Director of Operations & Finance

Organization Summary

Emma’s Torch (ET) is a dynamic nonprofit social enterprise that empowers refugees, asylees, and

survivors of human trafficking through paid culinary training and job placement services. Since its

founding in 2016, the organization has grown from a Brooklyn-based café to a multi-location initiative

across New York City, and now includes a site in Washington, DC. ET’s 11-week apprenticeship

program has helped over 500 graduates from 42 countries increase their projected annual income fivefold, with 88% securing culinary employment and 82% retaining their jobs after six months. With an annual budget of $4.5 million and a team of approximately 25 employees, ET is poised for continued growth and innovation. ET is known for its inclusive, mission-driven culture and commitment to education, empowerment, and long-term impact in the communities it serves.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Operations & Finance (DOF) ensures that Emma’s

Torch has the necessary systems, processes, and financial oversight to execute its mission effectively.

Specifically, the DOF is responsible for overseeing performance management (leveraging HR support

from an external consultant), managing operations & technology, developing annual budgets in alignment

with the strategic plan (leveraging finance support from an external consultant), and championing

compliance. The DOF supports the organization's long-term success by building and maintaining systems that enable the team to focus on delivering impactful programs to change lives.

The ideal candidate is a creative and solutions-oriented leader who has: 1) operations and financial

management experience in a business setting, 2) supervised people and teams, 3) built systems to help

effectively scale an organization, and 4) developed excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and

multi-tasking skills.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Manage operations and technology (25% of time)

• Design and implement technology systems (e.g., Salesforce, catering software) to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across programmatic and social venture teams.
• Oversee the execution of the launch of new ET sites by managing vendors to ensure operational efficiency.
• Continuously evaluate and adapt tools by identifying inefficiencies, testing new solutions, and iterating based on feedback.
• Serve as the primary IT/tech contact, ensuring swift troubleshooting, robust cybersecurity, and effective hardware/software management.

Develop and oversee annual budgets that align with organizational goals, and remain responsive to

both strategic plans and day-to-day realities (25% of time)

• Establish processes that engage senior and department leaders and position them to gather input from their teams.
• Conduct robust financial analyses to track performance and guide decisions.
• Provide monthly top-line reporting and analysis to the Senior Leadership Team, synthesizing insights to guide data-driven decision making.
• Prepare and lead updates to the finance committee of the Board of Directors, serving as the primary liaison for financial oversight and guidance.
• Monitor expenses and cash flow regularly, recommending corrective actions or re-allocations as needed to safeguard the organization’s fiscal health.
• Manage ET’s relationship with the accounting consulting team.

Ensure compliance and mitigate risk (20% of time)

• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance for all locations ET operates in, including licensing (e.g., liquor, construction) and state-specific registrations.
• Manage vendor relationships (accounting, HR, legal), ensuring adherence to best practices and contractual obligations.
• Oversee and facilitate ET’s annual audit, ensuring timely preparation and accurate documentation of financial records.
• Identify potential financial, legal, operational, and reputational risks; implement mitigation strategies, maintain insurance policies, and oversee emergency preparedness plans to safeguard students and staff.

Oversee the human resources and talent function (30% of time)

• Administer HR compliance and benefits, including payroll, vendor management, and maintaining accurate, up-to-date personnel records.
• Manage performance management processes, ensuring Individual Performance Plans (IPPs) are updated annually and that mid-year and end-of-year evaluations are completed to inform annual compensation decisions.
• Oversee recruitment and onboarding, collaborating with directors and external consultants to attract and retain mission-aligned talent.
• Ensure that HR and talent systems and policies uphold ET values, promote equity & belonging, and foster an inclusive workplace culture.
• Manage ET’s relationship with HR consulting team.

Qualifications

Experience:

• Minimum of a BA, ideally with an MBA or related degree
• 5-10 years of overall professional experience; 3+ years of operations management experience, ideally in a for-profit/business setting
• 4+ years managing people and teams, ideally operations and/or finance teams
• Experience overseeing human resources/operations function, and has preferably held final responsibility for the quality and content of all financial data, reporting and audit coordination for a nonprofit organization
• Experience working with Salesforce, Asana, Slack, and Google Suite, and has preferably managed Salesforce

Skills and Approach to Work:

• Deep commitment to economic mobility, equity in employment, and ET’s mission
• Data-driven strategic, and solutions-oriented thinker with a hands-on, proactive approach to problem-solving
• Highly organized with strong time management skills and attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with an ability to build trust across diverse communities
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Emma’s Torch encourages individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply for

this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to this effort. Emma’s Torch is committed to providing equal employment

opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity,

religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age,

marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.