Expense Operations Analyst

Description

Work Arrangement:
Hybrid: This role is categorized as Hybrid, 3 days a week based out of a GM Hub (Mountain View, CA, Austin, TX, or Warren, MI).

Role Overview

The Expense Operations Analyst will own the operational execution of expense management across the Autonomy organization.

This role is responsible for ensuring that organizational spend is accurately processed, governed, and aligned to approved budgets - acting as the connective tissue between engineering, business operations, and finance.

This is a highly cross-functional, execution-focused role, designed to ensure that expenses move smoothly from intent → approval → purchase → payment, while maintaining strong controls, visibility, and accountability.

• Own the operational execution of spend across the Autonomy org, ensuring expenses move cleanly from request → approval → purchase → payment

• Process and manage purchase orders, invoices, and vendor billing across a wide range of external partners

• Operate shopping carts, requisitions, and expense workflows within Ariba, SAP, and internal GM systems

• Partner with Engineering Business Managers and Chiefs of Staff to release funds tied to approved budgets and priorities

• Ensure spend is accurately categorized, tracked, and aligned to capital and operating allocations

• Maintain high standards of compliance with internal policies, approval hierarchies, and audit requirements

• Identify and resolve issues related to delayed payments, incorrect billing, or misrouted approvals

• Support senior leaders by executing spend on behalf of their organizations and providing real-time visibility into status

• Maintain clean documentation and audit-ready records across all expense operations

• Surface risks, inconsistencies, or process gaps in spend execution and recommend improvements

• Continuously improve workflows to increase speed, clarity, and reliability of expense operations

• Serve as the go-to subject matter expert for spend execution processes and tools within the Autonomy org

• Prior Experience and Education

• 3+ years of transferable experience
• Bachelors Degree strongly preferred, or relevant work experience

• Core Capabilities

• Strong experience in expense operations, financial operations, accounting operations, procurement operations, or similar execution-focused roles

• Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume, high-complexity spend workflows with accuracy and urgency

• Deep operational rigor with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through

• Proven ability to navigate enterprise financial systems and workflows (e.g., Ariba, SAP, or equivalent)

• Direct experience with public cloud provider billing systems (GCP preferred) and structures

• Systems & Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for tracking, reconciliation, and reporting

• Comfort operating across multiple enterprise tools and platforms simultaneously

• Ability to quickly learn and master new internal systems and processes

• Strong documentation and process-mapping skills

• Ability to partner effectively with cross-functional groups across Engineering, Business Operations, Chiefs of Staff, and Finance

• Clear, concise communicator who can translate complex processes into actionable guidance

• Comfortable interfacing with business leaders and supporting high-visibility spend needs

• Strong service orientation without sacrificing governance or controls

• Judgment & Ownership

• High integrity and strong sense of accountability around financial controls

• Sound judgment when navigating ambiguous or edge-case expense scenarios

• Ability to independently prioritize workload in a fast-moving, multi-threaded environment

• Proactive problem-solver who surfaces risks and proposes solutions, not just issues

• Operating Style

• Process-driven mindset with a continuous improvement orientation

• Ability to operate calmly and effectively under pressure and tight timelines

• Comfortable working across organizational boundaries without formal authority

• Bias toward action, clarity, and operational excellence