Financial Planning & Operations Manager

Overview

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment.

AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin.

AARP’s Community, State and National Affairs (CSN) Group includes Government Relations, Programs, Volunteer Engagement, Community Outreach and Advocacy at the federal, state and local levels. It delivers on AARP’s social mission by educating and engaging people 50-plus and their families, strengthening communities, and championing issues that help give people financial and health security.

The Financial Planning & Operations Manager for AARP’s Community, State, and National Affairs (CSN) group is a strategic financial operations leader who provides end-to-end budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and operational support for a large, complex business unit with a substantial multi-million-dollar annual budget.

This role manages and analyzes large volumes of financial information and transforms complex data into clear, compelling, and user-friendly presentations and materials that enable senior leaders, including Senior Vice Presidents, field teams, and state offices, to understand financial performance and make informed decisions.

Serving as a primary point of contact and trusted financial advisor for our entire business unit, including our state offices, the role provides hands-on guidance related to budgeting, forecasting, procurement processes, expense and travel policies, and day-to-day financial questions.

The Financial Operations Manager oversees financial planning and analysis, supports the procurement and contracting lifecycle, ensures compliance with financial and contract requirements, and partners closely with Procurement, Accounts Payable, Treasury, and other shared services.

The role also leads efforts to streamline and automate financial processes, enhance reporting tools and templates, and improve the clarity, accessibility, and efficiency of financial operations across AARP’s Community, State, and National Affairs (CSN) group.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, consolidates, and reports on annual operating, salary, and capital budgets. Serves as a liaison to management for monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial statements.
• Summarizes the financial status of the business unit or department. Identifies specific causes of significant variances between the year-to-date budget and year-to-date actuals.
• Conducts multi-year financial planning and generates financial forecasts and budgets driven by identifying key assumptions and dependencies. Analyzes variances to forecasts and budgets with insight into business changes and outlook. Collaborates with other business units/departments and organizational finance teams to manage forecasting and other financial and operations functions.
• Improves business performance by analyzing both operational and financial data. Generates forecasts and budgets. Analyzes trends in revenues, expenses, and other areas of business.
• Compiles and reviews departmental budgets, taking into consideration actual performance, previous expenditures, and estimated expenses and income. Reviews departmental expenditures to ensure compliance with budget allocations. Maintains accurate spending records and establishes measures for budgetary control.
• Provides oversight or executes processes and/or systems that support financial operations.
• Processes and prepares accounting entries. Reviews and audits financial statements and reports. Ensures all calculations and data entries are correct. Reconciles general ledger accounts for discrepancies and identifies errors.
• Responds to internal client inquiries on financial systems, policies, and procedures. Conducts financial training to address needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, plus 5+ years of relevant experience in financial operations, including financial planning, procurement, accounting, and accounts payable.
• Demonstrated experience managing, analyzing, and manipulating large, complex data sets to support budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
• Advanced Excel skills, including complex formulas with vlookups and data analysis techniques, and a willingness to learn new technologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends and provide actionable insights.
• Experience creating and delivering training or presentations for geographically dispersed audiences.
• Excellent customer service skills, with the ability to work effectively in a highly matrixed organization across multiple locations.

Preferred

• Experience using Oracle PeopleSoft Financials, Oracle Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), and/or Tableau.
• Experience leveraging AI or automation tools to enhance analytics, reporting, or financial operations processes.

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Additional Requirements

• Regular and reliable job attendance.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships.
• Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions.
• In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise.

Hybrid Work Environment

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.