Finance Operations Specialist

The Trust for Public Land; United States; Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

The Trust for Public Land is seeking a Finance Operations Specialist to support financial, administrative, data management, and compliance operations. This role reports to the Director of Accounting and works across departments to ensure accuracy, internal controls, and reliable data systems.

Responsibilities include retirement plan administration, financial reporting, data integrity, and HR/payroll coordination, with a focus on efficiency and risk reduction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, information systems, operations management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum three years of experience in operations, financial administration, data management, payroll support, compliance administration, or a related field.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, lookups, data validation, and analysis of large datasets.
• Demonstrated experience working with databases, data management systems, and recurring reporting processes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience maintaining confidential records and handling sensitive financial or employee information.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet recurring deadlines, and follow through on detailed administrative processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
• Familiarity with 403(b) retirement plans and employee benefits administration.
• Experience supporting payroll and timesheet processes.
• Experience with HR information systems, financial software, and database or reporting platforms.
• Familiarity with internal controls, risk management, audit preparation, and compliance tracking.
• Familiarity with leave of absence and pay integration
• Strong commitment to the organization’s shared values to effectively work across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support administration of the organization’s 403(b) retirement plan, including enrollment, contribution changes, payroll coordination, vendor communications, recordkeeping, and reconciliation.
• Support financial reporting, reconciliations, audits, and documentation requests as needed.
• Maintain organized, confidential records and ensure financial and administrative processes follow policies and procedures.
• Track deadlines, submissions, and documentation requirements for retirement plan administration.
• Complete Annual 1095-C health insurance filing via established filing software.
• Employee contact for leaves of absence and calculating pay integration with external insurance/state benefits.
• Maintain accuracy, integrity, and security of organizational data across databases and systems.
• Develop, maintain, and optimize complex Excel workbooks, including advanced formulas, pivot tables, lookups, data validation, and reporting tools.
• Identify data discrepancies, investigate root causes, and implement procedures to prevent recurring errors.
• Identify opportunities to automate routine reports, streamline data entry, and improve reliability and efficiency of existing systems.
• Support data collection and reporting for audits, compliance reporting, organizational planning, and internal reviews.
• Maintain compliance calendars, tracking systems, and documentation for policies and requirements.
• Monitor training compliance and maintain audit-ready records for reviews and audits.
• Assist in reviewing and documenting operational policies to promote consistency and risk reduction.
• Handle sensitive information with discretion and follow confidentiality and records-management requirements.
• Partner with HR to maintain accurate employee-related records and tracking systems.
• Coordinate admin processes across Finance and HR with clear ownership and timely communication.
• Support procedures for employee data updates, benefits administration, and related workflows.
• Support process improvements that strengthen Finance-HR coordination while maintaining separation of responsibilities.

Skills

Excel skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Cross-department collaboration

Communication skills

Multitasking

Confidential records handling

Payroll support

HRIS familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in business/finance/IT/ops

Tools

HR information systems

Databases

Data management systems

Reporting platforms

Payroll software

Job description

TPL’s Finance Operations Specialist supports the organization's financial, administrative, data management, and compliance operations to ensure accuracy, efficiency, accountability, and effective internal controls. Reporting directly to the Director of Accounting, with a dotted-line relationship to Human Resources, this role works across departments to maintain reliable systems, administer key operational processes, manage organizational data, and support risk management and regulatory compliance.

Essential Functions

Financial and Benefits Administration

• Coordinate and support administration of the organization’s 403(b) retirement plan, including employee enrollment, contribution changes, payroll coordination, vendor communications, recordkeeping, and reconciliation. Monitor the accuracy and completeness of retirement plan administration.
• Coordinate with Finance, HR, and third party vendors to resolve discrepancies and maintain accurate records.
• Support financial reporting, reconciliations, audits, and documentation requests as needed.
• Maintain organized, confidential records and ensure financial and administrative processes follow established policies and procedures.
• Track deadlines, submissions, and documentation requirements associated with retirement plan administration.
• Complete Annual 1095-C health insurance filing via established filing software.
• Employee contact for leaves of absence and calculating pay integration with external insurance/state benefits.

Data Management and Reporting

• Maintain the accuracy, integrity, consistency, and security of organizational data across databases, spreadsheets, and business systems.
• Develop, maintain, and optimize complex Excel workbooks, including advanced formulas, pivot tables, lookups, data validation, and reporting tools.
• Identify data discrepancies, investigate root causes, and implement procedures to prevent recurring errors.
• Identify opportunities to automate routine reports, streamline data entry, and improve the reliability and efficiency of existing systems.
• Support data collection and reporting for audits, compliance reporting, organizational planning, and internal reviews.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Maintain compliance calendars, tracking systems, and documentation for organizational policies, administrative requirements, and recurring deadlines.
• Monitor completion of required employee training, including discrimination and harassment prevention, and other mandatory workplace compliance training.
• Maintain audit-ready records and support internal and external audits, reviews, and compliance reporting.
• Assist in reviewing and documenting operational policies and procedures to promote consistency, accountability, and risk reduction.
• Handle sensitive information with discretion and follow established confidentiality, access, retention, and records-management requirements.

Human Resources Operations Support

• Partner with HR to maintain accurate employee-related records and operational tracking systems within the scope of the role.
• Coordinate administrative processes that involve both Finance and HR, ensuring clear ownership, timely communication, and accurate records.
• Support in ensuring consistent procedures for employee data updates, benefits administration, and related operational workflows.
• Support process improvements that strengthen the coordination between Finance and HR while maintaining appropriate separation of responsibilities and access to confidential information.

Process Improvement and Organizational Support

• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, checklists, tracking tools, and process documentation.
• Establish reliable workflows and tracking mechanisms for recurring operational responsibilities.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce manual work, strengthen internal controls, and minimize errors.
• Collaborate across departments to clarify processes, improve information flow, and support consistent implementation of organizational policies.
• Provide timely, accurate information and operational support to leadership and colleagues as needed.
• Other HR and finance/payroll tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• B achelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, information systems, operations management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum three years of experience in operations, financial administration, data management, payroll support, compliance administration, or a related field.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, lookups, data validation, and analysis of large datasets.
• Demonstrated experience working with databases, data management systems, and recurring reporting processes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience maintaining confidential records and handling sensitive financial or employee information.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet recurring deadlines, and follow through on detailed administrative processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
• A proactive approach to identifying discrepancies, improving workflows, and maintaining accurate documentation.
• Familiarity with 403(b) retirement plans and employee benefits administration.
• Experience supporting payroll and timesheet processes.
• Experience with HR information systems, financial software, and database or reporting platforms.
• Familiarity with internal controls, risk management, audit preparation, and compliance tracking.
• Familiarity with leave of absence and pay integration
• Strong commitment to TPL’s shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization.

Compensation:

Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will ideally be located near a Trust for Public Land office. As a full‑time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is an annual salary between $72,000 to $82,000.

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.