Operations Specialist

About Work on Climate

Work on Climate (WoCl) is a leading non-profit focused on building the workforce to solve climate change equitably and justly. You probably know us for our online community that has helped thousands of people find jobs and start companies, highlighted in most major business press, from Fast Company to New York Times. However, our work goes even farther, seeking to mobilize the entire workforce as a force for system-wide change.

Being part of our volunteer team means more than just joining a community. It’s an invitation to create real-world impact by confronting urgent climate challenges with the skilled minds ready to solve them. Together, we’re bridging the talent gap to build the climate-focused economy we envision.

About the team

The People Operations team focuses on putting the volunteers first by humanizing impersonal systems and continuously improving volunteer engagement, recruitment, development, and retention. We are responsible for creating a culture and environment that makes volunteers feel happy and proud to contribute to our organization. We are passionate about climate and making a difference at Work on Climate! Today, our team totals 7 members geo-located in the USA and the UK. Our standard meeting schedule time is on Tuesdays at 11:30am PST.

Role Summary

As an Operations Specialist at Work on Climate, you’ll work closely with our Community Programs Manager to use automations to optimize systems and processes for the entire organization as well as individual teams. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong analytical thinking with a passion for creating scalable solutions that enhance volunteer and member experiences.

Time commitment

• 5 hours/week consistently for at least 6 to 12 months (Volunteers with longer tenures reduce disruptions to the team’s flow, so staying for longer is totally welcome!)
• Weekly meeting attendance may be required (Tuesdays at 11:30am PST)

What’s in it for me?

In addition to playing a critical role in enabling the climate talent transition, you will get to:

• Apply your automation expertise to create impactful workflows that scale our operations
• Optimize systems that directly support climate workforce development
• Build a strong climate network in your area of interest
• Collaborate with top-notch teammates passionate about climate

What will I do?

As our Operations Specialist, you’ll be the systems champion for the entire organization, designing and implementing workflows that streamline processes for individual teams as well the organization as a whole. You’ll create Zapier automations to connect our various platforms, refine standardized Asana templates, strategically connect Notion databases, and create documentation for fellow volunteers on effective tool usage.

Your work will directly support our OKRs around volunteer retention by reducing friction in our processes, connecting people to the resources they need, and enabling our teams to focus on their goals and tangible outcomes.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Working with teams to identify new opportunities for improvement or introducing automation into their existing workflows to facilitate frictionless experiences
• Developing and maintaining comprehensive documentation for our systems and processes
• Creating standardized Asana templates for common team workflows
• Providing one-on-one and/or small group training on Asana best practices

What skills and commitment do I need?

You will need to be highly organized and have basic management skills;

• Experience creating and troubleshooting multi-step Zapier workflows (bonus if you’re experienced with Notion automations, formulas, and databases)
• Proficiency with Asana as a platform administrator
• Strong documentation skills with attention to detail
• Experience training and supporting users on technical platforms
• Ability to translate complex systems into user-friendly processes
• Comfort working in remote, asynchronous environments
• Super bonus if you have basic coding skills to supplement readily available automations

Common Challenges

• Balancing the need for standardized processes with the flexibility required in a volunteer-driven organization, where commitment levels and availability vary significantly.
• Maintaining sustainable processes that can reliably continue even during volunteer transitions or periods of reduced capacity – ensuring systems don’t depend on any single person.
• Coordinating documentation and process improvements across multiple teams, each with their own established workflows and preferences.
• Ensuring new systems and processes are simple enough to be easily adopted while still being comprehensive enough to be effective.

I’m interested! What do I do?

Yay! We’re excited to learn more about you. Please fill out this application form to tell us about your skills and interests in volunteering with our awesome team. If you are selected for an interview, our team will be in touch in 1-2 weeks.