Operations Manager

Al Otro Lado is a binational legal services and immigrant rights organization serving immigrants, asylum seekers and deported persons in Southern California, Tijuana, México, and beyond. We approach cases using a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based lens, and engage in zealous individual representation, medical-legal partnerships, human rights monitoring and impact litigation to protect the rights of individual immigrants and challenge systemic practices that violate the human rights of immigrant communities. We leverage vital partnerships with community-based organizations and academic institutions, and engage thousands of volunteers to maximize our impact and help build a broad-based immigrant justice movement.

Al Otro Lado’s U.S. Based Advocacy team provides holistic, full-scale representation

to particularly vulnerable immigrants, including unaccompanied children, members of the LGBTQA+ community, Indigenous migrants, Black migrants, torture survivors, survivors of human trafficking, clients with disabilities/medical vulnerabilities, and clients whose cases present family unity concerns. AOL’s holistic representation strategy includes identifying a client’s needs, goals, and challenges, and seeking to achieve their best immigration outcomes, not only through legal services but also by connecting individuals with support to overcome the non-legal obstacles they face in their cases.

For more information about our organization, please visit us on our website at: alotrolado.org/ or visit us on social media: Instagram and Twitter: @alotrolado_org; Facebook: Al Otro Lado.

OPERATIONS MANAGER

The Operations Manager strengthens organizational systems, streamlines workflows, and supports compliance across programs and departments to ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly. This role ensures staff have the tools and processes they need, builds accountability structures, and fosters cross-department collaboration to drive continuous improvement in organizational practices.

The Operations Manager reports to the Operations Director and is responsible for implementing and managing organizational systems, processes, and initiatives that align with the organization’s goals.

JOB DUTIES

Operational Systems & Process Management

• Develop and maintain standardized processes and procedures that promote organizational efficiency.
• Document workflows and ensure staff have access to clear, up-to-date resources and guides.
• Identify and address workflow gaps to improve coordination across departments.
• As needed, supervise and support operations support staff to ensure effective implementation of organizational systems and processes.

Project & Workflow Tracking

• Oversee organizational project tracking systems to ensure visibility of deadlines, responsibilities, and progress.
• Support teams in meeting deliverables by maintaining accountability structures.
• Promote adoption and effective use of organizational tools for project and document management.

Compliance & Accountability

• Support compliance with reporting, governance, and regulatory requirements by maintaining tracking systems and reminders.
• Ensure expense reporting, approvals, and other financial processes are completed on time.
• Provide guidance and oversight to departments to ensure compliance with organizational standards.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Serve as a connector between departments, identifying shared needs and aligning resources.
• Facilitate communication across teams to reduce duplication of efforts and ensure clarity.
• Support cross-functional projects that advance organizational goals.

Knowledge & Resource Management

• Maintain centralized systems for organizational knowledge, including SOPs, contact lists, and compliance calendars.
• Ensure resources are accessible and available in multiple formats (written, visual, and digital).
• Promote a culture of consistency and transparency by ensuring staff use shared systems effectively.

Regulatory & Administrative Management

• Manage organizational business licenses, charitable registrations, and state/federal filings to ensure compliance.
• Oversee organizational insurance policies, identifying potential gaps and ensuring renewals and coverage are up to date.
• Maintain organizational records related to business registrations, licenses, and insurance.
• Manage and maintain leases, building agreements, and related organizational contracts.

Other duties, as needed, in keeping with the organization’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• 3+ years’ experience in nonprofit operations, project management, or organizational leadership.
• Strong skills in process development, workflow optimization, and compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines using project tracking and knowledge management tools.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and documentation skills, with the ability to create resources and training for diverse audiences.
• Highly organized, with strong prioritization, problem-solving, and time management abilities.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, etc.); comfort with digital collaboration platforms.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills preferred.

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice in response to changes US immigration policies and enforcement practices. The ideal candidate will be flexible, adaptive, and enthusiastic about responding to needs as they arise.

This is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $85,000- $100,000 DOE. The Operations Manager will be based out of Al Otro Lado’s office in Los Angeles or San Diego. This is a hybrid position, allowing for mostly remote work with some in person duties as needed.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, writing sample, with three professional references to jobs@alotrolado.org, with Operations Manager in the subject line. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Al Otro Lado values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, formerly incarcerated individuals, individuals with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.