People and Operations Manager

Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) seeks an energetic, experienced, self-directed, and collaborative person to support the operations of our dynamic national nonprofit organization. Our core work is supporting the expansion of democratic employee ownership as a strategy for racial equity. DAWI has a high-functioning, close-knit staff driven by our values, and we want to work with a skilled and reliable colleague. This position has the potential to grow as the organization grows.

About the role

The People and Operations Manager works closely with the Co-Executive Director of Operations and Programs, the Deputy Director, and the personnel committee to ensure that everyone in our mostly-remote organization has the tools and supports necessary to do their work effectively and efficiently. This position will set up, monitor, and support good operations systems, ensuring that the Institute’s infrastructure enables effective programs and a happy, productive team. Our ideal candidate appreciates a highly collaborative environment but can also thrive working independently. This is someone skilled at self-management, clear communication, and accountability, and who enjoys a friendly, creative work environment.

About DAWI

DAWI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit movement-based think-and-do tank that expands the promise of cooperative business ownership to communities most directly affected by economic, social, and racial inequality. We do research and advocacy; we develop tools and new models; we train worker-owners and developers; and we convene communities of practice to ensure that further growth in the worker cooperative movement reaches low-income people, BIPOC communities, and recent immigrants. We are affiliated with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, the national grassroots membership organization. In all our work, as well as internal operations, we strive to embody our organizational values of Integrity, Equity, Innovation, Collaboration, and Human-Centeredness.

All staffers are expected to help build organizational capacity and processes, and in turn, DAWI commits to building all staffers’ professional development and leadership skills. We love our work, and we work hard, but we also strive for work-life balance. Full-time staff are eligible for membership in the organization after 1 year of employment. Members are eligible to serve on the board of directors and participate in the strategic guidance of the organization.

Job Description

The major duties and responsibilities of the position are as follows:

Operations - 45%

Administrative Oversight

• Manage office systems and administrative support
• Manage vendor contracts and contact information
• Oversee the IT contractor who manages technology infrastructure (IT, software, hardware).
• Maintain shared online work systems: Lastpass, Slack, Google Workspace, Asana, Zoom, Guru, Adobe, etc.
• Board support: Manage board logistics or HR-related board tasks
• Ensure organizational policies and procedures are followed
• Manage info@ hr@ and hiring@ emails
• Manage regular reminders to staff, shared Google calendar, and staff meeting administration
• Oversee office leases and relationships with landlords

Risk & Compliance

• Maintain organizational insurance coverage (general liability, workers’ compensation, etc.)
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance (state filings, charitable registrations)
• Manage organizational licenses and renewals

Programs, Communications, and Event Administration

• Provide operations and logistics support for program and organization event planning

Human Resources Administration - 40%

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Post job descriptions and manage hiring processes
• Coordinate interview scheduling and offer letters
• Facilitate new hire onboarding and orientation

Employee Relations & Support

• Serve as a point of contact for employee concerns or conflicts
• Administer policies related to conduct, discipline, and complaints
• Support staff well-being and workplace culture initiatives

Benefits Administration

• Manage employee benefits (health insurance, FSA, PTO, retirement)
• Support payroll processing, as needed
• Support staff with benefit enrollment and questions

Performance Management

• Manage trial periods and performance review timelines
• Support managers with conducting evaluations
• Maintain personnel files and documentation

Policy & Compliance

• Maintain and update the employee handbook
• Ensure compliance with labor laws (e.g., FMLA, ADA, EEOC)
• Conduct trainings on HR policies, anti-harassment, etc.
• Manage the organization of all HR records/file management, including all contractor and employee files.

Staff and Organizational Development - 15%

• Work with the Co-ED of Operations and Programs to assess the organization’s system needs.
• Continually synthesize fragmented para-systems. Research, propose, and lead new systems implementation
• Participate in staff meetings and professional development activities.

What are our expectations?

A successful People and Operations Manager

• Executes at a high level: Solves problems and proposes solutions. This starts but doesn’t stop with identifying issues and questions, but taking initiative to propose solutions, and getting creative when faced with obstacles. Establishes a clear work plan but also prioritizes as new information and opportunities come in.
• Always keeps their work human-centered: Operations is a systems-oriented role; this person would be focused on that aspect, but always committed to keeping their work human-centered. This person ensures that every process, policy, and decision reflects our employee-guided and democratic culture. They balance efficiency with care, making sure systems support people rather than the other way around.
• Connects to the organization: Communicates operations and organizational development work internally, solicits input from colleagues, and facilitates co-planning, syncing, and strategic alignment. Understand and enforce organizational norms, tools, and priorities.
• Conducts work with integrity: Handles sensitive information with care and integrity.
• Detail-Oriented: Thorough, accurate, organized, and productive, with a focus on completing each task with precision and minimal errors. Pay close attention to details, ensuring that all aspects of a project are handled correctly and efficiently.
• Stays nimble and flexible: Be attuned to the organizational and staff needs, take initiative, and have the ability to adjust plans along the way.

REQUIREMENTS | The People and Operations Manager has:

• Education: A Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: A minimum of 3 years of experience in Human Resources, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
• Leadership: Demonstrated experience in managing teams and leading People initiatives.

SKILLS | The People and Operations Manager can:

• Set priorities and self-manage: Work independently, prioritize and execute work, establish realistic deadlines and meet them consistently, navigate through uncertainty, and access resources needed to move forward.
• Navigate through uncertainty: when facing a barrier, drives toward certainty, gathers info, tries different angles, consults colleagues, does research, and comes to a place of options.
• Communicate effectively: share expectations, needs, and questions, and listen actively to what others are communicating; give and receive feedback; flag highlights and concerns; find shared language; speak publicly with confidence and clarity.
• Stay organized: Use tools and systems to track tasks, follow through, manage multiple deadlines, prioritize and execute work, establish realistic deadlines, and meet them consistently.
• Basic operations experience: At least two years of experience in an administrative or operations role.
• HRIS skills: Experience with HR Information Systems. In the absence of robust experience, demonstrated skills include learning new systems, thinking clearly about data, and organizing information.
• Full competence with basic office tools: Microsoft Office Suite, GSuite, online project management systems, remote file systems, online/remote meeting tools (Zoom). We use Slack for collaborative communication, Asana for project management, Salesforce for project and data management, and Harvest for timekeeping.
• Facility with new technology: You can learn and teach programs, and you are willing to approach tech troubleshooting without fear or frustration.
• Communication skills: Strong written and oral communication skills across all media.
• Remote work: Experience and desire to work remotely. We expect all staff to use technological tools for remote working and have consistent access to a reliable internet connection.

Schedule and Location

This is a 20 hours/week (5 hrs/day) contract. We are a 4-day workweek workplace, open Monday to Thursday. Start with a 6-month contract, with the option to hire. We are a remote organization with a physical office in New York, which allows us to have staff all over the country, and to create flexible working hours and locations.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $40-$50/hour, depending on experience. DAWI offers health benefits coverage for full-time employees (prorated for part-time employees), including medical, dental, and vision; participation in a 403(b) plan; a Flexible Spending Account; a generous time off policy; and a professional development stipend.

How to Apply

Email a cover letter, resume, and two references to hiring@institute.coop. Cover letters should be addressed to the Hiring Committee and include a 2-3 paragraph statement of interest describing how your skills and experiences qualify you for the position. Include the subject line “Application for People and Operations Manager position.” All materials should be submitted in PDF format.

Deadline to apply: Applications are reviewed until the position is filled, but we encourage applicants to apply by Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 11:59pm PST.

Notice of Non­discrimination

Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) is committed to a multi-racial and class-diverse staff that reflects the future of worker cooperatives. We are an anti-racist organization that centers racial equity in our values, programs, and vision. Women, people of color, and others who may be underrepresented at senior levels of the nonprofit workforce are strongly encouraged to apply. DAWI is committed to equal opportunity for all persons without regard to sex, age, gender, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law. It is the policy of DAWI to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding equal opportunity. In keeping with that policy, DAWI is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and harassment.