Operations Associate

Overview

SF New Deal (SFND) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides supportive services and financial opportunities for small businesses in San Francisco. Our mission is to strengthen neighborhoods by making it easier for under-resourced small business owners to succeed. We envision and are building towards a vibrant San Francisco with diverse and thriving small businesses.

Our team is growing rapidly to build and deliver innovative and responsive community-centered solutions to some of San Francisco’s most persistent challenges. Since our launch in March 2020, we’ve had significant impact and disbursed over $60 million dollars to over 2000 small businesses citywide through a host of diverse programs. Our work is funded through private donations and government contracts.

We’re a team of collaborative optimists and would love to have you join and build with us.

About the role:

Our organization supports the growth and stabilization of small businesses by administering grants and providing technical assistance for several programs in partnership with The City of San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). The Operations Associate will support two important branches of this programmatic work: the broad Grantmaking domain comprising multiple city-funded grant programs and the ScaleUp program, a new hub-and-spoke service ecosystem that delivers targeted technical assistance to underserved small business owners.

As part of the Grantmaking team, the Operations Associate (“OA”) will support grant programs that focus on accessibility compliance, interior & exterior facade improvements, neighborhood specific relief & investments, equipment purchases, disaster relief, and start-up costs. Certain aspects of grant administration span SF New Deal’s portfolio, and the OA will be expected to drive our grantmaking and e-payment requirements across a variety of programs that SF New Deal manages. As a member of the newly formed Scale Up team, the OA will coordinate participant intake, assessment and internal referrals, and support ongoing case management as businesses move through the ecosystem of peer providers. They will play a critical role in quality assurance and impact measurement efforts as the program is designed and launched.

Across both teams, the OA must maintain accurate data, prepare and secure compliance documentation, support technical assistance sessions, and capture partner feedback to inform process improvements. They will play a key role in the success of both programs, ensuring operations remain consistent, efficient and high impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lend critical day-to-day operational and administrative support for the Grantmaking and Scale Up programs, as defined by Program Manager direction, funder requirements and internal programs objectives
• Serve as the process driver for grantmaking across SF New Deal’s programs portfolio, collaborating closely with the Systems Lead to address and resolve urgent operational challenges
  • Act as primary driver and collaborator with Systems Lead for grantmaking processes, automations and systems maintenance
  • Deliver updated and verified entries for all assigned grantees and partners in Airtable and Salesforce
• Serve as the primary point of contact for small business participants cycling through the Grantmaking program - from award to grant disbursement
  • Collaborate regularly with relevant team members to proactively flag small business technical support needs and service gaps
  • Prepare and deliver required materials, including grantee compliance documentation and process documentation
  • Support collection of impact data, including surveys and interviews with awarded small business owners, as needed
• Provide technical assistance to the businesses inducted into the ScaleUp program and track relevant impact & service delivery metrics, and other measures as required by the OEWD contract
  • Support the development, implementation and ongoing execution of technical assistance workshops, 1:1 counseling methods and partner-coordinated case management practices
  • Coordinate referrals to peer providers within the ecosystem and perform quality assurance checks to ensure services align w. participant goals
• Lead Scale Up client intake interview process, assess business preparedness, and manage relevant documentation via the Business Assessment & Sustainability Plan
• Maintain program records on Airtable, Salesforce, and other city-owned platforms for seamless delivery of services to our small business, community and City partners and ensure data consistency throughout migration
  • Document technical assistance sessions (number of sessions, number of hours, key issues resolved) for assigned grant projects and Scale Up cases
  • Prepare, maintain and deliver required compliance and reporting documents aligned to program requirements and stakeholder commitments.
• Collaborate with Program Manager(s) on continuous improvement projects related to the program’s operational procedures, and own implementation as directed
  • Deliver written summaries of partner feedback, including trends and recommendations for workflow improvements.
• Lend support to additional programs, services and projects as needed

Key Qualifications & Proficiencies:

• 2+ years of experience in grant administration, business advising, or program operations
• Familiarity with e-payment systems and/or other grantmaking processes
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Airtable, Salesforce, Slack, and Asana
• Strong professional acumen with keen eye for detail
• Self-directed, able to manage deliverables independently with consistent proactive communication
• Located in San Francisco or nearby, available for frequent in-person technical support to small businesses
• Experience working with small businesses in San Francisco preferred
• Bilingual in Cantonese or Spanish preferred
• Knowledge of challenges facing under-resourced or historically underserved small business owners

You’ll be a fit if you…

• Are committed to advancing equity in small business support and historically underserved communities in San Francisco
• Are passionate about prioritizing cultural competency and client dignity
• Are passionate about advancing equitable pathways in entrepreneurship
• Are excited to approach challenges from new perspectives
• Have a bias towards action and the urge to solve problems quickly with a positive attitude
• Are an empathetic, collaborative, and values-driven team player
• Are self-directed and proactive; able to identify problems or areas of improvement, propose solutions, and prioritize effectively
• Are able to work independently and collaboratively with remote team members

Employment Classification: Full-time, salaried, exempt

Weekly Hours: 40 hrs/week

Preferred Work Days: Monday - Friday

Salary: $75,000-85,000

Team: Programs & Partner Success (ProPS)

Reports To: Program Manager

Location: This role is primarily remote/work from home and requires significant time on the computer and phone. SF New Deal has a downtown co-working space available to all employees. The ideal candidate is based in or near San Francisco. The role requires attendance at 8-12 in-person team events per year, including an annual top-of-the-year kickoff, a mid-year sync, and at least six culture and team-building events in neighborhoods across San Francisco.

Apply here: http://bit.ly/4075HQc

Research has shown that women and people from marginalized communities apply to roles when they meet 100% of the job requirements, versus men who apply if they meet an average of 60% of the requirements. We encourage EVERYONE to apply if you have transferable skills and can add value to this role, regardless of whether you have 100% of the skills and experience requested.

We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, especially people from communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities. No matter your background, our new People Operations Manager must advocate for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We look forward to receiving your application. SF New Deal is an equal opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic background, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Benefits: Medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; 401(k); annual work-from-home stipend and monthly internet/phone and wellness stipends; and professional development.