Operations and Finance Manager

Summary: The Bell is seeking a strategic, hands-on Operations and Finance Manager to govern and scale our administrative infrastructure during an exciting phase of multi-state growth. Based hybrid out of either our New York City or Jackson, MS office, this role serves as the ultimate operational problem-solver and a key partner to the Executive Director. If you are a systems-builder with nonprofit finance experience who wants to directly empower the next generation of journalists, we want to hear from you.

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Full-time, exempt

Location: Must be based in Jackson, Mississippi, or New York City

Work mode: Hybrid — requires 2-3 days per week in person at our downtown Jackson or lower Manhattan office

Compensation range (geographically indexed):

• Jackson, MS: $58,000 – $68,000
• New York City: $75,000 – $85,000

About The Bell

The Bell equips students with the tools to tell impactful stories today and the skills to thrive in the media careers of tomorrow. Through tiered journalism experiences in and beyond the classroom, we center student voices, build community, and expand access to high-quality journalism education—particularly for young people from historically underrepresented communities.

Founded in 2018 in New York City, The Bell has grown into a $1M+ organization with national partnerships and an expanding footprint, including a new regional hub in Jackson, Mississippi. Our work sits at the intersection of journalism, education, and civic participation at a moment of significant transition for local news ecosystems nationwide.

As newsrooms rethink how they reach new audiences and build trust, The Bell is investing in the next generation of storytellers and in the systems needed to sustain that work. We are entering a new phase of organizational growth and are seeking a strategic, hands-on Operations and Finance Manager to help steer us through it.

Overview of the role and opportunity

We seek a strategic systems-builder who can govern, optimize, and scale our in-house financial and administrative infrastructure.

By taking autonomous ownership of multi-state financial management, contractor compliance, and HR administration, you will serve as the ultimate operational problem-solver. Your primary mandate is to eliminate administrative bottlenecks and shield the Executive Director from daily operational minutiae, directly enabling our programmatic team to focus entirely on advancing our mission, deepening our impact on young people, and growing our revenue.

You'll love this role if you want:

• A seat at the table: This role goes beyond back-office support. You'll be a strategic partner to the Executive Director and Board Chair, guiding the trajectory of a growing organization.
• High degree of autonomy: We're looking for someone to build strong systems. You'll have the freedom to architect workflows that make sense.
• Direct impact: Your operational excellence will visibly translate into more resources and stronger programming for our students.

Key responsibilities

Financial management and internal controls

• Financial infrastructure: Maintain, document, and continuously optimize GAAP-compliant accounting procedures for our independent 501(c)(3).
• Bookkeeping and reporting: Own the full cycle of daily bookkeeping (AP/AR), execute timely month-end closes, perform bank reconciliations, and generate precise, actionable financial dashboards for the Executive Director and Board Treasurer.
• Budgeting and cash flow: Partner with leadership to develop the annual organizational budget. Monitor cash flow, forecast financial scenarios, and analyze budget-to-actual variances to guide strategic decisions.
• Audit and tax prep: Own the relationship with external accountants. Prepare schedules, independently manage future annual audits, implement internal control recommendations from our inaugural audit, and ensure flawless categorization of transactions for IRS Form 990 filings.
• Grant and donor operations: Track restricted and unrestricted grant funds in close collaboration with the Director of Revenue. Oversee donation-receipting systems (particularly through a CRM) to ensure seamless donor compliance.

Human resources and people operations

• Multi-state payroll and benefits: Process payroll accurately for employees operating across Mississippi and New York. Administer employee benefits programs, serving as the primary, responsive point of contact for staff inquiries.
• Onboarding and culture: Manage the full lifecycle of employee onboarding and offboarding, ensuring a welcoming, inclusive, and legally compliant experience that reflects our core values. Keep the employee handbook updated with evolving laws and best practices.
• Contractor administration: Spearhead the drafting, execution, and invoicing of independent contractor agreements across multiple states (e.g., journalism educators, audio producers, editorial leads). Engage and consult with pro bono legal counsel as necessary and appropriate.

Risk management, compliance and general operations

• Safeguarding compliance: Administer and rigorously track ongoing background check clearance processes (e.g., NYC DOE PETS) required for staff and contractors working with minors.
• Data security and privacy: Ensure organizational compliance with strict student data privacy laws (FERPA, NY Ed Law 2-d) across all software, vendor platforms, and internal practices.
• Governance support: Assist the Board Chair with the distribution, collection, and secure storage of annual Board of Directors compliance documents (e.g., Conflict of Interest statements).
• Vendor, procurement, and asset management: Manage the organization's software tech stack, vendor relationships, commercial insurance policies, and secure digital records storage.
• Federal and state compliance: Ensure ongoing, flawless compliance with filings and other requirements of federal, Mississippi, New York, and local governments and their agencies.

Qualifications and ideal profile

Must-haves (required experience)

• At least 3 years of progressive experience in operations, finance, or administrative management within a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environment.
• Strong, hands-on working knowledge of QuickBooks Online (or equivalent accounting software) and restricted fund accounting.
• Experience executing payroll (e.g., Gusto, ADP, or similar) and administering employee benefits.
• Ability to thrive in a hybrid, fast-paced startup environment. Must be available during standard business hours (e.g., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern) to provide consistent, real-time support to the Executive Director, staff, and partners.

Nice-to-haves (preferred experience)

• Experience managing financial infrastructure for a newly independent 501(c)(3).
• Experience working in youth-serving organizations that offer paid internships.
• Familiarity with labor laws, including for independent contractors; commercial insurance; and standard regulatory filings for nonprofits.
• Familiarity with youth-serving background check administration (e.g., IdentoGO, PETS) and data privacy (FERPA).

Core competencies

• Values alignment: You have a deep, demonstrated commitment to youth empowerment and educational equity.
• Systems-builder mentality: You're highly organized with a proven ability to architect, document, and optimize workflows from the ground up.
• Executive presence and financial translation: You have the ability to distill complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for non-finance staff and board members.
• Initiative: You're a proactive self-starter who anticipates operational needs and solves problems before they escalate to the Executive Director.

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 job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Bell Voices, Inc. ("The Bell"), is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Beyond base salary, The Bell provides a premier benefits package that significantly elevates the overall value of your compensation:

• Generous paid time off: We believe in true rest and recharge. Employees receive 20 vacation days, 12 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 3 personal days, and a fully paid winter recess from Christmas Day through New Year’s Day. That's about 9 weeks of total paid time off annually.
• Top-tier health coverage: Highly competitive, employer-subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Family and civic leave: We lead with our values, offering 12 weeks of 100% paid parental/bonding leave, up to 5 days of paid bereavement leave, and up to 10 days of fully paid jury duty, alongside statutory sick, prenatal, and voting leave.
• Retirement planning: We sponsor a Safe Harbor 401(k) plan with an enhanced employer match. The Bell matches 100% of your contributions on the first 5% of your eligible salary deferred, and all employer matching contributions are 100% vested immediately. (Employees are eligible to participate upon reaching age 21 and completing 6 months of service.)
• Life insurance: 100% employer-paid basic life insurance for the employee.
• Professional development and team building: We prioritize constant opportunities for learning. We’ve supported our employees’ expenses-paid travel to major conferences (e.g., SXSW EDU and the Education Writers Association National Seminar) and immersive team retreats, including five days visiting major civil-rights landmarks in Mississippi.