Project Coordinator III | Financial Operations, Budgeting & AI Automation

We are seeking an experienced Project Coordinator III to support financial operations, spend governance, budgeting, forecasting, and process optimization within a leading technology company's hardware engineering organization. This highly visible role partners directly with engineering leaders, finance stakeholders, procurement teams, and senior management to manage budgets, analyze spending trends, develop actionable financial insights, and improve operational efficiency. The ideal candidate brings a strong foundation in financial operations and data analytics, combined with excellent stakeholder communication skills and practical experience leveraging AI and automation to streamline business processes. This is not a traditional administrative project coordination position. The role combines hands-on financial analysis and reporting with process improvement, change management, and AI driven workflow optimization. Key Responsibilities Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting - Support annual and quarterly budgeting and forecasting cycles for engineering and hardware development teams. - Track operating expenditures (OpEx), capital expenditures (CapEx), budget commitments, and actual spending against forecasts. - Analyze financial data, identify spending variances, and provide actionable insights and recommendations to leadership. - Audit budget submissions, validate data accuracy, and identify financial risks and opportunities. - Coordinate monthly accrual processes, including validating purchase orders, outstanding commitments, and received goods or services. Reporting, Analytics & Executive Communication - Develop and maintain weekly and monthly financial reports, dashboards, and spending summaries. - Build financial models and reporting tools using advanced Excel or Google Sheets functionality. - Create data visualizations and executive dashboards using Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or comparable BI platforms. - Translate complex financial data into clear recommendations for directors and senior stakeholders. - Collaborate with budget owners to identify spending challenges, resolve discrepancies, and improve resource allocation. AI Automation & Process Improvement - Identify opportunities to streamline budgeting, reporting, and financial operations through AI and automation. - Develop reusable AI agents, assistants, prompts, and automated workflows to improve efficiency and reporting accuracy. - Support the implementation of new processes, tools, and operational improvements. - Partner with cross-functional teams to drive adoption of new workflows and scalable solutions. - Apply analytical thinking to improve existing business processes and reduce manual effort. Cross Functional Collaboration & Project Coordination - Serve as a trusted resource for engineering leaders and budget owners regarding spending, forecasts, and financial processes. - Partner with Procurement, Sourcing, Accounts Payable, and Program Management teams. - Track action items, coordinate follow-ups, and ensure timely resolution of outstanding issues. - Support stakeholders through complex planning cycles while maintaining accuracy and meeting critical deadlines. Required Qualifications - 5+ years of professional experience in financial operations, spend tracking, budgeting, forecasting, or resource and capacity analysis. - Strong hands-on experience analyzing financial data and developing financial reports for business stakeholders. - Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, lookups, and financial modeling. - Experience developing dashboards and visualizations using Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or similar business intelligence tools. - Practical experience with prompt engineering, AI agents, or workflow automation tools to improve business processes. - Demonstrated ability to prepare and present financial analysis, findings, and recommendations to directors or senior leadership. - Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify trends, investigate financial discrepancies, and recommend improvements. - Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational skills, and attention to detail. - Ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, and proactively drive deliverables to completion. - Experience handling confidential financial, vendor, and resource information. Preferred Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering, Business Analytics, Data Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field. - Financial operations or spend governance experience supporting engineering, hardware, research and development, or manufacturing organizations. - Exposure to consumer electronics development and New Product Introduction (NPI) processes. - Experience working within large technology or consumer hardware organizations. - Experience implementing new operational processes, workflow improvements, or change management initiatives. - Professional certifications in data analytics, business intelligence, SQL, or related disciplines. Why This Opportunity? This opportunity offers direct exposure to engineering directors and senior leadership within a major technology organization. You will have the opportunity to influence financial decisions, optimize spending across hardware development initiatives, and help shape how AI and automation are integrated into critical business operations. The role offers a unique blend of financial analytics, strategic stakeholder engagement, and emerging AI technologies, making it an excellent opportunity for professionals who enjoy working with data while driving meaningful operational improvements. Location: Hybrid - Sunnyvale, CA Role type: Contract 2 months (strong possibility for extension) Expected hours: 40 per week Benefits: - Dental insurance - Health insurance - Health savings account - Life insurance - Paid time off - Retirement plan - Vision insurance Schedule: - 8 hour shift - Monday to Friday (Extended schedule as needed Saturday-Sunday) Application Question(s): - Do you or will you in the future require any sponsorship to work in the US? Language: - English (Required)