Accounting & Operations Specialist; Remote or Hybrid

Overview

Accounting & Operations Specialist - Catalyst Education

Build the Financial Backbone of a High-Growth EdTech Company

Catalyst Education is transforming how college science courses are taught—bringing high-quality digital learning tools to universities across the country. As demand grows, we're expanding our financial operations and hiring our first in-house Accounting & Operations Specialist to help build a scalable, and efficient finance function. This is a remote role, with a preference to those located in the Austin area or willing to relocate and work hybrid 2-3 days a week at our office in Hyde Park.

If you're someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, loves owning processes end-to-end, and wants visibility with executive leadership, you'll fit right in.

% Time

Individual Tasks

• 50% Month-End Close & Technical Accounting
  • Core Accounting:
    Prepare reconciliations, schedules, and journal entries to maintain a high-accuracy GL. While also owning AP/AR and bank reconciliations.
  • The 7-Day Close:
    Support a 7-day monthly close process and assist with financial statement preparation and variance analysis.
  • Compliance:
    Maintain documentation for internal controls and provide support for tax compliance and reporting.
• 30% Revenue & Bookstore Operations
  • University Partnerships:
    Manage billing, invoicing, and collections specifically tailored to university partner requirements.
  • Access Programs & Bookstores:
    Navigate complex bookstore and institutional systems for product setup and payment resolution.
  • Vendor & Partner Management:
    Own vendor relationships and troubleshoot discrepancies with high-volume partners to ensure seamless service delivery.
  • Student Access Support:
    Help the support team troubleshoot student access code issues.
• 20% General Finance and Operations
  • Finance:
    Perform variance analysis on a monthly basis, and ad-hoc reporting projects to inform company leadership
  • Budgeting:
    Partner with People Ops and Financial Ops support budgeting, forecasting, and operational initiatives.

• Experience:
  
  2+ years of accounting experience (industry or public) with a strong understanding of GAAP. Sales and use tax experience is highly desired.
• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; a CPA or progress toward one is a plus.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, Pivot Tables) and experience with accounting systems like Quick Books Online. Familiarity with CRM platforms (Salesforce / Hubspot), is highly desired.
• Operational Mindset:
  Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are required. Experience in SaaS or EdTech, particularly with B2B/institutional Accounts Receivable, is highly desired.
• Communication:
  Ability to communicate clearly across technical finance teams and non-technical university partners.
• Growth Stage Agility:
  Ability to manage multiple priorities in a growing, fast-changing environment, while maintaining a high degree of ownership and professionalism.

• You enjoy improving systems, building structure where it doesn t exist yet and solving "operational puzzles".
• You are proactive, curious, and take pride in the accuracy of financial data, yet are not afraid to fix things others overlook.
• You are comfortable working directly with executive leadership in a fast-changing environment.

• Base Salary: $65,000 - $75,000 (DOE).
• Benefits:
  Health, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, and a home office stipend.
• Flexibility:
  Hybrid work schedule and flexible PTO.
• And more!

You won t be a cog in a 20-person accounting department. You ll be part of a small, passionate team building financial infrastructure for a rapidly scaling EdTech company. Your work will matter from day one—and you ll have room to grow as we grow.

If you want ownership, impact, and a meaningful role that shapes the future of learning, we d love to meet you.

Important Note:

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to undergo a background check, verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

This description is for reference only. It is not meant to provide an exhaustive description of the duties that may be required of an employee in this position. It does not create a contract between the Company and any employee.