Senior Director of Operations

About

So’oh-Shinálí Sister Project (SSSP) promotes Indigenous education and wellness to empower

Indigenous community members in the urban setting through core values, intergenerational

relationship building, and community-based programming. The four pillars that guide SSSP’s

work include: wellness, education, leadership and resource development.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Operations will support organizational leadership and development.

The person in this role will directly oversee all Human Resources, Organizational Operations, and

Financial Administration. This position leads the facilitation of compliance monitoring,

ensuring that contractual obligations are met and annual certifications are maintained.

This role ensures the organization offers services in the most cost effective manner while

upholding quality standards, optimizing workforce efficiency, and reducing overhead costs.

This role will also ensure inventory and project deliverables meet the community’s needs and

established financial benchmarks. The director will formulate and recommend policies and

programs which guide the nonprofit in maintaining and improving its exceptional position and

profitability.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Organizational Leadership and Development

• Supporting strategic planning to ensure vitality and expansion of the organization
• Enthusiastically seek organizational growth opportunities to uphold SSSP’s four pillars
• Establishing and implementing interdepartmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with leadership team
• Ensuring standards for community programming and equipment are maintained
• Securing cost-effective technology to maximize resources
• Researching and recommending updates to data management systems, as appropriate
• Indirectly ensuring deliverables are met in a timely manner according to needs, specifications, and quality standards
• Overseeing professional development opportunities for individuals and collective team

Human Resources

• Maintaining the highest level of confidentiality
• Ensuring compliance with California labor laws, policies, and updates
• Keeping up to date and advising all staff on labor issues including safety, security, employee relations, scheduling, training, and grievances
• Leading selection, training, and onboarding of new staff; overseeing employee evaluations
• Implementing corrective actions in a timely manner while ensuring adherence to organizational policies.
• Taking corrective action on a timely basis and in accordance with organizational policies
• Ensuring managers, supervisors, and all staff comply with company policies and administer practices in a fair and equitable manner
• Directly supervising the operations and outreach staff; overseeing work schedules and assigning specific duties
• Overseeing the management of inventory and distribution of materials; conducting regular internal audits of SSSP equipment

Organizational Operations and Financial Administration

• Supervision of all financials including payroll, reimbursements, contractor payments, and grant funding
• Developing, monitoring, reviewing and reporting financial statements, activity reports, and other performance data to measure progress and goal achievement; identify areas requiring cost reduction or improvement
• Using various software applications such as Quickbooks, spreadsheets, relational databases, statistical packages, and graphics packages to assemble and/or format data and reports as well as making necessary adjustments and corrections
• Staying updated on information and technology to ensure innovation and compliance
• Working with accountant for in-house bookkeeping and annual returns; supervision of all financials including accounts payable, accounts receivable, account reconciliations, and schedules
• Reviewing and revising chart of accounts to ensure accounting system setup is most effective for tracking expenses for specific programs, events, and funding source
• Ensuring fixed assets are preserved; initiating recommendations on purchases of new equipment and improvements, when appropriate
• Creating, assisting, and providing input in the development of grant budget applications
• Serving as the Financial Agent for current and future funding of the organization
• Managing budget and controls expenses resulting in quarterly and annual reports for
• Executive Director and Board review
• Performing other work-related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or 7+ years of work experience equivalent (required)
• Significant experience in middle and upper management settings, i.e. Senior/Executive level
• Demonstrate successful experience with administrative operations activities such as budget and accounting processes, reporting, story mapping, and risk management planning
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality
• Exhibit exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Experience managing multiple project budgets simultaneously
• Strong skills in short and long term planning, analysis, and problem solving
• Demonstrate impactful interpersonal skills including verbal/written communication, active listening, and critical thinking to represent the organization
• A culture builder who develops and uplifts team members, is approachable and inclusive, and is always seeking improvements to the SSSP employee experience
• Extensive experience with team supervision, building meaningful relations, managing conflict, and fostering motivation.
• Other characteristics such as: positive attitude, flexibility to adapt or shift as needed, and willingness to learn in community
• Preferred experience working with the American Indian/Alaska Native community and/or other marginalized communities (Two Spirit, LGBTQIA+, varying abilities, BIPOC, etc.)
• Experience upholding cultural competence, social justice, and inclusion through practice
• Thoughtful and inspirational leader with the ability to build trust, lead, and manage a talented and diverse team
• Technological skills: Knowledge of Google Workspace, MS Office, and other systems
• Reliable transportation and CA Driver’s License

Working conditions

Employees will generally work remotely. Employees may also work inside our community workspace setting. Employees will very occasionally work outdoors, evenings, weekends, or shift work (ex. quarterly split shift working community programs as needed).

Physical requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to frequently stand, walk, sit, bend, twist, talk and hear. There are prolonged periods of sitting, keyboarding, reading, viewing a computer screen, as well as driving or riding in transport vehicles. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include reading, distanced viewing, computer, and color vision. Talking and hearing are essential to communicate with community members, collaborative partners, and staff.