Head of Operations

Online/remote

3-4 days a week/ ~24-35 hours a week

Salary - $35 AUD per hour

We are a globally distributed team, working across Europe, the US and other regions. This role will involve working across multiple time zones.

The Opportunity

At Earthly Institute we envision a world where liberated people thrive in balance with nature, and where systems empower collective flourishing, returning autonomy to all living things, and building a safe, equitable and just world for future generations.

To do this we challenge the forces driving climate and ecological collapse, mobilise communities with knowledge and tangible action, and build a world rooted in care, regeneration, and liberation - where people, justice, and ecosystems thrive.

To achieve real global impact, we translate complex climate and biodiversity knowledge into accessible content and offer resources in multiple languages. We work with a range of partner organisations, grassroots organisations, communities, and content creators to do this.

In three years, we’ve built a global community of over one million people and now reach approximately 140 million people each month. This reach allows us to shape public narratives, cut through disinformation, and ensure that the voices of frontline communities and grassroots movements are heard worldwide.

As we continue to grow, we are now looking to strengthen how we operate as an organisation - bringing greater clarity, coordination and sustainability to our work, so that we can continue to expand our impact in a way that supports both our mission and our team.

We do this work not for ourselves, but for all human and non-human beings, and for future generations to come.

At Earthly Institute, we…

• are a small, highly-motivated team of diverse people from around the world (and majority women)
• are a self-sustaining not-for-profit organisation but are ready to expand our scope and impact
• have partnered with and are relied on by many global changemakers - Greenpeace (UK), the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, Make Polluters Pay, Oil Change International, chilli.club, EarthDay
• are supported by world-class advisors, scientists, activists and journalists - Dr Diana Ürge-Vorsatz (IPCC), George Monbiot, Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
• are reaching over 140 million people per month and motivating them to take action

Our founding team brings together experience across science, education, research, operations and grassroots activism, combining analytical thinking with creative communication. Together, they have taken Earthly from a single Instagram account to becoming a globally recognised platform reaching millions of people each month.

We’re now seeking a collaborative, strategic and hands-on Head of Operations to complement our co-founders and help us to grow from reaching hundreds of millions to activating hundreds of millions.

Are you excited by the opportunity to support a global movement for a better, more sustainable future?

Do you love to create and optimise systems and operations and can think out-of-the box to make this work in a purely online environment?

Do you have the drive and ambition to help cultivate and scale an early-stage organisation?

Will you thrive in an organisation that’s radically open (we share and resolve tension very quickly and we integrate perspectives from all team members) and where nature-centric thinking is embedded everywhere, from our partnerships strategy, to our day to day operations.

If your answers are yes, we’re so excited to hear from you.

The Role Summary

As our Head of Operations, you will build, shape and lead how the organisation runs day to day. You will become one of our organisation’s key leaders, working closely with our Directors and wider team.

You will act as a central coordinator, hands-on executor and trusted co-strategist, bringing clarity, direction and momentum across the organisation.

In this role, you will enable our collective creative force, complementing our co-founders and wider team. You will help to strengthen our systems, improve coordination, and create the conditions for both creativity and impact to thrive.

You will play a key role in helping to set priorities, guide decision-making, and bring focus in a fast-moving environment - including supporting and constructively challenging where needed to help ensure the organisation operates sustainably and effectively.

Together, we aim to become ever more clear, effective and sustainable in how we operate, turning our ambitions into achievable, well-supported outcomes.

You will report to our Directors.

Key Responsibilities

Your role has room to grow, and will initially be grounded in the following (with rough percentage splits):

• Company operations coordination, execution and strategy (45%)
  • Coordinate and actively help to execute our operations, from the big to the small, from horizon-scanning and opportunity-seeking to the implementation of crucial day-to-day systems across a digital, globally distributed environment (without overly systemising and killing creativity / dynamism).
  • Build out our ops procedures and processes, including improving and optimising our tools and technology.
  • Support effective coordination across our digital platforms, content workflows and distributed team, ensuring clarity and alignment across time zones.
  • Monitor and set clear OKRs (working with directors and team leaders), ensuring everyone knows what they own, and how to act in the best interests of the whole.
• Financial management (20%)
  • Take ownership of developing clear oversight of our finances and budgets, supporting strategic allocation of resources.
  • If necessary, help us hire a virtual CFO and/or bookkeeper and work with them.
  • Help determine the appropriate scope and hours for your role, and a sustainable approach to compensation across the team going forwards, based on projections.
• People, culture & ways of working (20%)
  • Support our directors in building on our open, honest, frank, mutually-supportive culture, making it even better.
  • Oversee hiring, alongside our co-founders and relevant team leaders.
  • Set the standard for efficient and motivating team meetings across a globally distributed team.
  • ​​Help to build alignment, momentum and accountability across a global team, supporting individuals to stay connected, motivated and clear on priorities.
• Contract & deal management (10%)
  • Ensure that our contracts are negotiated and finalised in a manner that best represents our interests and aligns with our mission.
• Board management & meetings (5%)
  • Organise and help prepare our regular board meetings.
  • Manage our Board administration and coordination.

To give a clearer sense of what we’re looking for in this role, we’ve outlined some indicative milestones for your first 30, 60 and 90 days. These milestones are intended as a guide and will evolve as you build context within the organisation.

30 days

• You step in and begin strengthening the rhythm, clarity and cohesion of the organisation.
• You bring structure without stifling creativity. Team meetings become focused, energising and purposeful, with clear outcomes and accountability.
• There is growing clarity on roles, responsibilities, and how work contributes to the wider mission.
• You begin strengthening connections across the team - particularly across time zones and digital ways of working - identifying gaps, friction points and opportunities for better collaboration.
• You establish and improve core operational systems and workflows, ensuring the organisation is running smoothly day to day.
• You build trust quickly, becoming a central point of support, clarity and coordination across the organisation.

60 days

• You develop a strong understanding of our financial position and begin building a more robust and sustainable financial system.
• You identify, onboard and begin working closely with an external virtual CFO and/or bookkeeper, ensuring our financial management is accurate, strategic and forward-looking.
• You work with the co-founders and team to strengthen our organisational strategy, ensuring our mission, priorities and direction are clear and actionable.
• You implement structured goal-setting across the organisation, aligning team and individual objectives with our broader impact.
• You introduce personal development pathways and regular check-ins, supporting each team member to develop and thrive in their role.
• You build effective relationships with the Board, improving communication, coordination and overall governance.
• You review and strengthen our digital security systems, ensuring our work, data and people are protected.

90 days

• You are confidently making strategic decisions on priorities, resource allocation and organisational direction, in close collaboration with the co-founders.
• You have significantly improved the effectiveness, clarity and resilience of our operational systems, enabling the team to move faster and with greater confidence.
• You establish strong accountability structures, including regular reviews, feedback loops and clear ownership across the organisation.
• You proactively identify challenges and inefficiencies, and act quickly to resolve them before they grow.
• You create the conditions for high performance and creativity simultaneously, ensuring the team feels supported, aligned and empowered.
• You help shape an organisation that is not only efficient, but adaptive, resilient and capable of scaling its impact over time.
• You are scoping the best approach for our team regarding our status as independent contractors vs employees, and considering the safest and most practical digital geographic location for our advocacy organisation.

Must haves:

• A love for nature and humanity, and a deep desire to protect both.
• Experience in key operational leadership positions, scaling a small organisation from the 5 people mark upwards.
• Experience with financial management, payroll and projection modelling – in an equivalent or closely comparable organisation.
• Experience working in a leadership role as part of a remote team, and proven track record in moving small teams to create outsized impact.
• Experience working closely with founders or senior leaders, with the confidence to provide direction, challenge constructively, and help maintain focus and accountability.
• Experience working with and motivating a globally distributed team, with the ability to build alignment, momentum and accountability across time zones.
• Up-to-date knowledge and proven competence in digital security.
• A high level of initiative and energy, with a self-starter approach and the ability to drive work forward.
• High EQ (a love of people and an ability to judge, manage and resolve tension from afar).
• Ability to work effectively as a team, and autonomously – particularly as a remote worker (discipline, self-motivation, great time management).
• Exceptional problem-solving skills.
• Healthy scepticism and an ability to ask good questions.
• Sound knowledge of technology systems (e.g., team communication software, financial management software, workflow software, general online literacy).
• Fluency in English.

Nice to haves:

• Experience working in the climate and nature space.
• Experience working in digital education.
• A love of, and proven experience in, partnership building and strategic networking.
• An understanding of climate science, ecology, sustainability, regeneration and systemic change.
• Experience with fundraising, grants, or donor relationships (e.g. involvement in fundraises in the region of $50K - $2mn AUD).
• Up-to-date knowledge of the shifting landscape of social media.

How we work & benefits

We take great pride in the culture that we have established. We work closely and openly together, trust one another and have a shared desire to create a better world through Earthly.

Our team is made up of ~10 people working remotely around the world, where we aim to balance connection and team culture with flexibility. We want everyone to feel fulfilled in their work and aim for everyone to be themselves.

As a growing organisation, some aspects of how we work are still evolving, and this role will play a key part in shaping that.

Some perks:

• Flexible hours (as long as you get the work done, you’re available for scheduled meetings and you’re able to take urgent calls during standard hours, you can work flexibly).
• Remote working with a vibrant, international team, and an open, respectful, values-based culture.
• The opportunity to help shape your role, including how we approach areas such as annual leave, wellbeing and professional development over time.
• Opportunity to connect with a larger community, via our memberships, partnerships and associations with local and global organisations.
• Invitations to events and learning opportunities.
• The chance to become an integral and formative part of a fast-paced, rapidly growing project that’s changing the world for the better.

On remote work

Remote work is not for everyone. While it can provide freedom and flexibility, it may also be isolating.

We are a group of people who thrive on freedom and diversity. We highly value diverse perspectives, especially as our work and partnerships take on a global lens. In this complex world, we believe that flexibility is crucial for effective work. However, our team members have active communities where we live. In-person engagement with our own communities helps us to stay motivated for the online world.

While we try to make space for “being” rather than only “doing” work moments, you might not get those regular water-cooler moments. But you will be part of a very dedicated, diligent and dynamic team, ambitious about improving our planet.

We hope that you will be inspired by your colleagues, as we are, and that you will make life-long friends. However, if you feel you would prefer more consistent, in-person interaction with your team, then a role with us may not be the right fit.

How to apply

Please apply to this role by emailing your application to contact@earthlyeducation.org with the subject line “Application for Head of Operations”.

We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis, but intend to close applications by the end of Sunday 3rd May 2026.

Please include in your email:

1. Your CV
2. A brief cover letter sharing what excites you about working with us and how you feel you can contribute to growing our organisation - please be yourself and don’t feel you have to be overly polished, we want to get to know you!
3. Answers to the questions and tasks required

Diversity

We embrace diversity at Earthly Institute, and are committed to welcoming people into our team and contractor pool regardless of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability.

We are especially keen to encourage applications and interest from individuals underrepresented in our organisation and sector. We are very aware that the climate and nature crisis intersects with social injustice. To build an organisation that is effective in turning around the climate and nature emergency, we know that we need a team with all kinds of different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds.

Good luck!

We understand that applying for a new job takes significant effort, and we really value your time. We look forward to reading your application!

Questions (applicants must answer these as part of their application submission)

Please answer these questions as honestly and clearly as possible – this helps us respect both your time and ours.

We will prioritise candidates who can answer “yes” or “no, but…” to the questions below.

We know that experience comes in many forms, and that ‘years of experience’ is only a crude way to measure it! So, if you answer “no, but…”, please clearly explain why we should consider you anyway.

1. Where are you located?
2. Have you worked for 3+ years in an operational leadership role within a small, growing organisation (e.g. ~5+ people)?
3. Are you confident working with financial spreadsheets and systems (e.g. budgeting, tracking, projections)?
4. Do you have 3+ years’ experience working in a leadership role within a remote team, and do you enjoy and work effectively in a remote environment?
5. Are you comfortable working closely with founders in a fast-moving environment, where priorities may evolve and not everything is fully defined?
6. Are you confident in bringing clarity, structure and prioritisation to complex or ambiguous situations?

These further questions are all very much “nice-to-haves”. We don’t expect anyone to answer “yes” to all of them! We’re just interested in what areas of our organisation you might complement. There is no need to explain any “no” answer.

1. Are you experienced and confident in building partnerships and relationships?
2. Have you worked for 3 or more years in the climate and nature space?
3. Do you have any experience working with or supporting social media or digital content teams?
4. Do you have any experience with fundraising, grants, or working with donors or investors?

Short tasks

Please complete the short tasks below.

In 2–3 sentences, what is it about Earthly and this role that made you want to apply?

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Imagine you’ve just joined Earthly and it’s your second week in the role.

The team is committed and doing impactful work, but things feel slightly unstructured. There are multiple priorities across partnerships, content, and internal work, and the co-founders are stretched across many areas.

In 200–300 words, please outline:

• The one or two areas you would focus on first, and why
• What you would not prioritise yet, and why
• One simple, practical change you would introduce early on to improve clarity or coordination

Please keep your answer concise and practical, and avoid general frameworks or theory.

Where relevant, feel free to reference elements of Earthly’s work or context in your response. There is no “right” answer - we’re interested in how you think and prioritise in this kind of environment.