Vice President of Operations

Job Description

Reporting to and working in partnership with the President, the Vice President of Operations will play a critical role in providing leadership, strengthening the organizational culture of a fully remote team, and ensuring that the critical functions of talent and HR, finance, development, and administration position the organization for success now and in the future. The VP of Operations will partner with the President to develop and implement organizational and fundraising strategies, develop and maintain efficient and effective systems, and promote a culture of engaged staff who perform with excellence by attracting, developing, and engaging top talent to help perform these functions. This role will be a key part of the senior leadership team collaborating closely with the VP of Consulting and the VP of Education. The first 3-6 months of this position will include close mentorship with the President, including regular feedback and opportunities for reflection and dialogue, as the VP of Operations learns the culture, approach, relationships and systems of Sacred Spaces.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate interested in joining a small group of innovative professionals as they work to create large-scale change in the Jewish community. The ideal candidate will be an experienced builder who thrives in an entrepreneurial culture and is able to organize teams and departments while prioritizing and completing multiple initiatives with efficiency and excellence. The candidate will be able to work collaboratively; is organized and attentive to details; and has strong managerial, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

The VP of Operations will lead all internal operations, ensuring effective and positive outcomes and supervising staff in four key areas – HR, finance, development, and administration – and is critical in helping the organization achieve its three-year strategic plan. Key responsibilities include:

Talent, HR, and Organizational Culture

• In collaboration with the leadership team, ensure aligned vision for organizational growth and hiring.
• Partner with the President in leading the recruiting and interview process to identify new staff members in accordance with the strategic plan and needs of each department, and onboarding new staff/contractors
• Provide effective and supportive leadership that creates and promotes a positive work environment.
• Support a geographically dispersed staff towards team alignment, high performance, and professional growth, promoting a culture of continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
• In partnership with the President, establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, conduct annual performance appraisals, and administer salary adjustments.
• Facilitate collaboration and strengthen internal communications while providing clarity on roles throughout the organization.
• Develop and implement staff training programs and retreats in collaboration with senior leadership to expand the capacity of all staff and promote interconnectedness of a remote team.

Finance and Budgeting

• Advise the President and other key members of senior leadership on financial planning budgeting, cash flow, investment priorities, and policy matters.
• Serve as the management liaison to the board and finance committee; communicate and present critical financial matters at select board of directors and committee meetings.
• Develop organizational and departmental annual budgeting processes.
• Work with the President and Finance and Operations Manager to prepare and submit an annual operating budget consistent with strategic plan and organizational values, manage effectively within this budget, and report accurately on progress made and challenges encountered.
• Ensure the continued financial viability of Sacred Spaces’ operational and programmatic units through sound fiscal management in partnership with the Finance and Operations Manager and consulting staff.
• Coordinate with and oversee the Finance and Operations Manager in the provision of information to external auditors for the annual audit.

Development and Partnerships

• Work to expand and support revenue generating and fundraising activities.
• Develop and grow relationships with new foundations and individual donors; work with staff to outline and implement a balanced fundraising plan that includes individual, corporate, foundation, and earned income opportunities.
• Oversee grant and reporting operations, including partnering with the President and program staff to draft proposals and reports.
• Partner with the President and Finance and Operations Manager to grow the organization’s individual donor base and end-of-year campaign.

Administration, Infrastructure and Strategy 

• In partnership with the senior leadership team, ensure that Sacred Spaces is adhering to the strategic plan, delivering status reports to the President and board; and oversee function of daily systems and operations.
• Improve current processes, develop and oversee high-quality internal systems, including financial management, human resources, communications, and daily operations, ensuring that these systems are designed and implemented to best support Sacred Spaces’ strategic goals and optimized for efficiency and productivity.
• Upgrade/implement appropriate system of internal policies, controls, accounting standards, and procedures.

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum 10 years experience in a senior management role.
• Passion for the Sacred Spaces mission.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to interface with senior management, Sacred Spaces’ board of directors, and staff, with attention to detail and ability to convey nuanced ideas.
• Proven track record of success in facilitating change and development within a growing organization, and bringing in funding to support this growth.
• General management experience—thorough understanding of finance, systems, and HR; broad experience with the full range of business functions and systems, including strategic development and planning, budgeting, business analysis, finance, information systems, human resources, and marketing.
• Superior management skills; ability to engage direct and indirect reports and peers with strong mentoring and coaching experience for a team with diverse levels of expertise.
• Self-reliant; a creative and innovative problem-solver with a positive can-do attitude.
• Engaged, flexible, collaborative, and proactive; a team leader who can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical finance and administration initiatives.
• Excellent judgment and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Willingness to travel up to 7-8 times per year.
• Deep knowledge of North American Jewish communities and demonstrated ability to work with people from other backgrounds and experiences.

Sacred Spaces believes strongly that all applicants, including Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, Black, Indigenous, or Other People of Color, people of all abilities, people of all religions, and LGBTQI people should be considered fairly for employment opportunities regardless of identity. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we recognize that the best candidate may have different qualifications from those listed above. This position could also be an opportunity for someone with experience in one of these areas to build skills in another area.  If you believe you are poised to excel at this important work, we encourage you to apply!

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understand the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.