Finance Specialist at Principles of Intelligence

Principles of Intelligence employs staff and fiscally sponsors researchers in the U.S. and U.K. working on high-impact AI safety research. We are hiring a Finance Specialist to lead the team’s payroll administration, financial record-keeping, and budget monitoring. This position will work closely with the Operations team and the Compliance lead to ensure the organization’s financial operations run accurately and on time across a team spanning the U.S. and U.K.

Position Details

Location: Remote. This role will be expected to come to Belgrade, Serbia, for three weeks in September for onboarding, after which the work will be remote.

Visa / Work authorization: The role is fully remote and we can employ candidates in whichever country they have a residency in, with a few exceptions.

Type: Full-time.

Start date: August 2026.

Salary range: Salary is dependent upon location and experience. Our estimated range is $60,000-$65,000 gross, but may be higher for truly exceptional candidates who can grow into director of Finance roles quickly.

Core Responsibilities - Maintain accurate books in Xero, including bank reconciliations, transaction coding, and month-end close - Prepare monthly and quarterly management accounts and financial reports for leadership and the board - Manage accounts payable using Ramp and Mercury, including bill processing, expense review and reimbursements, and payment runs - Produce grant financial reports and maintain budget tracking by funder, ensuring compliance with restricted fund requirements - Lead audit preparation and serve as the primary contact for external auditors - Maintain and improve internal financial controls and documented procedures - Work collaboratively with external finance support to fill knowledge gaps and ensure best practice across the finance function

This role is fully remote, so we’re looking for people who can thrive in an async environment and are genuinely excited to work on AI safety.

Requirements

You are ideal for the role if: - You are excited to take a rapidly growing organization through professionalization of accounting, setting up processes such that scientists can do their good work while we take care of the rest. - You are proactive in pointing out problems and want to create systems that can work through the growth. - You can grow into leading our accounting team once we need to hire more accountants. - You know how both the US and UK systems work well enough to run our accounts for both of our entities. - You prioritize impact over “how things were done before” and have an understanding of the needs of a rapidly growing org that cares about impact instead of profits. (Ideally) - You worry about AI risks but know how to use AI responsibly to make systems work better, or are interested to learn this skill.

Must have - At least 2 years in a finance, accounting, or financial management role - Strong working knowledge of US non-profit financial compliance, including tax and regulatory requirements - Proficiency in Xero, including bookkeeping, financial reporting, and fund accounting - Experience managing restricted and unrestricted grant budgets, producing funder reports, and maintaining accurate grant schedules - Comfort owning the finance function end-to-end — this is a sole finance role, and you will be the primary point of accountability for financial operations and reporting - Strong attention to detail and clear written communication

Great to Have - CPA or CMA, or equivalent accounting qualification - Familiarity with financial compliance obligations such as Form 990, state registrations, CT600, 1099s, W-9/W-8 collection - Experience with Ramp or a similar AP/expense platform (Concur, Airbase, Airwallex) - Prior experience leading or closely supporting an external audit - Experience improving finance workflows, implementing new tools, or building controls from scratch - Hands-on payroll experience in the US

Benefits and Salary Your starting salary range depends on role, prior experience, and location. Our estimated range is $60,000-$65,000 gross.

Our benefits include: - Time off: 4 weeks of paid holiday per year, plus additional personal time off. - Flexible working hours: Flexible working hours with an emphasis on outcomes and reliable coordination with teammates. - High ownership & autonomy: A high-trust environment where you’ll own your work end-to-end, with meaningful responsibility and room to improve systems. - Employment type: We’re open to either full employment or a contractor arrangement, depending on location and candidate preference. - Team meetups: We get together in person 3-4 times a year for focused work time, great conversations, and the kind of momentum you only get when the whole team is in the same room.

Application Process

Application: Submit an application by July 19.

Screening call: Attend a brief screening call, where you’ll have the chance to ask questions about the role.

Interview: Attend a remote interview to assess strategic thinking and team fit.

Work trial: Attend a paid, remote work trial where you’ll spend the day meeting the team and completing strategic assessments.

Team interviews: Attend one/two additional interviews with the team.

References: Share references who can comment on your aptitudes. Good references can notably strengthen your application.