The AI Automation Engineer - Finance & Accounting applies AI to finance operations at Cengage to reduce cost, increase accuracy, and eliminate manual work from AP, AR, reconciliation, and financial reporting workflows. You will partner directly with the Controller, FP&A, and Procurement teams to identify and deliver high-value automation opportunities.

This role demands a rare combination: the technical chops to build production AI automation, the financial fluency to understand GL accounts and reconciliation logic, and the rigor to build audit-ready, controls-compliant systems. The ideal candidate has delivered finance automation in a public company or regulated environment and knows where the landmines are.

Key Responsibilities

Finance Operations AI Automation

• Automate accounts payable and accounts receivable processing including invoice capture, matching, and approval
• Build reconciliation automations across GL, bank, credit card, and intercompany accounts
• Develop expense report processing, policy compliance checking, and anomaly detection systems
• Create procurement automations for PO generation, vendor onboarding, and spend categorization
• Implement AI-powered financial close acceleration and journal entry automation

Controls, Compliance & Audit Readiness

• Ensure all finance automations meet SOX, internal controls, and audit documentation requirements
• Partner with Internal Audit and Controllership on design reviews and control attestation
• Build comprehensive logging, lineage, and traceability into every automation
• Implement segregation-of-duties and approval workflows correctly in every design
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and evidence of all deployed workflows

Measurement & Financial Impact

• Track manual hours eliminated, cost savings realized, and processing time reductions
• Quantify error rate reduction and the controls impact of automation
• Partner with FP&A on ROI reporting and business case development
• Identify financial process inefficiencies through data analysis and stakeholder interviews
• Deliver weekly updates on automation performance, savings, and roadmap

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 4+ years of experience in finance automation, RPA, or software development for finance functions
• Strong proficiency in Python and SQL with experience building production automation
• Hands-on experience with LLMs and document AI (OCR, invoice extraction, intelligent document processing)
• Working knowledge of accounting principles, GL structures, and financial close processes
• Experience with at least one major ERP platform (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Workday Financials)
• Understanding of SOX controls, audit evidence requirements, and financial compliance
• Excellent communication skills to work with Controllers, FP&A, and Internal Audit

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AP automation platforms (Coupa, Tipalti, Bill.com, Stampli)
• Familiarity with RPA platforms (UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism)
• Background in public company finance environments with SOX compliance
• Experience with document AI services (AWS Textract, Azure Document Intelligence)
• CPA, CMA, or other finance certifications (or willingness to pursue)
• Background in EdTech, SaaS, or subscription business finance operations

Tools & Technologies

You should be comfortable with many of the following:

• Languages: Python, SQL, JavaScript/TypeScript
• AI/ML: OpenAI API, Anthropic API, AWS Textract, Azure Document Intelligence
• ERP: NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Workday Financials
• Finance Systems: Coupa, Tipalti, Bill.com, Concur, BlackLine
• RPA: UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Power Automate
• Data: Snowflake, PostgreSQL, Databricks

Key Competencies

• Financial Fluency - speaks the language of Controllers, FP&A, and auditors
• Controls Attitude - builds automations that strengthen rather than weaken controls
• Precision & Rigor - delivers audit-ready, documented, traceable systems
• ROI Focus - quantifies savings and efficiency in CFO-ready language
• Process Design - decomposes complex finance processes into automatable steps
• Compliance Awareness - understands SOX, audit, and regulatory requirements

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape AI at scale across a global learning company
• Direct impact on business outcomes, product, and workforce productivity
• Access to cutting-edge AI tools, platforms, and technologies
• Collaborative team environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits
• Professional development and learning opportunities

Compensation

At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards Philosophy.

The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location. Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.

In this position, you will be eligible to participate in the company's discretionary incentive bonus program. This position's bonus target amount, which is not guaranteed and is dependent on individual performance and overall company results among other factors, is provided below.

10% Annual: Individual Target

$150,000.00 - $200,000.00 USD