Director of Administration

Director of Administration

Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy

Status:         Full-time, exempt employee

Salary: $90,000-$100,000

Reports to:  President & CEO

Location:     Albany, NY

Deadline:     Resume review begins immediately. Best consideration by June 7, 2024

About the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy

The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Albany, NY dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen New York families and improve child well-being, so all children statewide have a fair opportunity to thrive. 

Founded by Louisa Lee Schuyler in 1872 as the State Charities Aid Association, with the goal to improve the well-being of people living in state institutions due to poverty, illness, and disability, Schuyler Center was renamed in its founder’s honor in 2000. For more than 150 years, the organization has led advocacy rooted in compassion, evidence, and belief in a government that works for the greater good. Schuyler Center’s work acknowledges the historic racism woven throughout shared systems, and advocates for public policies that seek to address inequities while improving health, welfare, and human services for all New Yorkers.

Schuyler Center achieves its reforms through creative and detail-conscious policy analysis, coalition-building, and advocacy to elected officials, agency executives, and stakeholders. Schuyler Center’s policy initiatives are determined by its citizen-led Board of Trustees in collaboration with senior policy staff, with priority emphasis given to combating poverty and helping children and families thrive. Learn more at scaany.org. 

Position Overview

The Director of Administration (Director) oversees the administrative functions of Schuyler Center including financial management in partnership with an outsourced financial consultant, human resources, grants management, and information technology. A key member of the organization’s senior leadership team, the Director leads the administrative functions that support Schuyler Center’s staff to further its agenda. Schuyler Center relies on foundation support, individual contributions, and an endowment to carry out its extensive agenda. The successful candidate will be adept with human resources operations and grants management. 

The Director will be committed to Schuyler Center’s mission to improve public policy to benefit all New Yorkers, especially those experiencing poverty. They will work with the entire organization to secure the resources needed to carry out the organization’s strategies. The Director will keep sight of Schuyler Center’s founding spirit and values to advance equity and reduce racial and economic disparities.

The Director’s leadership style will be one that is deeply invested in building an inclusive team culture and fostering cross-collaboration and systems of accountability. They will report to the President & CEO and supervise an Operations Manager and one Administrative Associate. 

The Director’s key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Financial Management

• Lead Schuyler Center’s financial management functions with support from a financial consultant who provides bookkeeping, accounting, and reporting services.
• Supervise a financial consultant to ensure that accounting, reconciliations, billing, internal controls, and taxes are organized, accurate, and audit-ready.
• Lead an organization-wide process to develop annual operating budgets and report actuals. 

Administration and Business Operations

• Oversee operational functions, including facilities and equipment, information technology needs, and grants management.
• Steward relationships with vendors, including contractors, auditors, bankers, landlords, and insurance companies, among others.
• Oversee a robust grants and contracts management process, including holding the organization accountable to grant budgets, deliverables, and reporting deadlines and providing technical assistance to subgrantees. 
• Review contracts and oversee insurance policies to mitigate institutional risk; coordinate with legal counsel to manage liability, where needed.
• Lead special events planning, including securing event space, catering, RSVPs, etc. 
• Oversee Schuyler Center’s customer relationship management (CRM) system (EveryAction) including running reports and increasing its use as a strategic decision-making tool.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and legal requirements for financial, labor and retirement implementation and reporting including NYPMIFA, 990, 5500, DOL, and COELIG (bi-monthly lobbying reports). 
• Supervise two direct reports. 

Human Resources

• Lead human resources function, including payroll, hiring and onboarding processes, annual performance management, negotiation of medical and dental insurance benefits, review and implementation of other employee benefits, and personnel policies and practices. 
• Monitor all transactions regarding retirement plans and recommend changes as necessary. 
• With the senior leadership team, ensure organizational culture and employee relations are values-aligned, including updating and refining systems, processes, and policies through a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging lens.
• Cultivate a work environment that embraces data-driven decisions, collaboration, transparency, open communication, and accountability.

Experience, Skills, and Qualities 

Schuyler Center encourages applications from a wide range of candidates. While we understand that no single candidate can possess every qualification listed below, the following are priority areas:

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience overseeing nonprofit administration and financial management, including budgeting, human resources, IT, and facilities.
• Experience managing a team of direct reports, including coaching and building capacity.
• A track record of implementing human resources principles and practices and comfortable adapting processes appropriate to the organization.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to deliver and debate ideas collaboratively.
• Experience with grants management, including funder reporting.
• Expertise using a customer relationship management (CRM) database, like EveryAction.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; can manage multiple priorities at once.
• A strong equity frame, with high levels of emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity.
• Experience developing and maintaining systems, standard operating procedures, management processes, and office policies. Demonstrated success in guiding process improvements and change management strategies. 
• Committed to advancing policies that strengthen New York families and improve child wellbeing, so all children have a fair opportunity to thrive.
• Current or past record of personal and/or professional connections to social justice, wellness, poverty alleviation, or related fields are a plus.

Location & Travel

Schuyler Center is headquartered in Albany, NY and practices a hybrid work schedule.

Compensation

Budgeted salary range of $90,000 - $100,000 with a competitive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, a matched retirement plan, and paid time off. Final offers may consider work location or other professional experiences relevant to defined job requirements.

Application Process

Schuyler Center is conducting this search in partnership with Good Insight, a national executive search firm serving nonprofits and associations. Interested applicants should upload a resume and a detailed cover letter to www.good-insight.org/careers.

Resume reviews begin immediately. For best consideration, please apply by June 7, 2024. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search. Please direct confidential inquiries to Kate Dykgraaf and Erin Lau at Schuyler@good-insight.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Schuyler Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing a diverse and inclusive environment.

Budgeted salary range of $90,000 - $100,000 with a competitive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, a matched retirement plan, and paid time off. Final offers may consider work location or other professional experiences relevant to defined job requirements.