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.
