Director of Operations

Job Title: Director of Operations

Reports to (Title): Managing Director

Department: Operations

Employment Classification: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Base Annual Compensation Range: The full-time salary range for this role is between

$142,000 – $212,000 with exact salary depending on experience, and new staff rarely start at

the top of the range.

Location: Remote

About Borealis Philanthropy

From Black-led movement-building to queer and trans liberation, to disability justice and

inclusion, community organizers are working every day to bring about transformational change.

Borealis Philanthropy exists to listen to, invest in, and support them. Our staff of experts come

from the communities we serve, and bring their lived experiences, values, and visions to the

work of supporting community-driven change through grantee and funder collaboration.

As a philanthropic intermediary, Borealis Philanthropy builds bridges between funders and

organizers by creating opportunities for impact-driven investments. We team with funders to

conceive, develop, and implement grantmaking initiatives that resource the many innovative

organizations within each of our respective grantmaking funds. In partnering with philanthropy,

we remove barriers to funding for grassroots organizations and invest in intersectional

movements building a future that serves all of us.

Where We Are

While Borealis Philanthropy has been quite public about what we believe it takes to fund

transformational change as a social justice intermediary, we know the reality that it is rare for

intermediaries like ours to consistently be set up for long term success and sustainability.

As Borealis Philanthropy enters our tenth year of partnering with funders and movement leaders

and organizers to build the liberatory future we believe possible, we are leaning more deeply

into our theory of change, and intentionally investing in the next decade of resourcing justice

movements by building an infrastructure to actualize our organizational potential.

Our Values

Alchemy + Healing, Atrevida + Audacity, Accountability + Integrity, Ubuntu + Interconnectedness

Job Overview

The Director of Operations oversees the team responsible for developing, managing, and

ensuring the smooth functioning of Borealis’s core operational systems and processes. These

systems and processes include grants management, CRM software and data collection,

technology, and office management. including grants management, CRM software and data collection, technology, and office

management. Provides the strategic direction for internal operational systems and internal

communication platforms; ensuring that systems are in line with organizational values and that

platforms are equitably accessible. Partners across departments to ensure that the grantmaking

process, data collection and reporting systems, technology platforms, and overall office

management meet the needs of multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership and Strategy: The Director of Operations serves as a member of the

Management Team, providing organizational leadership in alignment with organizational values

and vision, including:

● The Operations Director collaboratively leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of

processes and systems to increase operational effectiveness and efficiency for Borealis

and facilitates internal communication and connectedness for the virtual staff team

● Serve as a visible and core member of the leadership team and contribute strongly to

cross-disciplinary teamwork, collaboration, and planning for the organization

● In partnership with the President, HR, and the Management team, develop policies and

procedures, ensuring they are accessible, equitable, documented, and up to date.

Technology, Security, and Office Management: The Director of Operations provides visionary

and values-aligned strategic management of organizational technology, security, and office

functions, including:

● Oversees organization-wide technology systems and digital security

● Identifies and champions opportunities for streamlining and improving technology,

including integration across applications, workstream efficiencies, and internal

communication platforms

● Ensures that there are updated operational policies, systems, resources, and training for

security, safety, and emergency protocols.

● Oversees virtual and physical office administration, safety and accessibility of the virtual

office environment and operational support for staff, events, and meetings.

Grantmaking Operations: The Director of Operations designs and ensures accessible and

people-centered grantmaking operations, including:

● Designs and leads strategy and improvement efforts in our grantmaking processes so

that we can disburse grants quickly, track their progress efficiently, and improve our

practices by actively listening to grantees

● Works closely with the programs department to ensure that the grantmaking process

meets the needs of funds, grantees, and donors

Department Vision, Leadership, and Oversight: The Director of Operations is the internal leader

of the Operations Department, including:

● Supervises, coaches, and mentors Operations staff

● Develops and manages the operations department’s annual work plan and budget.

● Manage organizational memberships held by the Operations Department.

Other Duties: As a member of the Borealis staff, the Director of Operations performs certain

functions that are not specific to their job, but support the organization as a whole. This

includes:

● Submitting and approving expense reports and approving timecards by stated deadlines

● Attending all staff meetings and required training and events

● Participating in organizational development and change processes, including serving on

committees or special project teams

● Model Borealis’ culture and values; align outcomes, practices, and communications

within the organization’s culture

● Lead special projects and other duties as assigned

Education & Experience

● Bachelor’s degree in business, operations management, IT, or related field, Master’s

preferred

● Ten (10) years of experience in operations for a nonprofit or philanthropic institution,

preferred

● Five (5) years of previous supervisory experience, including leading a team.

● Three (3) years experience with grants management and database administration,

preferred

● Technologically savvy with experience using systems and tools such as Salesforce,

Zoom, Google Suite, Slack, and Asana

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Personal/ Behavioral Attributes)

● Proven leadership experience with strong management skills, including the ability to

coach, direct, and inspire diverse staff toward a common goal

● Systems thinker and builder with strong conceptual and problem-solving skills

● Excellent written and verbal communication skills

● Superior attention to detail with superb organizational skills

● Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships within a diverse virtual work

environment

● Ability to identify and mitigate risks to the organization

● Excellent project management skills – from the visioning phase to clarifying roles and

timelines, to execution

● Ability to manage change, work under pressure, manage multiple projects

simultaneously both strategic and tactical

● Ability to apply disability justice lens to making systems accessible

● Commitment to Borealis’ vision and values

Work Environment (Conditions and Physical Demands)

This job operates in a professional, virtual, home office, or co-working environment, with local

and national travel. In line with Borealis’ commitments to racial equity and disability justice, our

current policy is that no staff member travel or attendance at in-person meetings is required at

this time. If team members are interested in attending in-person events, Borealis will, as

needed, work to make reasonable accommodations to ensure their health and safety.

This role routinely uses standard office equipment, including a laptop computer and cell phone.

The employee is generally required to spend long periods of time sitting, typing, and working at

a computer. May require the ability to occasionally lift and transport items. Accommodations will

be made based on ability and accessibility.

Commitment to Disability, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Borealis is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment,

we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If

reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process,

please contact hr@borealisphilanthropy.org. Borealis is an equal-opportunity employer and

does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or

expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by local, state, or

federal laws. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff team. We

strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ, women, trans and gender non-conforming

people, people with disabilities; and/or formerly incarcerated people.

Applicants will need to submit a cover letter that includes, but is not limited to, answers

to the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in working for a philanthropic intermediary that centers on racial equity

and the intersections with class, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability?

2. How do the values mentioned above connect to your own lived experience?

3. How would you build community/develop relationships with different constituencies (staff

colleagues and/or grant applicants and/or grantees and/or donors) in a nationally fully remote

environment? Please try to make your answer as specific as possible to the work of the

department to which you are applying.