Director of Operations

ABOUT US

Interfaith America is a national nonprofit organization based in Chicago. We believe that religious diversity is a foundational American strength, and we are building a nation that achieves that promise for the common good. Our mission is to inspire, equip, and connect organizations and leaders to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. We leverage our expertise in interfaith leadership in different sectors and spaces in American life, such as higher education, health, public policy, racial equity, and business – giving leaders and institutions the tools and resources they need to positively engage religious diversity for the common good.

At Interfaith America, we are ever-adapting and changing. We look for people who set audacious goals and love that one workday may not be like the next. We have a strong commitment to pluralism and building bridges across deep differences. Our programs help people build skills to bridge deep ideological divides. Our work is about staying in relationship with one another and contributing to the common good even when we might disagree on fundamental things. We seek to attract and retain a team of staff comprised of a wide variety of views and backgrounds we need to achieve our vision, especially people from communities historically underrepresented in interfaith work.

Responsibilities:

Legal and Risk Assessment (40%):

• Reviews, provides edits, and approves all contracts with clients, grantees, vendors, and independent contractors
• Liaises with outside counsel to review intellectual property (IP) agreements and high-value contracts
• Manages and maintains IA’s contract request process including templates for grants and independent contractors
• Advises IA staff on risk in contracts and troubleshoots and resolves specific contract issues
• In partnership with outside counsel, ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations related to 501(c)3 operations
• In partnership with Senior Director of HR and Operations, identify both paid and pro bono legal services needed for IA as the organization grows in size and in complexity
• Lead risk management, including review and maintenance of insurance policies (general liability, cyber security, workers comp, etc) and internal risk management systems
• Escalates issues to general counsel, the Senior Director of HR and Operations or the Chief Impact Officer when necessary
• Maintains relationship with our business insurance broker and facilitates renewals with support from HR
• Oversee certificate of insurance (COI) and collection of COIs from grantees

Office Facilities (30%):

• Oversee Chicago office facilities; collaborate with Office Manager to ensure IA facilities are welcoming, safe, and provide all of the resources needed for IA team members to work successfully
• Assess space needs, propose and oversee office use policy decisions, and plan and oversee any structural updates or office redesign projects to meet the needs of the team
• Oversees event requests in the office, approves or redirects requests as aligned with office use policies
• Serve as senior contact to building management for all safety and crisis planning initiatives

Data Security and IT Infrastructure (30%):

• Lead Information Technology strategy at IA to ensure all employees, in person and remote, have the IT resources they need in their day-to-day work
• Oversee data security for the organization, ensuring we are protecting our network, and security remains a primary consideration in the preparation for and analysis of organizational activities
• Along with the Assistant Director of IT, oversee the relationship with IT managed services provider to ensure IT compliance and top-notch cyber security for IA
• Work with the Assistant Director of IT to maintain effective systems that support and scale organizational capabilities and ensure team members have the resources required to effectively lead their work
• Ensure operational practices are aligned with information technology best practices and regulatory requirements
• Work with the Director of Data Governance and the Director of Program Operations & Evaluation on cross-organizational projects and be an active member in IA’s Data Governance Steering Committee

Qualifications:

• 5-8 years of experience leading operations and risk assessment
• Experience with reviewing contracts and working with outside counsel or an MBA or other educational equivalent of experience with contracts
• Supervisory experience with a focus on support and development of your team
• Bachelor’s degree
• Authorization to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications (not required)

• High level of religious literacy and fluency in diversity, pluralism, and inclusion
• Strong experience with IP and other contractual matters

Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking - Aptly explores, deciphers and interprets the best concepts for achieving organizational excellence, anticipating and responding to change and aligning organizational systems, processes and people with changes in the IA business landscape.
• Trusted advisor -Apt at building trust-based relationships both internally and externally and viewed as a source of valuable advice.
• Program Leadership - Ability to lead programs, manage staff, and delegate work effectively and ensuring that all items are completed within scope, budget and timelines.
• Project Management - Aptly leading, planning, and executing project or pieces of a project, ensuring all project members are staying within timelines and budgets.
• IA Theory and Methodology –Ability to explain and engage constituents in Interfaith America’s theory and methodology in a way that resonates with that constituent, and they understand our work within their own context. (learned on the job, not required prior to start date)
• Inclusive and equitable decision maker - Ability to lead, listen, think critically, and leverage the thinking of diverse groups for smarter ideation and decision making that lead to equitable outcomes in our work.

Supervisor: Senior Director of HR and Operations

Direct Reports: Assistant Director of IT, Office Manager

Leadership level: Director

Location: This position will work 3 days per week from our Chicago Loop office and 2 days per week from home

Compensation: $100,000 - $110,000 annually

Application: application will be open until filled, preference to candidates who apply prior to Oct 4th