About This RoleThe Manager, Payables & Spend Operations owns how Varda pays for things. You will run and rebuild accounts payable, own the corporate card program, and stand up expense and travel operations-then lead the small team that operates them.
This role is deeply hands-on. You will sit at the intersection of Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Pharma Operations, and you will be the person people call when a vendor needs to get paid, or a card needs to get coded. You will partner closely with Supply Chain on procure-to-pay, understand direct hardware and lab spend well enough to code it correctly, and help evolve the processes behind a spend footprint that is growing fast.
This is a full-time, exempt position in El Segundo, CA.
ResponsibilitiesAccounts Payable- Own end-to-end AP: invoice intake, coding, PO matching, approval routing, and posting in Business Central.
- Run the payment cycle (ACH, wire, check) with dual-approval controls and own month-end close, accruals, and subledger reconciliation.
- Manage CIP tracking, balance sheet coding, and fixed asset handoffs for capital and engineering spend.
- Maintain vendor master data, 1099 readiness, and the open invoice and receiver queues.
Supply Chain Partnership- Serve as Finance's counterpart to Supply Chain on the procure-to-pay flow: PO structure, receiving, inspection holds, and three-way match.
- Understand hardware and pharma R&D spend well enough to code it correctly-spacecraft components, machined parts, lab reagents, blanket POs-without asking.
- Bring aging and exception data to Supply Chain so fixes are driven by evidence.
Corporate Card, T&E & Travel- Own the corporate card program: provisioning, limits, policy, compliance, and month-end GL coding.
- Operate employee expense reimbursement and lead the future stand-up of a formal travel program.
Controls, Systems & Team- Write and maintain AP, card, and T&E policies; own audit support and cost pool accuracy across pharma and defense.
- Build spend visibility and automate coding, matching, and exception handling to reduce manual work.
- Lead and develop a small AP team with clear ownership, cross-training, and documented workflows.
Basic Qualifications- 7+ years in accounts payable or procure-to-pay; 2+ years managing people.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field, or equivalent experience.
- At least one full-cycle implementation of an AP, spend, or expense platform (Ramp, Coupa, Concur, Navan, or similar).
- Hands-on experience with CIP, capital projects, and fixed asset handoffs in a manufacturing or hardware environment.
- Working knowledge of PO-based purchasing, three-way match, and an ERP (Business Central, NetSuite, SAP, or similar).
- Solid understanding of AP-adjacent accounting: accruals, prepaids, inventory receipts, and project cost tracking.
- Proven ability to run a high-volume operation accurately while rebuilding it.
- Strong cross-functional communicator comfortable in a lean, fast-moving environment.
Preferred Skills and Experience- Aerospace, defense, hardware, or pharmaceutical/life sciences background-experience across both is especially valued.
- Familiarity with U.S. Government contracting requirements (FAR/DFARS, DCAA cost pools).
- Ramp administration and ERP integration experience.
- Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
- Experience standing up a corporate travel program.
- Startup or high-growth environment experience.
Compensation- Manager, Payables & Spend Operations: $130,000 - $170,000
- Base salary is determined by skills, experience, and performance. Eligible for stock options, long-term cash awards, and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
BenefitsConsider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.
Regular Full-Time Positions:Health & Wellness
- Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
- 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
- Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
- $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
- 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
- Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
- Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
Financial & Retirement
- Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
- 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
- $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires, if needed
Workplace Experience & Perks
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
- Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
- Complimentary EV charging
Intern Positions:Health & Wellness
- Paid observed holidays
- 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
- $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
- Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
Financial
- $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible
- Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible
Workplace Experience & Perks
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
- Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
- Complimentary EV charging
