Operations Specialist (Foundation)

About the Guardian News & Media

The Guardian is a global news organization that delivers fearless, independent journalism. From breaking news and award-winning investigations, to in-depth coverage of technology, sports, film, culture and lifestyle, the Guardian offers a global view that deepens our audiences' understanding of America and the world.

Headquartered in New York City, Guardian US is an entirely digital operation that seeks to engage US readers by combining the Guardian's international coverage with US voices and expertise. Core coverage areas include the climate emergency, economic and racial inequality, digital privacy and much more. Guardian US launched in 2011 and today has bureaus in New York, Washington DC, New Orleans and Los Angeles. The Guardian is an independently owned, mission-driven organization, funded by readers around the globe. It's the talent, energy and commitment our people bring to The Guardian that make us who we are. Across our business we have some of the most creative thinkers in media and beyond: award winning journalists, cutting edge commercial teams, digital talent, and more.

About the role

We are now looking for a full time Operations Specialist, which is a dual role within The Guardian and theguardian.org, a US-based 501c3 non-profit with the mission to advance public discourse and citizen participation around the most pressing issues of our time through the support of independent journalism and editorial projects at the Guardian. This role will also serve as Board Secretary for theguardian.org.

The Operations Specialist will be responsible for ensuring effective operations for philanthropically-funded editorial projects that span the environment and human rights to democracy and social justice. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker with at least 3-5 years of US-based non-profit, grants management, or grantmaking experience, with exceptional attention to detail, project management skills, and financial literacy.

The Operations Specialist will join a small and collaborative Philanthropy team positioned for growth (5 people total, including this role). They will report directly to the SVP Development of the Guardian/Executive Director of theguardian.org, and work closely with the VP of Philanthropy, Strategic Partnerships and Events; the Head of Impact Strategy and Philanthropy; and interdepartmentally with colleagues in editorial, finance, and other divisions across both NYC and London.

Department: Philanthropy

Reports to: SVP Development, the Guardian/Executive Director, theguardian.org

Location: NYC

Hybrid/Remote/In-Person: Hybrid (2-3 days/week in office)

Terms and conditions: Full-time, permanent

Key responsibilities

The Operations Specialist role is a unique opportunity for a non-profit professional interested in using their strategic and organizational skills toward effectively managing charitable giving for public interest journalism. This is a dual role with responsibilities for The Guardian and theguardian.org, as outlined below.

Operations Specialist, The Guardian (50%)

• Manage open grants by tracking deliverables and reporting requirements. Support the VP of Philanthropy and Head of Impact Strategy and Philanthropy on preparing funding reports, including budgets, attachments, and impact measurement. Coordinate with project editors and central production to create the appropriate badging and tagging for philanthropic series.
• Manage philanthropy project finances for the Guardian US: Work with development, finance, and editorial stakeholders to create project budgets. Track expenditures for open projects, including the correct coding of line item expenses and staffing allocations. Review project budgets monthly to ensure spending remains on track, forecasting when projects are tracking over or under budget.
• Support the due diligence process for foundation funding to the Guardian to ensure alignment with the Guardian's values and priorities. Research prospective funders for potential conflicts and prepare reports for Editorial management.

Operations Specialist and Board Secretary, theguardian.org (50%)

• Manage the grantseeking process by theguardian.org to private foundations. Manage systems to track all deadlines, payment schedules, and funder deliverables, as well as coordinate with theguardian.org Treasurer to ensure receipt and acknowledgement of grant payments. Submit grant applications and reports through foundation portals.
• Manage the .org's grantmaking process to the Guardian and other entities. Draft and execute grant agreements, prepare board votes and resolutions, coordinate grant amendments, and track and initiate grant payments.
• Manage theguardian.org's donor database, Salesforce NPSP, in partnership with the Individual Giving Officer. Track all foundation donations and payments to ensure accurate recordkeeping and data management.
• Serve as Board Secretary for theguardian.org and support the Executive Director's work managing the board. Schedule board meetings, take meeting minutes, administer board votes, and coordinate annual disclosure forms, among other related tasks.
• General business operations and other duties as assigned. Manage purchase orders, coordinate with vendors, and submit materials for the annual audit.

About you

• You have at least 3 previous years of non-profit experience in fundraising, operations, or a related division, with a passion for creating and maintaining systems that are both reliable and user friendly.
• You have excellent project management skills, with the ability to take a project from assignment to completion.
• You have impeccable attention to detail, with the ability to manage sensitive information with respect and integrity.
• You possess both qualitative and quantitative skills, and feel confident managing complex project budgets.
• You are able to manage multiple simultaneous requests for information, and prioritize accordingly to meet deadlines.
• You have excellent computer skills (Google Workspace and Microsoft Office); experience with fundraising databases preferred but not required.
• You have excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with diverse audiences internally and externally.

How to apply

We know there are great candidates who might not check all these boxes or who possess important skills we haven't thought of. If that's you, we encourage you to apply and tell us about yourself.

All candidates interested in applying should upload a resume and cover letter.

All roles at the Guardian are open for everybody to apply. It is important to us that you feel supported and comfortable throughout your recruitment process, in order to perform your best. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Please email the recruiter listed on the job posting or at recruitment.us@theguardian.com to discuss further so we can work with you to support you through your application.

Culture & wellbeing

We want everyone to feel like they belong at the Guardian and we champion diversity of thought. You will also have the opportunity to hear unique insight from our journalists in our morning conference, a live discussion on the news story of the day.

We offer great tools to help you prioritize your wellbeing including a free Headspace subscription and access to an Employee Assistance Program.

Learning & development

We encourage personal and professional growth. Employees have access to a broad range of tools and solutions, and we are happy to support the pursuit of professional qualifications through vocational courses and apprenticeships.

Sustainability

Our goal is to become an environmentally regenerative company and we have signed up to a sustainability vision and strategy to reach it. Find more information about sustainability at GNM here.

The Guardian is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, the Guardian will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

We value and respect all differences (seen and unseen) in all people at the Guardian. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future.

Compensation and benefits

• Salary: $75,000-90,000
• 20 days of vacation leave in addition to 12 company holidays and 2 personal days
• Unlimited sick time
• Free Headspace subscription for you and your family members (Headspace is a company that offers evidence-based meditation and mindfulness tools, mental health coaching, therapy, psychiatry, and EAP services)
• 401(k) Match
• Subsidized healthcare coverage including medical, vision, and dental
• Medical and Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts
• Generous parental leave with 100% pay
• Long Term and Short Term Disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Work/Life balance: Flexible hybrid schedule