Operations Manager

As the world’s leading animal photojournalism agency, We Animals (WA) advocates for animals through photojournalism. Our global investigations and stories expose our complex relationships with animals, create ethical and cultural shifts in society, and empower human capacity for compassion and change. To support our mission, we investigate industries, mentor photographers, operate a stock site to share our visual content, and engage with media and NGO partners to shift attitudes, industries, and policy.

We are seeking an Operations Manager to manage the day-to-day operations of We Animals, including human resources, finance, administration and compliance, operational reporting, and technology and data security.

Job Details

• Type of employment: Full-time permanent position at 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with a flexible hourly schedule.
• Department: Operations
• Reports to: Executive Director
• Location: Remote, in Canada. Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Canada. We are not able to apply for employer-specific work permits.
• Salary: $75,000 to $80,000 CAD, 40-hour work week
• Start date: Monday, January 4, 2027
• Application deadline: Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 5:00 pm EST

As an ideal candidate for this role, you:

• A systems-thinker who appreciates how different processes affect different team members and stakeholders.
• Flexible and keen to tackle a variety of projects and challenges as they emerge.
• An organizer. If the word ‘organized’ is in the top 5 words your friends would use to describe you, then this position is probably for you.
• A natural problem solver interested in improving how things are done in a way that makes sense for the team.
• Very detail-oriented. It would drive you nuts if documents were named inconsistently or someone’s name was spelled incorrectly.
• A self-starter who will bring ideas and suggestions to the table and proactively ask for information.
• A clear and timely communicator. People seem to enjoy communicating with you, and you do so promptly.

Mission Alignment:

This role requires more than technical skill; it requires deep philosophical alignment. We Animals is dedicated to ending the use of animals by humans—whether for food, fashion, entertainment, experimentation, or tradition. Please read our Mission, Values, and Purpose carefully before applying to ensure this is the right fit for your professional and personal ethics.

Responsibilities

Human Resources

• Project-manage recruitment workflows, including establishing timelines, building scorecards, providing hiring managers with templates and feedback, managing candidate communications, drafting employment contracts and driving process improvements.
• Manage HR systems and employee programs, including time-off administration, stipend processing, and health benefits.
• Conduct onboarding and offboarding of employees and contractors.
• Develop, update, and maintain HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance with legal labour standards while supporting team well-being, equity, and workplace culture.
• Coordinate volunteer recruitment, screening, onboarding, and appreciation.
• Provide administrative supervision for the Operations Coordinator (e.g., managing performance check-ins, approving time off and stipends) and align on operational tasks alongside their work supporting the Founder.

Finance

• Liaise with accounting services on bookkeeping procedures, ensure the team submits receipts and other required documents on time, and review documentation and accounting entries for accuracy.
• Perform accounts receivable duties, including invoicing and follow-up.
• Coordinate the quarterly financial review and annual budgeting processes.
• Draft agreements, invoice, and manage renewals for stock site subscriptions.
• Prepare semi-annual contributor royalty reports and coordinate payment.
• Submit bi-weekly payroll to Enkel.

Administration & Compliance

• Prepare and send out contracts.
• Maintain organizational compliance with Corporations Canada, including filing annual returns and updating Directors’ information.
• Apply for and manage organizational trademarks.
• Maintain the WA storefront and merchandise inventory, working collaboratively with the Communications team.
• Manage our general inbox, triaging emails as appropriate.
• Maintain a central organizational policy list, keeping an up-to-date master document that tracks all active policies and communicating policy rollouts to team members.

Operational Reporting

• Manage internal KPI and strategic plan tracking.
• Create, maintain, analyze, and share reports and dashboards required for tracking KPI’s, grant deliverables and other organizational needs.
• Review reporting processes and improve efficiency and presentation.

Technology, Security & Insurance

• Evaluate, recommend, and implement new tools, platforms, and AI integrations to improve team productivity, operational processes, and well-being.
• Coordinate organizational insurance policies.
• Administer tech platforms (including Google Workspace, Asana, ChatGPT, and others).
• Coordinate security operations, including digital, data, cyber, storage, and policy, while serving as the primary liaison with tech contractors.
• Order and manage equipment for staff as needed.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing financial workflows (including budgeting, invoicing, and expense tracking) along with a solid understanding of Canadian accounting concepts.
• Experience with HR administration, recruitment processes, or staff coordination is considered an asset.
• Advanced technical proficiency in Google Workspace (including Google Sheets) and project management software (such as Asana, including building workflows and automations).
• Demonstrated interest or ability in evaluating and implementing new tools, digital platforms, or AI integrations to streamline operations.
• Exposure to or familiarity with contract administration, corporate filings, or legal compliance is an asset.
• Values alignment: a demonstrable understanding of, and commitment to, our organizational philosophy regarding animal advocacy. You must be comfortable working in an environment that challenges the status quo of human-animal relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to work remotely effectively.
• Ability to travel once per year for our team retreat and/or conferences.

How to Apply

If you’d like to apply for this position, please visit our website and submit your application form by November 19, 2026 at 5:00pm EST.

• Flexible hours
• Remote work
• Three weeks’ paid vacation (prorated based on hours worked) plus an extended holiday closure period
• Benefits package
• Remote work stipend
• Paid training opportunities and professional development allowance
• A friendly, funny, talented, and caring team

English