Director of Operations
Remote /
Operations /
Full-time
/ Remote
The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (PJMF) is a private foundation dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence and data science solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. PJMF works in partnership with public, private and social institutions to drive progress on our most pressing challenges, including digital health, climate change, broad digital access, and data maturity in the social sector.
For more information, please visit our website at https://www.mcgovern.org/. Core to PJMF’s mission is inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). We apply the IDEA framework to all we do, from growing a diverse team within the foundation to coalition building with organizations and people around the world, and to democratizing the development and rewards of AI and data.
The Director of Operations will be deeply committed to PJMF’s purpose to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all through the advancement of AI and data solutions. In this role, you will optimize the Foundation’s productivity, drive operational excellence, and enhance transparency and visibility for operational teams and across the organization - with a fierce urgency. You will advance PJMF’s strategic goals through leadership of the operations function, strategy and planning efforts, and project management. You will advance PJMF’s strategic operational goals for an entrepreneurial team and operate at both the systems and detail levels while working with and across multiple teams simultaneously. This position will report to the Vice President of Operations (VPO) and will have four direct reports. Job functions include:
Business Process & Project Management:
- Collaborate with staff across the foundation and with key operational partners in Finance, People, Grants Management and Communications to build, implement and optimize integrated, responsive, constituent-focused practices and tools that advance the work across PJMF.
- Lead the development, implementation, and coordination of efforts to create business processes to unify and share data, produce smoother workflows, and create greater transparency across the foundation. Proactively address change management needs to champion the adoption of new processes and practices.
- Oversee/track timelines, project dependencies, and budget to ensure on-time and on-target implementation. Engage proactively to address escalations or make adjustments when necessary
Operational Excellence:
- Ensure that all foundation functions have the resources to infrastructure to perform their work effectively and efficiently
- Maintain a proactive, responsive operations function that delivers in a timely way. Supervise the Senior Manager, Operations; Operations Manager; IT Manager; and Operations Coordinator in carrying out team activities and ensure that the team is operating at capacity
- Engage in the review and approval cycle for certain operational and financial activities to build a strong internal control structure
- Establish, communicate, and implement administrative and operational systems so that the Operations function is positioned to collaborate across the organization and deliver timely and effective results (#3 above)
- Ensure IT functions operate smoothly and securely. Anticipate and identify IT solutions to provide forward-looking tech solutions in line with the foundation’s tech-forward approach and recommend to leadership. Engage with the IT Manager to plan and implement technology solutions effectively.
Strategy & Planning:
- Collaborate with leadership to develop and design annual and long-range planning processes
- Engage across the foundation to support organizational functions in their planning efforts. Using this knowledge, identify trends and opportunities for cross-team engagement to advance the work more efficiently
- Manage periodic organizational reviews and progress update processes
- Maintains foundation-wide view of strategies and plans for use in internal and external communications. Bring knowledge of best practices to build planning practices.
What you will need to succeed:
- Subject Matter Knowledge and Experience. Demonstrated experience as a senior-level Operations leader with solid program and project management experience in designing tech-forward business process improvements and system operations and systems management. Working understanding of and conversant in vocabulary related to system implementation, CRM technology project management
- Fast and Nimble Learner. Quickly synthesize information, identify gaps, and deliver recommendations. Regularly assess progress and make adjustments to approach as needed.
- Strategic Thinking and Communication. Organize complex information into clear frameworks, and identify open questions and areas for further learning. Exceptional written and verbal communicator, with strong executive influence.
- Work Product Excellence. Maintain and model a high standard for written and visual communication (e.g. memos; emails; presentations, dashboards).
- Judgment. Build an instinct for seeing around corners to anticipate how any given project or decision may impact internal and external stakeholders, and exercise great judgment.
- Intellectual Curiosity. Demonstrate an interest in and openness to new ideas, and a willingness to take intellectual risks. Remain naturally curious about technology.
- Passion. Maintain genuine enthusiasm for building a better future in the digital era and ensuring that the benefits of technological advancement are shared by all.
- Cross-functional Skills. Experience successfully demonstrating the cultural competency to work across diverse populations and the ability to build authentic relationships with internal and external stakeholders alike
- Technologies. Highly proficient in utilizing data systems and tools for data entry and analysis, and exceptionally skilled in Asana, MS Office, and Google Suite
- Solutions-Driven. Strong bias to action and ability to work both quickly and to a high quality in ambiguous environments with high levels of change
- Client-Oriented. Excel at working through influence, winning the trust of senior leadership and cross-functional counterparts, effectively moving initiatives forward with multiple stakeholders
- Teamwork. Self-management skills and ability to work as part of a nimble and fast-moving team; strong multitasking and parallel development abilities
- Vendor Management. Track record of successfully managing vendor relationships, evaluating terms of services, license agreements, and contracts
- Philanthropic grant-making and/or data management and research experience with an interest in social investing, capacity building, and/or AI and tech
- Entrepreneurial. Comfortable with ambiguity and have the persistence to drive processes forward through collaboration and dedication
- Commitment to Equity. Consistently question dominant narratives and seek to include the perspectives of underrepresented voices when assessing a potential course of action.
- Flexibility and Initiative. Develop internal relationships and individual drive to move work quickly and effectively in a 100% remote, fast-moving team.
- Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
What we offer:
- Competitive Salary – We anticipate the starting salary for this role to be $170,000 - $205,000.
- Health Insurance – Foundation-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents; disability and life insurance; flexible spending accounts
- 401(k) Matching – generous matching up to 6% of annual pay, plus an additional discretionary match
- Flexible PTO – progressive approach to PTO reflecting our respect for diversity, commitment to our team members, and ability to adapt to changing employee values
- SmartSpend Plus – employee discounts on a wide variety of products and services, from home goods and the latest gadgets to monthly bills and big-ticket buys
- Parental Leave – Up to 6 months of gender-neutral paid leave for parents and caregivers when they have a new addition to their families
- Learning & Development – company reimbursement policy, allowing employees to explore development opportunities such as peer learning, internal trainings, and external activities or conferences; savings on student loans (available via insurance provider)
- Philanthropic Matching Gift Program – opportunity for team members to support vulnerable communities, reflecting PJMF’s commitment to social impact
The attributes listed above represent our current thinking for the role. You can be a great candidate even if you don't fit everything we've described below. You can also have important skills we haven't thought of. If that's you - even if you’re on the fence - we encourage you to apply and tell us about yourself!
We have built an environment that celebrates the differences in backgrounds and experiences. PJMF invests in activities that lead to greater inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in how AI and data are conceptualized, developed, applied, and deployed. We are applying the same framework as our team grows and expands. We are an equal opportunity employer and we especially encourage and invite members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply.
All PJMF team members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
