Operations Associate

The GCCM Foundation seeks a dedicated and detail-oriented Operations Associate to support and enhance the organization’s general operations and administrative processes, working closely with the Chief Operations Officer and other team members to ensure day-to-day general administrative responsibilities are successfully and consistently implemented.

The Operations Associate will play a pivotal role in contributing to our mission by driving efficiency in both near- and longer-term execution of administrative functions and core operations. This will include supporting contract and invoice processing, a wide range of logistical and procedural coordination (such as that required for business travel, research or programmatic-oriented trips, and support for event planning), organization of file systems and applications, expense processing, procurement research, and some budget-related support. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to the GCCM Foundation’s mission to drive meaningful change at the nexus of climate change and human mobility as our team supports and amplifies the efforts of affected communities and countries around the world.

As an Operations Associate, you will:

• Work closely with the Chief Operations Officer (COO) to support a broad range of day-to-day activities that will help ensure the organization’s operations run effectively and efficiently
• Liaise with the COO, other members of the Senior Management team, and a number of external partners while carrying out critical administrative support functions
• Help develop and enhance operational and administrative policies and processes to improve the organization’s overall operational and administrative management

Key responsibilities include:

1. General Operational and Administrative Support
   1. Assist in tracking and implementation of day-to-day operational and administrative functions, including but not limited to: supporting the streamlining and improvement of general administrative practices and procedures; and deepening logistical implementation.
   2. Support to COO in planning and administration that will support information-sharing and coordination among team members, including but not limited to: regular communication of operational and administrative updates; maintaining shared calendars; handling related scheduling and notetaking.
   3. Track, improve, and help grow new or existing administrative policies and procedures that reinforce and enhance the organization’s operations.
2. Expense Processing
   1. Review and handle timely submission of expense reports, invoices, reimbursement requests, and other expense transactions
   2. Track transactions throughout approvals process flow, acting as a main point of contact with the Finance team, other internal team members, and with relevant external partners
   3. Ensure clear communication to all involved parties to support general awareness and provide responsive and consistent updates
3. Procurement, Contracts Processing and Monitoring
   1. Support organization’s procurement practices - researching prospective vendors, coordinating scoping conversations, helping to ensure procurement policy and related processes are followed
   2. Track and support contract processing required for individual consultancies and vendor agreements, particularly through compliance of related policies and processes.
   3. Support development and organization of contracts, helping to maintain complete documentation to support necessary compliance
   4. Monitor contract developments and support amendment processes or related invoice or expense payments.
   5. Help develop new procedures or resources as may be useful to strengthen the organization and oversight of contract administration.
4. Recruitment
   1. Support recruitment processes for new team members or partners, potentially including coordination of relevant interview or procurement processes, helping to improve general onboarding processes, and liaising with relevant team members regarding information, access, or materials needed as they lead onboarding or offboarding.
5. Travel Planning & Coordination
   1. Support general organizational planning for upcoming work trips, working with and helping relevant project managers to be aware of operational and administrative policy and procedure that enables work-related travel.
   2. In coordination with team members, make or coordinate follow-up for arrangements required to secure means of travel, accommodation, and/or event conferencing, among other travel needs.
   3. Provide coordination and communication support to COO and other relevant members of the team as they review and determine final travel budgets, while handling related expense and invoice processing.
6. Budget Planning
   1. Select support for organizational budget planning, including but not limited to coordination of inputs by the Senior Management team contributing to annual budget planning and general analysis of internal budgets.
7. Conference and Event Support
   1. Provide operational support to team members leading on Conference and Event management, such as help in handling key administrative functions related to procurement, vendor coordination and payment, contract tracking, shipment of onsite materials, securing permits and other necessary materials, among other, relevant logistical activities.

Qualifications & Experience

• 3-5+ years of professional experience supporting nonprofit operations and administration — this could include within community-based organizations, multilateral, NGO, and/or philanthropic organizations
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills while ensuring attention to detail
• Collaborative team member with previous experience coordinating across remote or dispersed teams
• Ability to monitor progress and efficiently communicate relevant information and updates to team members
• Understanding of general contract and expense processing requirements and procedures, typical for compliance with organizational standards and regulations for an U.S.-based nonprofit organization
• General familiarity with basic accounting
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced working environment
• Verbal and written fluency in English

Preferred Skills

• Experience working with organizations engaged in fiscal sponsorship agreements
• Familiarity with common applications and platforms used in the workplace, such as: Airbase, Asana, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite
• A passion for supporting meaningful change for affected communities around the world impacted by climate change

Verbal and written fluency in English