Director or Vice President of Operations

About Cortico

Cortico is a non-profit committed to fostering constructive conversations and surfacing underheard voices. We believe that intentionally designed and intentionally deployed technology can enable communities to achieve these aims in ways that are more inclusive and scalable.

Our platform brings people together in recorded small-group conversations. Through a powerful combination of AI and human listening, this platform enables organizations to make sense of the conversations they collect, and surfaces community voices into public dialogue and decision making.

Communities have used our platform to lift up voices and perspectives in the selection of Madison, WI’s police chief and the election of Boston’s mayor. Local newsrooms have used our platform to understand citizen agendas and include underheard voices directly in their reporting. Global nonprofits are using our platform to elevate conversations on climate from around the world. Local non-profits have used our platform to surface experiences of people in the margins and amplify their voices through artist collaborations.

Cortico’s unique human/machine system is the product of an effort led by Cortico in cooperation with MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication (MIT CCC).

About This Role

Cortico seeks a Director or Vice President of Operations — the title will reflect your experience and the scope you bring to the role. This person will work closely with the CEO and the leadership team as connective tissue across the organization — surfacing what needs attention, translating priorities between teams, and keeping information flowing up, down, and across. This role owns finance, nonprofit compliance and governance, vendor relationships, and cross-functional coordination while keeping leadership connected to what’s happening on the ground.

You’ll be the chief of staff the CEO relies on — the person who knows when to flag something to the CEO and when to handle it yourself, building the systems and instincts to do both well. One day you’re deep in an audit; the next you’re facilitating a leadership planning session. This role lives between the administrative and the strategic — ideal for a high-potential operator who’s meticulous with details, curious about everything, and energized by building systems that help people work better together.

At Cortico, we look at a number of things when setting compensation — like your experience, skills, certifications, training, and what the role needs. For this role, the estimated pay range is $80,000 - $120,000. Where you land on our range depends on your unique background and experience, the level you're hired at (Director or VP), and where you live. We have competitive benefits which can be found here.

Our team members must be based in the U.S. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visas at this time.

About Our Culture

Cortico’s team is kind, collaborative, inquisitive, and inclusive. We have high standards for quality and ethics, and help each other learn in order to reach our objectives. We think technology is best built by teams with a diversity of background, thought, and experience. Every team member is a human first, and we strive to create a culture and environment that supports your career goals and respects all of the hats you wear in life, not just the ones that earn you a paycheck.

About you

These aren't hard and fast requirements. Some of the best people we've ever hired didn't fit the profile on paper — what we care about most is curiosity, care, and the willingness to learn fast and adapt.

• You have a good head for numbers and an eye for detail. Budgets, financial statements, and cash flow make sense to you, and you notice when something feels off before anyone else does.
• You know the nonprofit world from the inside. You've been through audits, grant reporting, 990s, or board governance, and you understand what it takes to run a mission-driven organization well.
• You're at your best when things are a little messy. Wearing multiple hats, navigating ambiguity, and figuring it out alongside good people is where you come alive.
• You build trust quickly, read the room well, and help others feel connected to what's happening across the organization.
• You're just as comfortable in a spreadsheet as you are in a strategy conversation. You can zoom in on the details and zoom out to the big picture — and you genuinely enjoy both.
• You like making things better. Clunky systems don't frustrate you so much as invite you in, and you're excited to try new tools, including AI, to help the team work smarter.
• You care about the work. Cortico's commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered practice resonates with you, and you want your day-to-day to reflect what you believe in.

Responsibilities

• Finance
  • Own Cortico's financial operations end-to-end: budgets, cash runway, audit readiness, and day-to-day transactions.
  • Hold the keys — accounts, vendor payments, financial reporting — and be accountable for the organization's financial health.
  • Manage relationships with external financial partners, including our CPA and compliance advisors.
• General Ops / Nonprofit Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure the organization stays audit-ready and meets all regulatory and reporting obligations (990s, grant reporting, board governance).
  • Build and maintain the systems and processes that let the team do their best work.
  • Own and manage relationships with legal, compliance, and other key external advisors.
  • Manage internal timelines and coordinate across leadership to ensure timely preparation of quarterly board materials. coordinate the annual CEO performance review and board self-assessment.
  • Occasionally coordinate travel and logistics for in-person team gatherings, workshops, and conferences.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & HR
  • Serve as the connective layer between the CEO and the team: surface priorities, translate team dynamics, and know what needs escalation versus what you can run with. Push back when needed — we want your instincts, not just your execution.
  • Keep programs, product/engineering, media, and operations coordinated and moving — spot emerging issues early by staying curious and plugged in across the org.
  • Manage payroll and HR administration through a PEO, serving as the primary relationship manager.
  • Support the planning and execution of team engagement initiatives, with a genuine interest in fostering a strong team culture.

Minimum qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years of professional experience spanning financial and operations management, ideally in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations.
• Financial Literacy: Demonstrated comfort with building and managing budgets, overseeing financial reporting, and maintaining compliance. You don’t need to be a CFO, but you need the instincts of one.
• Operational & Administrative Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, keep systems running, and hold the details without dropping the ball. Strong organizational skills with experience operating in Google Drive, Slack, QuickBooks, and CRMs.
• Communication & Judgment: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the judgment to know when to escalate, when to act, and how to navigate sensitive organizational dynamics.

About Next Steps

Please apply below and include the following information:

• A little about you and your interest in the role. Please share with us why this role excites you and how you see yourself in this work.
• A résumé / CV
• Answer the following question: Tell us about a time you had to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution. What was the situation, and how did you manage both?

This is not an entry-level position and we know great candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds. If you’re passionate about what we’re building at Cortico, don’t hesitate to apply — even if you’re not sure you meet every qualification.

About Our Process

We aim to review and respond to all applicants within two weeks of submission. Our interview process includes multiple rounds:

1. Initial screening interview
2. Deep Dive Interview with our Vice President of Operations
3. Project
4. Panel Interview with key stakeholders
5. Interview with the CEO
6. Reference checks

Through all of these sessions we make sure that you have plenty of time to ask questions of Cortico team members.

Cortico maintains a strong policy of equal opportunity in employment. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations.

We have competitive benefits which can be found here.