment where processes are still being built
• Highly detail-oriented with zero tolerance for errors in financial records
• Able to work independently with minimal oversight and surface issues proactively
• Strong written communication skills—clear, concise, and professional

Nice to Have

• Experience setting up QuickBooks or a similar accounting system from scratch for a new company
• Experience setting up payroll from scratch rather than inheriting an existing process
• Familiarity with AI tools like Claude or Perplexity for research and documentation
• Background in fintech, financial services, or early-stage startups
• Experience working with a COO or senior executive in a high-trust, low-oversight environment
• Exposure to financial reporting or investor reporting at an early-stage company