Operations and Compliance Associate

About PLEJ The Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ) is a national, nonpartisan community of support, best practices, and peer engagement among election offices serving the largest and most diverse populations in the U.S. PLEJ empowers election leaders to address operational challenges, communicate with clarity and transparency, and drive innovation. Through collaborative problem-solving and practical innovation, PLEJ helps build more resilient, efficient, and voter-focused election systems that improve the experience and confidence of millions of Americans. PLEJ is entering a critical phase of growth and impact—expanding its capacity, strengthening its institutional role, and positioning large jurisdictions as national leaders in election administration. Position Summary The Operations and Compliance Associate (OACA) supports the day-to-day execution of PLEJ’s operational, financial, and compliance systems across the organization. This role plays a critical part in executing and maintaining the systems, processes, and controls that support PLEJ’s operations, financial integrity, and compliance. These behind-the-scenes tasks enable our team to operate with precision, accountability, and responsiveness in a fast-moving environment. Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations and Compliance, this role assists with a range of operational, financial, and administrative tasks, including invoicing, expense categorization, reconciliation, and payment tracking, while helping maintain compliance with grant funding requirements and nonprofit accounting standards. Core Responsibilities The OACA supports the execution of internal workflows and provides administrative and systems support to ensure consistent, accurate, and efficient operations: Operational Support and Execution - Support consistent implementation and maintenance of internal systems, processes, and workflows. - - Track organizational priorities, deadlines, and deliverables to ensure timely execution within budget. - - Maintain documentation, standard operating procedures, and internal records meticulously up-to-date. - - Identify inefficiencies or gaps and flag opportunities for improvement. - Compliance and Documentation - Maintain records of vendors, contractors, contracts, grants, regulatory requirements, and internal visibility. - - Ensure documentation is complete and properly stored ready for audits, reporting, and compliance reviews. - - Monitor adherence to internal policies, processes, and documentation standards across the organization. - - Maintain vendor records, contracts, deliverables, and financial documentation up-to-date in shared drive. - Financial and Administrative Support - Manage day-to-day financial administration (invoices, expenses, payments, receivables, reimbursements). - - Perform financial tracking, reporting, and reconciliation compliant with internal controls across systems. - - Ensure all labor and expenses are properly documented, categorized, budgeted, and support PLEJ priorities. - - Manage accounts receivable, including tracking across systems and follow-up on outstanding invoices. - Grant Tracking and Reporting - Ensure expenses are properly allocated across general operating and restricted funds as required by funders. - - Prepare financial summaries for grant reports, demonstrating appropriate and transparent use of funds. - - Support compliance with applicable funding restrictions and organizational policies. - Reconciliation and Quality Assurance - Conduct regular reconciliations across accounting systems, payment platforms, and bank records. - - Assure all transactions (including paper checks) to ensure they are accurately recorded and attributed. - - Prepare for audits/financial reviews by maintaining organized, accurate documentation of all transactions. - - Coordinate with internal teams and external partners for accurate tracking and reporting across systems. - Systems and Data Coordination - Maintain data integrity across systems (CRM, project management tools, accounting systems, shared drive). - - Assist in implementing tools and improvements, manage system access across operational platforms. - - Support reporting by organizing and compiling operational and financial data for internal/external review. - People Operations and Internal Support - Support staff onboarding/offboarding, draft letters, communications, and maintain accurate digital records. - - Respond to internal requests and assist with problem-solving related to operational systems and processes. - - Support broader organizational efforts and collaborate across teams to meet evolving priorities, including taking on additional responsibilities as needed that contribute to PLEJ’s mission and impact. - Qualifications Candidate should demonstrate the following experience, skills, and capabilities: Required - 1–3+ years of experience in operations, accounting, bookkeeping, administration, and/or compliance. - - Experience working with spreadsheets and data (e.g., tracking, organizing, reconciling information). - - Strong organizational and documentation skills, maintaining clear and complete records with accurate detail. - - Ability to analyze high volumes of information with precision to identify discrepancies or compliance issues. - - Strong follow-through with ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines. - - Clear communication skills and high level of integrity and discretion when handling sensitive information. - - Comfort with digital tools, learning new systems quickly, and working independently in a remote setting. - Preferred - Familiarity with financial processes (invoicing, expenses, reconciliations, accounts receivable/payable). - - Experience with project management, or CRM tools (e.g., Asana, Airtable, Salesforce). - - Experience with accounting, expense tracking, and payroll systems (e.g. Quickbooks, Aplos, Ramp, Justworks). - - Exposure to grants management, compliance tracking, or audit preparation. - - Demonstrated interest in building a career in operations, compliance, or organizational management. - Key Competencies The ideal candidate demonstrates strong attention to detail, reliability, organization, and follow-through, with the ability to manage data accurately, operate within structured systems, and communicate effectively across teams: - Consistently produces precise, error-free work across financial, operational, and compliance tasks. - - Takes ownership of tasks and ensures they are completed fully, correctly, and on time. - - Effectively prioritizes and manages competing tasks in a structured, deadline-driven environment. - - Understands how individual tasks connect to broader operational, financial, and compliance systems. - - Demonstrates consistency, dependability, and ownership in day-to-day work. - - Communicates clearly and proactively to keep work moving across teams. - - Handles sensitive financial, personnel, and organizational information with care and professionalism. - - Looks for small ways to improve processes and reduce inefficiencies. - Key Outcomes (First 1–2 Years) Within the first 1–2 years, the Operations & Compliance Associate will ensure that PLEJ’s operational and financial processes are consistently accurate, well-documented, and reliable—supporting strong compliance, accountability, and organizational performance: - Reliable Day-to-Day Operations: Core administrative, operational, and compliance processes run smoothly and consistently, with a reputation for accuracy, responsiveness, and follow-through. - - Accurate and Timely Compliance Support: Key compliance activities (e.g., documentation, tracking, reporting) are completed accurately/timely, reducing risk and supporting organizational accountability. - - Strong Systems and Process Support: Internal systems, tools, and workflows are well-maintained, clearly documented, and consistently used across the organization with improvements implemented over time. - - Financial Accuracy and Operational Reliability: Regular reconciliations across systems are completed accurately and on schedule; consistently categorized and maintained to support clear reporting; and core operational and financial processes run reliably without delays or breakdowns. - - Clear Documentation and Information Management: Organizational records, resources, and operational materials are organized, accessible, and up to date. - - Responsive Team and Partner Support: Staff and partners receive timely, clear, and reliable operational support, improving overall efficiency and collaboration. - Compensation & Location - Salary range: $60,000.00 to $71,692.00 commensurate with experience. - - Location: While position is fully remote and flexible, DC or Miami is preferred; regular travel for member convenings and national engagement (up to 30%). This position must be performed within the United States. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. - - Benefits: PLEJ offers a generous benefits package including: - - Fully covered medical, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, and term life insurance  premiums for the employee (employee’s family may be added at employee’s expense) - - Unlimited PTO - - 14 observed holidays and generous holiday schedule - - 401(k) retirement plan - The Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to providing a community of support to election jurisdictions nationwide. PLEJ is an equal opportunity employer. Employees and job applicants are protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. These protections apply to all employment decisions, including recruitment, hiring, performance evaluations, promotions, training, and career development. Additionally, PLEJ provides employees and applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities; for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices. This job description is intended to outline the general scope and responsibilities of the position and may be subject to updates based on organizational needs. It does not constitute a contract of employment.