Director of Operations

About the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

Established in 2014 Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is dedicated to improving access and knowledge in entrepreneurship to advance economic progress for all. By honoring the lived experiences of those dedicated to building a better world, the Center delivers world-class education, global networks, and cutting-edge research, fueled by the largest real-time intelligence on entrepreneurship worldwide. We have empowered over 130,000 global entrepreneurs by providing free resources, expert guidance, top-tier talent, and mentorship, including many impact-driven founders who have collectively raised hundreds of millions in external capital.

The Opportunity

The Director of Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring operational excellence across finance, people operations, administrative systems, , and organizational infrastructure. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role partners closely with leadership, programs, business development, and strategic communication teams to strengthen financial oversight, streamline internal processes, and ensure compliance with nonprofit governance and reporting requirements. This role is accountable for the day-to-day operational performance of the organization, ensuring that strategy, resources, and execution remain tightly aligned across teams.

This role serves as the organizational backbone, leading key operational rhythms including budgeting, audit preparation, staff meetings, and compliance, and cross-functional coordination. The Director of Operations brings clarity, accountability, and structure to a fast-moving organization while maintaining a strong pulse on people, culture, and execution.

This position offers a pathway to deepen leadership responsibility and organization-wide influence as the Center scales its global mission.

Key Focus Areas & Time Allocation

Focus Area

Estimated %

Description

Financial Operations & Compliance

35%

Oversee annual budget processes, monthly financial reviews, and fiscal tracking; serve as lead liaison with external accountants and auditors for annual audit and Form 990. Ensure adherence to nonprofit compliance and reporting standards. Ensure visibility into where grants live, active grant reporting requirements, and key financial deadlines across the organization.

Organizational Systems & Processes

25%

Strengthen internal systems and SOPs to improve coordination, documentation, and operational efficiency across programs, finance, and HR.

People & Team Coordination

20%

Manage operational rhythms including weekly staff meetings, internal communications, and cross-team alignment. Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and collaboration.

Board & Governance Support

10%

Support CEO and board committees with documentation, meeting preparation, and compliance reporting. Ensure timely submission of board materials and key performance updates.

Strategic Initiatives & Special Projects

10%

Partner with the CEO on strategic and cross-functional initiatives (e.g., resource planning, org design, multi-year budgeting). Prepare briefing materials and ensure alignment across teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Management & Compliance

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations in partnership with external accounting and audit teams.
• Lead preparation for the annual independent audit and Form 990 filing, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely submission.
• Manage the organizational budgeting process — from development through ongoing review and variance analysis.
• Support grant reporting and funder documentation, ensuring alignment between financial data and programmatic outcomes.

Organizational Systems & Efficiency

• Assess, improve, and maintain internal workflows and SOPs across departments.
• Manage and update organizational calendars, dashboards, and shared documentation to ensure consistent communication and accountability.
• Oversee software and system utilization (Teams, HubSpot, Slack, etc) for operational coordination.

Staff Engagement & Communications

• Plan and facilitate staff meetings, team offsites, and internal communications that align teams on strategic priorities.
• Serve as a key liaison for internal coordination, ensuring clarity on goals, timelines, and responsibilities across teams.
• Maintain a strong pulse on people operations, internal communication, and organizational health, proactively identifying gaps and improvement areas.
• Support staff culture initiatives that promote transparency, recognition, and collaboration.
• Partner with external manager training and organizational development partners

Board & Leadership Support

• Partner with the CEO to prepare board packets, presentations, and compliance reports.
• Support audit and finance committee coordination, ensuring documentation and meeting materials are delivered on schedule.
• Track organizational performance metrics for CEO and board review.
• Ensure audit, finance committee, and board materials are delivered on schedule with clear ownership and follow-through.

Strategic Initiatives & Organizational Readiness

• Serve as the operational integrator across departments, ensuring priorities, capacity, and execution remain aligned as the organization scales.
• Support organizational planning and special projects that require cross-team collaboration.
• Lead or co-lead selected strategic initiatives to streamline operations and strengthen enterprise readiness.
• Build institutional knowledge and scalable operational frameworks to support organizational growth and readiness.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations, finance, or organizational management supporting small to mid-size teams.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit fiscal compliance including Form 990, annual audits, and grant reporting.
• Proven ability to develop and manage budgets, analyze financial data, and communicate results clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with comfort managing across multiple workstreams.
• Demonstrated experience improving systems and creating structure in growing organizations.
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills; able to lead meetings and foster alignment.
• Proactive problem-solver with high integrity, discretion, and accountability.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $85,000-95,000 depending on experience

Comprehensive benefits including 401k, health, dental, vision, PTO, and professional development.

Primarily virtual, with some in-person support at company HQ in Palo Alto plus 3–4 annual in-person convenings (travel covered).

Growth Pathway

This role is designed to grow in scope as the organization scales. Based on demonstrated performance, the Director of Operations may evolve into broader operational leadership responsibilities, including enterprise-wide execution, resource coordination, and organizational management.

401K Match and Comprehensive Benefits Provided.