Senior Financial Operations Specialist

Senior Financial Operations Specialist

The Senior Financial Operations Specialist is a member of the Portfolio Operations team, providing leadership across advisor services, investment operations, and financial data management. This role blends technical expertise with financial acumen to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of portfolio investment data while supporting a high-quality, advisor-centered service experience.

Operating at the intersection of portfolio operations and advisor support, this position supports alternative investment-related processes, strengthening operational controls, and advancing continuous improvement initiatives. This role partners closely with advisors, custodians, investment managers, finance, and internal stakeholders to ensure the secure, accurate, and compliant handling of all investment and operations-related data. Responsibilities require regular exercise of independent judgment, strong analytical capability, and advanced communication skills.

This full-time, exempt position reports to the Director of Financial Data & Operations and works in the downtown Kansas City, MO office. This role may work remotely up to 1-2 days a week after a successful training period. To ensure we provide quality service to our donors, this position requires full availability during the fourth quarter (peak season) due to critical year-end responsibilities and business deadlines. While we recognize and observe holidays, personal time off is limited to ensure the successful completion of essential year-end tasks.

Requirements

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership across portfolio operations and advisor services, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant execution of investment-related activities.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for operational, data, and advisor-related issues, exercising sound judgment to resolve issues and recommend solutions.
• Oversee the operational onboarding of alternative investments, ensuring proper setup, documentation, internal controls, and reporting alignment.
• Partner with the Director to identify operational risks, control gaps, and process dependencies, and support the development of risk-mitigation strategies.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with professional advisors through proactive, clear, and professional communication that reflects our organization's brand and values.
• Collaborate with custodians, investment managers, and internal stakeholders to coordinate asset movements, resolve discrepancies, and ensure consistent service delivery.
• Oversee the accuracy, integrity, and consistency of portfolio and investment data across internal systems and databases.
• Monitor, validate, and analyze fund-level and account-level investment performance and returns, identifying anomalies and leading resolution efforts to support high-quality reporting.
• Support the preparation, review, and continuous improvement of investment-related reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Contributes to the evaluation, documentation, and refinement of workflows, systems enhancements, and process automation initiatives in partnership with the Director and cross-functional teams.
• Support team onboarding, training, and cross-training efforts to ensure operational continuity and resilience during peak periods.

Experience

• Education & Experience: A bachelor's degree in a related field with at least 4 years of related experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Advanced knowledge of investment operations, portfolio reporting, and financial data reconciliation.
• Financial Acumen: High-functioning financial and accounting aptitude and proven business acumen. Proven analytical skills with strong attention to detail and data accuracy. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Communication & Relationships: An ability to present material in a concise manner and interact with clients and prospects in a professional manner with excellent verbal, presentation, written, and interpersonal communications skills. Ability to operate in a highly collaborative environment, while able to work independently and be self-motivated.
• Technical Aptitude: High technical aptitude and ability to learn new software quickly and thoroughly. Strong proficiency with database management is important. Ability to read, analyze, write and interpret a variety of instructions and procedures; operate within current industry best practices.
• Operational Agility: Ability to successfully work with agility and under pressure, including identifying and quickly resolving problems. Respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints; work well under pressure, including identifying and quickly resolving problems.

Physical Requirements

• Office & Computer Work: Ability to work regularly at a computer terminal in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Noise & Communication: Able to work in an office with moderate noise levels. Ability to communicate and interpret detailed information effectively.

This job description is a summary of the employment-at-will relationship and not a contract. Not every responsibility is outlined; changes should be anticipated, and other duties will be assigned as necessary.