Operations Coordinator

LOCATION: Fully remote, working predominantly on U.S. Eastern Time

REPORTS TO: Managing Director, Operations & Finance

STATUS: Full-time, Non-exempt

WHO WE ARE

Leading Now believes that our democracy depends on public schools to prepare the next generation of engaged, independent thinkers. We believe that public school system leaders—superintendents—carry a profound responsibility for ensuring public schools can keep the focus on student learning and away from politics. The superintendent’s role is crucial; they serve as the bridge among their schools’ wide range of constituents, operating in a highly visible environment that calls for intentional and adept communications with community organizations, school board members, families, teachers, principals, and others. Given the critical responsibility on their shoulders, we believe that our nation’s 13,000 superintendents deserve the highest quality support in navigating political complexity and strengthening public trust.

Founded in 2021 as an initiative of New Venture Fund, Leading Now is a membership organization that equips K-12 superintendents with support for communication and strategic engagement with their broad spectrum of stakeholders. We offer superintendents a diverse and trusting community, access to experts, and practical resources that help them ensure that adults focus on what matters most: student opportunities and outcomes. Our signature offering is a five-month, public engagement Learning Cohort, which provides superintendents with a professional learning community and access to resources, webinars, and coaching sessions with strategic advisors. With Leading Now’s support, superintendents are better positioned to ensure that ALL of their students learn in classrooms where they can thrive.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

As an emergent organization, Leading Now is both entrepreneurial and intentional, balancing the needs of our current members with scaling our innovative model. In 2025, we are engaging ~245 superintendents in a range of opportunities— from in-person events and virtual learning cohorts to a dynamic virtual community. Joining us now is a special opportunity to be part of a founding, mission-driven team that is creating value for public education leaders.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Operations Coordinator is the connective tissue of Leading Now’s internal operations, supporting the organization’s administrative, finance, membership growth and engagement, and events functions. As the logistical and administrative coordinator for these workstreams, the Associate is the central, supportive force that ensures the organization’s internal trains are running smoothly and on time.

A key member of our 5-person team, the Operations Coordinator is a full-time, remote, non-exempt, at-will position and reports to the Managing Director, Operations & Finance. We are a remote organization with occasional travel required (~5-8 times/year) to attend in-person member events and staff retreats. Preferred start date is June 2025.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Working primarily in the following domains, the Operations Coordinator is integral to Leading Now’s internal functioning.

1. Membership Growth & Engagement (25%): You are the Director, Membership & Strategic Partnerships’ right-hand person, managing the information and administrative processes that enable strong member recruitment, sales, and engagement. Working heavily in Salesforce, you track prospects and ensure they are moving through recruitment and renewal cycles for our paid programming. You are the bridge between our membership growth and program functions, ensuring a smooth internal handoff when new members enroll and managing/training colleagues to track member engagement.
2. Database Management (25%): You are our Salesforce go-to, managing Leading Now’s contact relationship management database. In addition to entering and maintaining accurate records, you create insightful Salesforce reports and dashboards that support member recruitment, sales, engagement, and programming and you support/manage others to maintain, optimize and take action informed by data. You also take the lead on project-managing Salesforce system design improvements with our third party contractor (and grow your system design skillset over time). You collect, monitor, and synthesize other key organizational data, as well, reporting regularly to leadership.
3. Finance (25%): You support the fiscal health of Leading Now by coordinating day-to-day finance administration functions: managing partner and vendor contracts; coordinating member dues; sending and tracking invoices (accounts payable); processing reimbursements; handling expense reports; and ultimately helping ensure accurate financial record keeping.
4. Event Planning & Management (15%): You are the logistics coordinator for Leading Now’s in-person and virtual events, which include the annual Summer Gathering (in DC in 2025), Learning Cohort kickoffs, virtual Superintendent programming, and an annual in-person board meeting. Collaborating closely with the Managing Director, Programming & Communications, and with keen detail-orientation, you plan, project-manage, and execute all logistical aspects for our events, including researching and booking venues, contracting and managing vendors, managing member travel, and serving as the primary point of contact and on-the-ground executor for each event. Your ability to anticipate and adapt to event needs ensures our convenings meet their goals and deliver an exemplary participant experience.
5. Internal Operations & Administration (10%): You are the internal admin and ops support for the team. You schedule and prep for meetings, manage team time, and oversee technology such as Zoom, Calendly, ClickUp, and Google Workspace. With a keen eye for efficiency, you help establish, implement, and improve internal operations processes, always seeking ways to integrate automation into staff workflows. You support our talent and culture systems, too, helping plan and coordinate logistics for team retreats, supporting performance evaluation and feedback protocols, and providing support for other special projects, as needed.

COMPETENCIES, EXPERIENCE & MINDSETS FOR SUCCESS

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 2+ years professional work experience, required
• Experience using Salesforce or similar database/contact relationship management (CRM) system, required (Salesforce strongly preferred)
• Highly organized and detail-oriented: you sweat the small stuff and love creating order and process
• Strong project management: you can toggle across multiple, competing workstreams and deadlines; you effectively manage up and laterally to get things done; you consistently take tasks from start to finish and deliver high-quality results on time
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a knack for automating solutions (so we can focus on solving new problems)
• Logistics-minded: you like the behind the scenes work that ensures things run smoothly, you anticipate needs, and you plan and execute well
• Clear, compelling written and verbal communication
• Nimble: you embrace challenges, change, and ambiguity with reflectiveness and a solutions-orientation; you’re a team player with a desire to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, remote environment
• Tech savvy: Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Suite; ability to quickly learn various tech platforms, e.g., ClickUp, Stripe, Loom, Ramp, etc.; savvy to suggest tech/automated solutions for org challenges
• Empathy-driven and service-minded: you approach people and challenges with curiosity; you seek to understand and improve others’ experiences; you are sensitive to and appreciate diverse perspectives
• Ability to travel 5-8 times per year
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team
• Interest in learning, building, and executing internal systems at a small nonprofit; willingness to tackle new challenges

A NOTE TO CANDIDATES

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they check all boxes in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best person for our team. If you think you’re a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't perfectly meet every qualification.

HIRING STATEMENT

Leading Now is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

E-VERIFY

NVF participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.