Director of Operations

LOCATION. Remote in Southern California

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. 

• $191,964 or $209,241, based on training and experience
• Possible 4-day work week (more info below)
• 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision

ROLE TYPE. This is a full-time, permanent role

APPLICATION DEADLINE. Rolling application. We will accept applications until February 6, 2025, but please get in your application as soon as possible.

About the opportunity

Build and maintain financial, operational, and people systems to sustain an exciting organization that designs and scales innovative and effective new tactics to the progressive movement. After two successful presidential election cycles, and as it charts the course for its 10-year strategic plan, Vote Rev PAC and Vote Rev Action Fund (501(c)(4) are seeking a Director of Operations to join their senior leadership team and take their work to the next level. A successful candidate will have a passion for building strong systems and financial processes, a deep commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable team and culture, and at least 12 years of full-time work experience, including at least 10 years of relevant work experience. The Director of Operations will manage at least one direct report and the relationships with several external vendors, including outsourced accounting and compliance firms.

Responsibilities

• Effective administration, finance, and operations. Work with outside vendors (e.g. external CFO, auditors, insurance brokers, payroll vendors, benefits administrators, etc.) to ensure effective administration and operations of a multi-entity organization, making pivots as needed to ensure organizational health. Liaise with the leadership team on providing information required for development needs.
• Budgeting and financial reporting. Lead and facilitate the budgeting process with senior leadership and the Board of Directors. Ensure completion of key financial reports including contractor process and invoicing, reimbursements, revenue trackers, fundraising CRM, and partner agreements/renewals.
• Legal and compliance. Serve as the primary point of contact with outside counsel and compliance firm to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and to ensure that the organization makes strategic decisions that will allow for smooth implementation. Distill guidance from outside counsel into clear rules and create systems to ensure that we follow those rules.
• Improve and implement streamlined business systems needed to advance our mission. Identify opportunities to increase the efficiency and equity of organization operations. Ensure systems and staffing are in place to ensure fulfillment of the needs of a virtual team, including provision of necessary collaboration systems, software, drive sharing, and cybersecurity. 
• Ensure org-wide adherence and quality management with internal tools. Oversee and manage usage of tools and resources to help the team succeed, including CRM tools, project management software, team drive, etc.
• Implement systems to support and retain talent. Vote Rev is passionate that our team is our #1 resource, and we work hard to attract, develop and retain top talent. You will oversee the employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding/offboarding, performance evaluation, HR, DEI, and culture building.
• Systems to track and report organizational progress. Develop, track and communicate OKRs for the full team that reflect progress in meeting organizational goals. 

Requirements for the role

Experience. 12+ years of full-time professional experience, including 10+ years in a relevant operational role

• Finance and operations. A background in operations and budget management, with a strong track record of managing financial systems and processes effectively.
• Team Leadership. Proven ability to lead and manage diverse, high-performing teams, fostering an equitable and inclusive environment.
• Talent and human resources. Solid understanding of human resources and talent functions, including hiring, employee lifecycle management, performance management, and organizational culture development.
• Legal and compliance. Experience navigating complex legal and regulatory landscapes, with the ability to effectively collaborate with outside counsel.

Competencies & Mindsets

• Mission alignment. Commitment to the missions of Vote Rev and Vote Rev Action Fund (VRAF). Vote Rev’s mission is to design and quickly mainstream field-tested voter engagement innovations to help Democrats win. VRAF is dedicated to working with and for nonprofits that amplify the power of historically disenfranchised communities. 
• Project leadership. Strong project-management skills including excellent attention to detail, organizational acumen, and the ability to leverage digital tools to keep things organized and running smoothly.
• Relationship development and collaboration. Skilled at building relationships on a small, nimble team, and capable of operating at a high level both collaboratively and independently.
• Strategic thinking. Effectively analyzes complex situations, considering diverse perspectives and potential challenges to arrive at optimal solutions. Demonstrates strong critical thinking and sound judgment in decision-making.
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Commitment to developing and retaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team, Dedicated to demonstrating these values through work that reduces disparities in the electoral space. Possesses a strong awareness of one's own cultural identity and the ability to build relationships and collaborate across lines of difference.
• Learning orientation. Receptive to feedback and demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Entrepreneurial mindset. An entrepreneurial personality that thrives on developing new systems from the ground up in a start-up organization. A work history that shows intellectual curiosity and the ability to seek feedback, remove barriers, and implement new systems with minimal oversight, rapidly learning new skills if needed. Demonstrated success in scaling an organization or project is a plus.

Preferred but not required

• Multi-entity organization and/or campaign experience. Previous full-time experience working for a multi-entity organization, ideally in the civic engagement space, would position our Director of Operations for success.

Reasons to love this role

• Close-knit & strong team. Experience a vibrant and supportive culture at Vote Rev. We prioritize a close-knit team environment, even while working remotely. Become part of a team with strong talent retention, reflecting our commitment to a positive and rewarding workplace. Vote Rev offers best-in-class compensation and benefits. 
• Organization leadership & innovation. Shape Vote Rev's future! As a senior leader at Vote Rev, our Director of Operations will participate in organization-wide strategic planning, gaining exposure and being a part of the work at the forefront of voter innovation. Additionally, the Director of Operations will design, implement, and refine critical financial and operational systems to support Vote Rev’s next phase.
• Dynamic blend of functions. Enjoy a diverse role with a wide range of responsibilities at Vote Rev. The Director of Operations will oversee everything from core financial processes to talent development, playing a crucial role in shaping organizational culture. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the team’s success at many levels.
• Ecosystem-wide awareness. Gain system-wide exposure to the constellation of organizations and movements that are at the forefront of the work to protect America’s democracy. The Director of Operations will engage and collaborate with peer and partner organizations in support of the collective operational, financial, and strategic needs of the sector.

Questions in lieu of cover letter

You will be asked to answer some questions in lieu of a cover letter. Do not submit a cover letter.

1. What about working for Vote Rev specifically interests you? (350 word limit)
2. Describe a time when you implemented a new financial system or process within an organization. Briefly explain the challenge you faced, the approach you took to implement the change, and the ultimate outcome. What key lessons did you learn from the experience? (350 word limit)

Compensation and benefits

• Compensation: $191,964 or $209,241, based on training and experience
• 4-day work week: Vote Rev is currently undertaking a 4-day work-week (every Friday off) pilot from Election Day 2024 through Q1 2025. This is the most recent of several 4-day work week pilots, including a ten-month pilot 2023-2024 with every other Friday off. Senior leadership is eager to continue exploring the possibility of a longer-term 4-day work week model for the organization (and the Director of Operations would be a thought partner in that decision).
• Benefits: Choose from a variety of 100% employer-covered vision, dental, and medical HMO or PPO plans. We also offer partially subsidized coverage for spouses and dependents. In addition, we offer generous paid family medical/parental leave. 
• Paid time off: Employees accrue 1.5 days of PTO per month, up to a maximum of 18 days of PTO. All federal holidays, and the week from December 24th to January 2nd, 2025 are company holidays. 

Timeline

We aim to close this application by February 6, 2025. Applications are reviewed as they come in, so you may be notified whether or not you are moving forward before the application closing date. If we receive a high volume of applications we may close the application sooner than February 6, 2025. The steps in the process are:

• Resume and application questionnaire screen: This step is to establish the baseline for candidates we will advance through the process. This is the form linked on this page.
• Phone screen: Our talent partner, Erin Keller, will conduct 40-minute phone conversations with candidates that advance past the application. This conversation will focus on prior work experience.
• Semifinal Interviews: This stage will include written responses to three short case study scenarios and a 30-minute Zoom interview with a member of the Vote Rev team.
• Final interviews: Applicants will be called back for a set of final-round interviews with the Hiring Manager and other members of the Vote Rev team. This will require up to three hours of time during business hours. 
• References: We will ask for three professional or personal references for our top one or two candidates to learn more about working with them.
• Job offer: We provide our best and final offer in terms of compensation, which will be within the salary band shown in the job description. We base our offer on the number of years of relevant study and work experience and where that fits within our internal salary leveling system. We do not negotiate salary or other benefits due to research finding that introducing opportunities to negotiate results in pay disparities that are not correlated with competency. 

We expect to make an offer no later than March 31, 2025, with preference for a start date shortly after the offer is accepted.