Business Operations Generalist

Constellation Institute; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 102,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthy meals

Unlimited snacks

Generous vacation

401(k) match

Commuter benefits

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Constellation Institute in Berkeley, CA is seeking a Business Operations Generalist to support accounting, finance, compliance, and audit processes while building scalable systems for a growing AI-safety focused ecosystem. You’ll balance compliance with organizational needs and coordinate with external auditors as needed.

The role emphasizes end-to-end ownership, risk spotting, and cross-functional collaboration, with a strong mission to enable safe AI development and operational excellence

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience in business operations, accounting, finance, or a related field; nonprofit experience preferred.
• Working knowledge in accounting and bookkeeping.
• Experience coordinating with external service providers.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, accounting software, and financial management tools such as QuickBooks Online and BILL.com.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping operations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Support Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable (incl. grant tracking).
• Manage inbound support requests and financial administration for programs.
• Support budgeting processes, cash flow reporting, and financial planning to inform organizational decision-making.

Skills

Accounting

Financial reporting

Nonprofit experience

Spreadsheet proficiency

Tools

QuickBooks Online

BILL.com

Job description

As a Business Operations Generalist, you’ll be part of the operational backbone ensuring we stay compliant, financially sound, and operationally excellent while enabling a growing team and ecosystem of people working on AI safety.

You’ll support accounting, finance, compliance, and audit processes with opportunities to lead specific areas and initiatives.Throughout, you'll build systems that scale without breaking. This role requires someone who can balance competing demands, proactively spot risks before they become problems, and is decisive when balancing compliance requirements with organizational and ecosystem needs.

You’ll be the bridge between the business operations team and the rest of Constellation, synthesizing input from many stakeholders and translating it into action. You’ll work in a community of intelligent and highly mission driven people operating at the technical frontier.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Finance

• Support day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping operations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Support Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable (incl. grant tracking)
• Manage inbound support requests and financial administration for programs
• Support budgeting processes, cash flow reporting, and financial planning to inform organizational decision‑making
• Prepare and file Form 990 and other required tax documentation
• Support the annual nonprofit audit process from start to finish, coordinating with external auditors

Process Building & Operational Excellence

• Build, document, and continuously improve operational processes across business functions
• Create systems that increase team capacity and reduce bottlenecks
• Support organizations in our network with services, such as finance and accounting
• Make thoughtful trade‑off decisions between compliance and organizational needs, clearly communicating the reasoning

Legal & Compliance

• Support broader Business Operations team in operationalizing compliance, such as materials distribution and review

About The Level

• Generalists own their day‑to‑day responsibilities end‑to‑end, resolve support requests reliably and efficiently, and identify improvements within their areas over time.
• Senior Generalists bring greater independence to their work, taking on more ambiguous or complex problems, contributing to how systems and processes are designed, and exercising stronger judgement on higher‑stakes issues.

Skills & Experience

• 4-6 years of experience in business operations, accounting, finance, or a related field; ideally with nonprofit business experience
• Working knowledge in accounting and bookkeeping
• Experience managing or coordinating with external service providers
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, accounting software, and financial management tools (e.g. Quickbooks Online and BILL.com)

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with nonprofit audits and tax filings (Form 990)
• Experience working as an accountant or bookkeeper
• Experience working in organizations under 200 people, ideally across different organizational stages
• Experience leading cross‑functional projects

You May Be a Good Fit If You

• Thrive in environments where you’re building systems while simultaneously running them
• Are reliable and organized
• Are highly conscientious and detail oriented, while also prioritizing practical organizational needs
• Are an active listener who asks clarifying questions and incorporates feedback to improve processes
• Have excellent verbal and written communication, and can adjust framing and tone depending upon the audience
• Notice when something looks off and speak up about potential risks
• Think quickly on your feet and handle sudden context changes or new tasks with flexibility
• Exercise discretion with sensitive and confidential information
• Flexible to grow in your duties with new organization‑level strategic direction
• Are driven by the importance of AI safety work and excited to enable the people doing it

Note: the compensation range below spans two different job levels.

Compensation & Benefits

The base pay range for this role is $102,000 – $158,000 per year.

Our benefits are hard to beat! They include:

• Healthy lunches and dinners catered by our amazing kitchen team
• Unlimited snacks & drinks
• Generous vacation policy
• 401(k) with employer match
• Employer-paid commuter benefits
• High‑quality health, dental, and vision insurance
• Friendly and supportive team
• Regular interaction with AI safety researchers and thought leaders

Additional Information

This is a full time, on‑site role. Our Berkeley office is a few steps from the nearest BART (metro) and bus stop. On‑site parking is also available.

The ideal candidate for this role will have some combination of the skills and experiences described above. If you are not sure if you are qualified, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway. Beyond the qualifications outlined, our priority is building a team that will help humanity safely navigate the development of transformative AI. If you would be excited to do this work, we’d love to consider you.

We value diversity in all respects and base our hiring decisions on the needs of the organization and individual qualifications. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age or disability.