Fleet Business Operations Specialist - Saildrone

About Us

At Saildrone, we sustainably explore, map, and monitor the oceans to understand, protect, and preserve our world. We provide real-time access to critical data from any ocean on earth, 24/7/365, and use proprietary software applications to transform that data into actionable insights and intelligence. Our fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), powered by renewable wind and solar power, have a minimal carbon footprint and operate without the need for a crewed support vessel.

Saildrone works with governments, civil agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas—from sailing into the eye of a category 4 hurricane to obtain new data about how storms intensify, collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, and counting fish biomass to inform sustainable fishery management, to mapping the ocean floor and reducing illegal fishing and drug trafficking. As a result of our work, we have been included on TIME's List of the 100 Most Influential Companies in 2024, Fast Company’s list of the "World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022," and earned the Ocean Awards’ Innovation Award, presented by the Blue Marine Foundation. Saildrone's hurricane mission was included as one of The New York Times' "Top 21 Things that happened (for the first time) in 2021" and Popular Science's "100 Greatest Innovations of 2021," and entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for recording the "highest windspeed recorded by a USV."

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate our missions worldwide. Saildrone is backed by top-tier investors in the frontier tech and sustainability sectors, including Social Capital, Capricorn, Lux Capital, BOND Capital, and Emerson Collective.

This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services and autonomous hardware. You will be an integral part of a high-performing multi-disciplinary team that delivers high impact for humanity and future generations.

The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Business Operations Specialist supporting Drone Fleet operations with a focus on finance, utilization, and planning to join our dynamic team. This role will be responsible for optimizing financial operations, streamlining processes, and supporting the operational health of the drone fleet. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in finance, business analysis, and operational management, with the ability to work cross-functionally to enhance the company's overall efficiency and profitability.

The business operations specialist will create and manage all purchase orders required to support fleet and field teams, globally. They will also work to align all spending to budget accounts and track accuracy of spending across multiple projects and missions. In addition, the person will work to track drone utilization metrics, measuring against defined KPI’s and tracking and managing drone communication costs through multiple sources.

This role reports into Fleet Operations Director.

Responsibilities

• Financial Operations Management:
  • Oversee day-to-day financial operations of the fleet organization, including budgeting, forecasting, PO creation, invoice approvals, and cost reconciliation.
  • Manage Corporate Credit Card spending and align with required tracking tools for proper cost accounting.
  • Support the finance team in maintaining accurate and timely financial reporting and cost accounting.
  • Monitor key financial metrics, analyze variances, and assist in the preparation of financial statements.
  • Setup new vendors into Netsuite.
    
    
• Process Improvement:
  • Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce costs within financial operations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline workflows and enhance financial controls.
  • Lead or participate in finance-related system implementation or upgrades, ensuring alignment with business needs.
    
    
• Strategic Support:
  • Drone Utilization Tracking: monitor and update drone tracking tools which capture the functional drone utilization for a mission life cycle. Create reports to senior leadership regarding defined KPI’s related to drone health and mission success.
  • Manage drone communications tracking and invoicing related to all communication and data transfer systems from the drone via satellite based systems (Certus & Starlink).
  • System Administrator: Help administer some of the operational systems used by the department. Set-up and maintain processes in our ERP (Netsuite), administer our fleet management system (Fleetio), and technician work hour tracker (Harvest) for time tracking.
  • Work closely with senior leadership to align financial operations with company goals and strategies.
  • Provide recommendations on business strategies based on financial performance analysis.
    
    
• Compliance and Risk Management:
  • Ensure adherence to financial regulations, internal controls, and company policies, working with Financial teams.
  • Identify potential risks in financial operations and recommend mitigation strategies.
    
    

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Operations Research, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in financial operations, business analysis, or a similar role.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data.
• Proficiency in financial software (ERP systems, Netsuite, SAP) and advanced MS Excel skills.
• Experience with process improvement initiatives, related to business administration processes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management abilities.
  
  

Key Competencies

• Strong financial acumen and business operations knowledge.
• High throughput administrator of financial and operational processes
• Ability to work independently and take initiative in a fast-paced environment.
• Strategic thinker with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Collaborative team player with a solution-oriented mindset.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to work in an office and manufacturing environment.
• Able to sit for periods of time working at a desk and computer.
  
  

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. Even our walls have good karma, our offices mix software development with a hardware production line in the former airplane hangar used to film 'The Matrix'.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents.
• Short and relaxing ferry ride from the Ferry Building for SF residents
• Enhanced Parental Leave Programs
• Competitive benefits including excellent medical, life insurance, 401k plan
  
  

Catch up on the latest news about us:

The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea – The New York Times
TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2024: Saildrone
An Underwater Mountain was Newly Discovered off California Coast – San Francisco Chronicle
Hacking the Anthropocene with Survivalist Robots [VIDEO] – Freethink
An Unprecedented View Inside a Hurricane – EOS
Saildrone’s First Aluminum Surveyor Autonomous Vessel Splashes Down for Navy Testing – TechCrunch
USVs Could Deter IUU Fishing – USNI Proceedings
Saildrone Vehicles Track Whales around Offshore Wind Power – Workboat
Mullen, Former Joint Chiefs Chairman, to Lead Board for Unmanned Tech Firm Saildrone – Breaking Defense
The Navy Is Using Robot Ships to Deter Human Smuggling out of Haiti – Defense One
Saildrone's Quiet Voyage: Autonomous Vehicle Aids Great Lakes Fish Stock Study – Up North Live
Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

At Saildrone, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that a diverse and inclusive team leads to innovation and better problem-solving. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, disabilities, and backgrounds.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

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