Project Coordinator

A global automotive company is seeking a highly organized and proactive Project Coordinator to support its Alliance Development (AD) team in Mountain View, CA. This role plays a critical part in enabling startup engagement, supporting internal operations, and coordinating innovation-focused initiatives. The position will also provide support for event-related activities led by the Senior Managing Director of Branding, Communications, and Strategic Partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal, Contract, and Vendor Coordination

• Support the execution of legal and contractual requests, including NDAs, Letters of Representation (LORs), MSAs, SOWs, event agreements, and related documents
• Act as a liaison between startups and internal Legal teams to facilitate document review and processing
• Coordinate vendor contracts with accelerator partners, deal flow partners, universities, and software/research providers

Event and Logistics Coordination

• Assist in planning and executing external events, sponsorships, internal workshops, and team activities
• Coordinate logistics including venue booking, catering, registration, and materials
• Manage purchase requests and payment processing in partnership with Business Operations

Deal Flow & Startup Research

• Support AD team with preliminary startup research and screening
• Conduct ongoing market research to identify new startup opportunities (targeting ~20 per week)
• Maintain accurate deal flow data within Salesforce and related tools
• Build knowledge of investment processes, business priorities, and startup ecosystem trends

Project Ownership & Operations Support

• Own and execute assigned projects, including events, tools, and process improvements
• Independently manage recurring coordination and administrative tasks
• Identify and escalate risks or blockers to ensure timely resolution
• Manage subscriptions for research and deal flow tools
• Provide support for budget tracking, expense reporting, and P-Card administration

Documentation & Reporting

• Support development and distribution of weekly activity updates and reports

Team & Cross-Functional Communication

• Facilitate communication between Alliance Development (AD) and Strategic Development (SD) teams
• Support collaboration across global teams, including bridging communication between Japan and North America

Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in project coordination, operations, contract/vendor coordination, event coordination, or a related field
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong communication skills across diverse teams and stakeholders
• Ability to navigate and support cross-cultural collaboration between Japan and North America
• Interest in or understanding of startup ecosystems, venture capital, and innovation landscapes
• Ability to connect market insights to broader business strategies

Bonus Skillset:

• Professional proficiency in both English and Japanese is highly preferred (written and verbal)
• Experience with project management or task-tracking tools preferred
• Familiarity with collaboration platforms (e.g., SharePoint, Confluence, Jira) preferred
• Experience with tools such as Salesforce, Crunchbase, and PitchBook preferred
• Experience or familiarity with startups, venture capital, corporate venture capital, or open innovation. 

Work Environment:

• Onsite role based in Mountain View, CA
• Standard business hours with occasional flexibility required
• Periodic early evening meetings to accommodate collaboration with teams in Japan