Nonprofit COO - Internal Structures and Support

Who we are

The Tor Project, Inc. (TPI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advancing human rights and freedoms by creating and deploying free and open source anonymity and privacy technologies. TPI's team is committed to and passionate about our mission. We currently have a team of over 65, along with thousands of volunteers who contribute to our work. TPI is funded by government research and development grants, as well as individual, foundation, and corporate donations.

We are seeking a Senior Director for Internal Structures and Support (ISS) who will be a key strategic leader and member of TPI’s leadership team. The Senior Director for ISS will develop and implement a vision and strategy for the Operations, People & Culture, Finance, and other functions that comprise the healthy internal functioning at TPI. This position will play a critical role in re-evaluating our existing systems and processes that support and improve TPI’s team experience and growth, financial modeling, operational performance, and organizational culture.

Overview of the role

This is a newly created position that will provide leadership and support to four departments: Finance, People and Culture, Project and Grant Management, and Systems Administration. The Senior Director for ISS will directly lead the Directors and Team Leads of these departments. This person also works in close partnership with the Executive Directors, the Senior Director for Engineering, as well as the leadership for Fundraising and Communications. This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary leader who will help us build a people-first culture that centers and supports our team members so they are able to focus on the projects and initiatives of TPI’s mission-serving work.

What you’ll do

• Provide strategic leadership
  • Partner with the Executive Director and Senior Director for Engineering to set a 2-3 year vision for the organizational health and functioning of TPI.
  • Develop a multi-year plan for upgrading key HR, Finance, and Operations systems.
  • Identify solutions to organizational development challenges and create ways to improve systems and processes.
• Develop and improve systems and processes for Internal Structures and Support
  • Identify and implement a performance management framework and build succession planning across the organization.
  • Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of the operational functions of TPI, which includes administrative, finance, management, and HR activities.
  • Support the implementation of the current roadmap which includes new platforms and systems that have been brought in within the past year - including the capacity building of the team that is implementing these new things.
  • Provide consistent insight and leadership to the ongoing improvement of organizational systems, structures, policies and other areas to ensure cross-departmental effectiveness and health.
• Grow and Support a Healthy Team:
  • Develop and implement strategies and programs to support team member development, growth, and career advancement within the cluster - including providing coaching, internal professional development, and external learning opportunities.
  • Support four department leaders (Director of Finance, Director of People and Culture, Team Lead for Project and Grant Management, and Team Lead for SysAdmin)
• Assure compliance, an ethical approach, and best practices for internal functions
  • In coordination with the Senior Leadership Team and TPI’s Board of Directors, provide leadership and recommendations on: organizational compliance with local and federal regulations, employee and regulatory matters, ongoing 501c3 status, and other related matters as needed.

Who you are

• 10+ years of multi-disciplinary, executive-level nonprofit experience leading and managing healthy internal functions and organizational development.
• Demonstrated success managing, supervising, and leading people by supporting learning, development, and growth.
• Strategic leadership in designing and implementing processes, systems and policies that support the organization's overall vision and growth.
• Innovative thinking that challenges the status quo of organizational development and focuses on the importance of building a culture that puts people first.
• Resilient, flexible and resourceful thinking with the ability to pivot in a dynamic remote and global environment.
• Ability to lead people through change with empathy and a shared strategy and vision.
• Experience in strong relationship-building and collaboration across teams to advance organizational strategy and goals.
• Experience and comfort working in a remote environment (preferably a global one).

How to apply

TPI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or military or veteran status in accordance with federal law. Applicants must be authorized to work in the country in which they live, we cannot provide visa assistance for this position. Due to U.S. sanctions and embargo regulations, The Tor Project, Inc. is not able to hire individuals with citizenship and residency in certain countries, including but not limited to Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Iraq, China, Iran, and Syria.

To apply please use this link which will take you to a brief application. You will be asked to answer a few initial questions and upload your CV or resume. We do not ask for references or cover letters at this time. Please do not include them. Additionally, please do not use AI for the creation of your application or at any point in the process. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close the process early if volume of applicants is excessive.

Deadline: August 27 by 21:00 UTC