Posted on September 28, 2012

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Director of Business Operations

Young people are transforming the world around them in profound and powerful ways, yet stories of their good work make up only 1% of news stories involving youth. To change this, Peace First is preparing to launch a major national campaign to identify and recognize young people building more peaceful and just communities. The Peace First Prize not only celebrates young people who make a real difference in the lives of others, but will invest in their long-term capacity to work for transformative change through a two-year fellowship. As such, the Peace First Prize will serve as an incubator for the next generation of social and civic leaders.

Peace First is an innovative national organization dedicated to youth violence prevention and peace & justice education that empowers children with the skills, knowledge, relationships and opportunities to become morally engaged citizens and active members in their communities. Founded on the belief that young people have the power and responsibility to change the world, Peace First operates in Boston, New York and LA to help students become peacemakers by focusing on two major efforts within a school: teaching children the skills of cooperation, communication, conflict resolution, and civic engagement; and providing educators with the critical skills and knowledge to integrate social-emotional learning into the school’s curriculum and culture. Combined, these efforts strengthen schools’ social and academic environments, leading to stronger schools and more successful students. Promising data from our students and schools – a recent study found a 60% decrease in disruptive incidences at the school, 36% decrease in physical aggression, and 81% of students reporting they can walk away from a fight – is driving major efforts to codify and scale our program and mission.

For more information please visit http://www.peacefirst.org

The Position

Peace First is seeking a smart, talented, and energetic Director of Business Operations to provide oversight of all operational functions and to build the kind of systems and efficiencies needed to support the high level of growth expected for this entrepreneurial organization. The Director will supervise a small team of staff to strengthen the organization’s core business operations including finances, HR, adminstration and technology. This position will report to the Chief Operating Officer.

Responsibilities:

Financial Management – 40%:

• Provide oversight for all aspects of the organization’s day to day finances including the supervision of a finance and operations manager and coordination of an outsourced accounting firm;
• Ensure accuracy, efficiency and coordination of all day-to-day financial operations including budgeting, accounting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash-flow analysis and grant reporting;
• Improve existing reporting and analysis capabilities to support decision-making, including timely budget versus actual tracking; grants reporting and tracking; accurate forecasting and cost/benefit analysis;
• Manage the organization’s annual audit;
• Support the senior leadership team in the planning and development of the organization’s annual and departmental budgets.

Administration and Operations – 20%:

• Supervise a part time Operations Coordinator and integrate all functional back office areas, ensuring coordination of activities and policies to maintain quality and efficiency of office operations, facilities, product and service delivery;
• Manage the administrative human resources function, including the development and implementation of effective hiring, compensation, benefits and insurance;
• Negotiate and manage a variety of external vendor relationships for banking, accounting, legal, benefits, insurance and facilities; coordinate contract negotiation and renewals.

Technology – 40%:

• Supervise a 50% time Information Systems Analyst in building and enhancing the core IT systems, servers, desktops, and software, for the organization and providing day to day tech support;
• Oversee and refine the technology strategy for the organization, in partnership with the COO, ensuring that the organization has the appropriate systems to support programmatic and infrastructure needs;
• Lead a technology planning committee to develop larger organizational strategy for IT needs now and in the future, including core infrastructure, user support and efficiency, programmatic needs, and web-based platforms;
• Manage the organization’s transition to more cost efficient and scalable systems; including cloud, content management and contact management;
• Manage key tech related partners and vendors.

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of management experience in finance and administration, preferably within a high-growth, entrepreneurial environment;
• Experience overseeing IT and HR staff and/or consultants preferred;
• Experience implementing financial, technology, and operational systems and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a growing organization;
• Honed analytical thinker comfortable with micro-level operational details and larger systems development;
• Flexibility combined with the ability to multi-task; comfort working in a fast-paced and growing organization, while also driving toward clarity and solutions;
• Excellent communication and project management skills;
• Tech savvy and experience managing the design and growth of IT systems and strategy for an organization;
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; MBA in Finance and Accounting, CPA, or Masters in non-profit management or related field highly preferred.

Application Instructions

Please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter addressed to Hiring Manager outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in PDF or Word format, to talent@peacefirst.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.