Chief of Staff / Director of Operations

Position Summary

The Signals Network (TSN), a non-profit that supports whistleblowers, is looking for a dynamic and highly organized Chief of Staff / Director of Operations to serve as a strategic advisor to our Executive Director and Management team. The Chief of Staff/Director of Operations supports the Executive Director in day-to-day running of the organization and fundraising. This is an opportunity to help shape our all-encompassing support system for whistleblowers and to work with a smart and talented international team determined to hold power to account.

In essence, the Chief of Staff / Director of Operations is the Executive Director’s ‘right hand’ and works toward a healthy organization, especially the financial processes and fundraising streams that lead toward the long-term sustainability of the organization. The ideal candidate will:

• Embrace the challenges of a non-profit organization and its governance,

• Demonstrate excellent leadership qualities to allow the team to thrive, and

• Share our organization's values.

The position is open ended.

The Chief of Staff will start as soon as possible and act as the Interim Executive Director from August 2024 to December 2024, during the Executive Director’s maternity leave.

About The Signals Network

Transparency and accountability are the guardrails that keep democracy on track. In many cases, the public relies on courageous whistleblowers for knowledge of government and industry malfeasance. But whistleblowers who come forward often face legal, physical, psychological and economic retaliation.

The Signals Network (TSN) is an international 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting whistleblowers who have shared public interest information with the press and public. Founded in 2017 by journalists, whistleblowers, lawyers and entrepreneurs, TSN operates internationally to hold powerful interests accountable.

To support whistleblowers and hold power to account, The Signals Network has developed an end-to-end approach that includes: empowering workers to stand up to power and speak out about wrongdoing; protecting whistleblowers who contribute to published reports of wrongdoing; supporting journalists to investigate wrongdoing; and, advocating for lasting change as a result of whistleblower revelations.

The Signals Network actively supports dozens of whistleblowers globally as they report on wrongdoing and fight for lasting change. These courageous individuals have provided information on the biggest media stories of our time to a range of international media outlets, including Big Tech data violations and government and corporate corruption, #MeToo abuses, political propaganda online, health hazards and more. Their information has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Time, Le Monde, BBC, Der Spiegel, The New Yorker and more. We have coordinated the publication of major investigations through media in the U.S. and across Europe that reached tens of millions of readers. Recently, we provided protections for whistleblowers in Africa as part of a major report in Time magazine on Facebook’s content moderation system, in Europe as part of Uber’s labor practices and lobbying efforts, and in the US as part of Twitter’s business practices. More information is available on our website.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Advisement and Organizational Leadership

- Collaborate with the Executive Director to align priorities and ensure clear and effective

communication with the team.

Operations

- Oversee daily operations, ensuring all critical functions are carried out professionally

and in a timely manner, including payments, registrations and insurances

- Supervise the organization's staff, promoting a collaborative and supportive work environment

- Maintain the team master work plan, deadlines and KPIs

- Be responsible for internal and external communication streams, including TSN tech infrastructure and website.

Financial oversight

- Oversee financial management, including budget development and monitoring, cash flow

management, and financial statement presentation, with the Executive Director, the Treasurer and the

external CPA

- Ensure payments are made on time

- Co-build, develop, and contribute to the organization’s annual budget, working with the Executive

Director and the board to ensure that it aligns with the organization’s goals and priorities

- Ensure that the organization’s financial policies and procedures are in compliance with all relevant

regulations and guidelines, that the risk register addresses financial risks, and that all staff, board and

stakeholders are aware of internal policies including the anti-fraud policy and the procurement policy

- Oversee payroll and accounts receivables and payables

- Help prepare our 990 and annual audit in coordination with the Executive Director and external CPA.

Fundraising

- Oversee the implementation of the fundraising and sustainability plan that includes diversifying

funding streams through new foundation grants, sponsorships programs, earned income, cultivation of high-worth individuals and developing individual donor system

- Manage the fundraising team and the communication manager, for the implementation of TSN

sustainability strategy and donor engagement, including cultivation and prospect

- Develop budgets for a variety of funding scenarios

- Oversee grant writing and development of abstracts to pitch grantors

- Ensure grants are served in accordance with their terms, reporting and budgeting is accurate, and long-term relationships with grantors are maintained.

Skills and Qualifications

- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.

- At least 10 years of relevant experience in a leadership role, ideally within the 501(c)(3) non-profit sector and/or journalism sector overseeing finance and fundraising.

- Outstanding verbal and writing communication skills are required

- Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills with proven ability to anticipate and

address challenges

- Proven track record as an implementer

- Creativity and problem-solving instincts that keep the organization moving forward

- Organized, detail-oriented, creative, and able to work independently, under pressure, or as a team

player in a fast-paced environment

- Strong interest in press freedom/whistleblowing issues

Location

- Remote work. Team is currently located on the East Coast and in Europe. Eastern time zone is

preferred,

- Willing to travel up to 10%

Terms

- Start date: as soon as possible. The position is open ended.

- The Chief of Staff will act as the Interim Executive Director from August 2024 to December 2024,

during the Executive Director’s maternity leave and will then remain as Chief of Staff of the organization.

Salary and Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 to $108,000 if based in the US. Salary ranges outside of the United States vary based on location.

Benefits: TSN offers health and work care benefits and a generous time-off policy.

Level of Language Proficiency

Native English speaker.

To apply

Please send us your application by May 26, 2024 via Gusto: https://jobs.gusto.com/postings/the-signals-network-inc-chief-of-staff-director-of-operations-d5c31e1f-d597-4b3c-a2f6-eb3f7d1a8583

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Please include:

• A cover letter with your possible start of work and your current location

• A CV/resume

We will then invite selected candidates for a virtual interview followed by a self-selected 2-hour time window to create a work sample before a final interview. We endeavor to keep all applicants informed about the status of the application process.

The Signals Network strives for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) and prioritizes these values in our organization, programming, and employment practices. JEDI is at the forefront of our strategy and culture, and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, cultures, skills, and experiences, knowing that the more inclusive we are, the more successful we will be. We are an equal opportunity employer.

The Signals Network actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. The Signals Network does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity.