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Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF or Federation) is America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. The Federation's mission is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

To support our mission, we are seeking a Operations Manager, Northeast Regional Center. This position provides operational support to the South Central Regional Center (SCRC). Major areas of responsibility include: (1) help oversee all financial systems and operations, including making timely and supported recommendations on budget decisions to the Regional Executive Director (RED) and the Deputy Regional Director, assisting program staff with financial/administrative procedures, and providing fundraising and grant reporting support; (2) supporting and inspiring a team environment and culture that advances NWF core values and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; and (3) oversight of SCRC operations and internal communications. This position reports directly to the SCRC Deputy Regional Director with a dotted-line report to the SCRC Regional Executive Director and the Director of Program Operations.

The SCRC currently has offices located in Austin, TX, Atlanta, GA and New Orleans, LA. This role is based in Austin, TX (due to COVID-19 the majority of NWF employees are working remotely until further notice).

Principle Duties (major areas of responsibility):

Financial Management:

• Ensure sound financial management including tracking expenses and revenues, and developing program specific cash flow displays;
• Works with the Deputy Regional Director and other assigned staff on managing the development and monitoring of the regions’ budget consistent with NWF’s financial reporting systems;
• Oversee and approve all expenses, including salary allocations, travel, office operations and special events;
• Oversee all contract and grant agreement processing SCRC including appropriate approvals and financial tracking;
• Process and manage input of SCRC donations/payments received into the CRM system; Draft, proof and send donor acknowledgements;
• In tandem with Philanthropy and Finance staff, assist program staff in grant applications and reports, including tracking grant reporting requirements.

Internal Relations:

• Work closely with Strategic Operations Leadership Team and other Operations Managers on best practices, policies and procedures to ensure sound management of SCRC operations;
• Nurture strong, working relationships with the region’s RED, Deputy Director and program staff to support the needs of the region and expand the Center's relationship and collaboration with other internal departments and staff;
• Assist regional leadership and program managers with recruitment, hiring and onboarding of new staff;
• Promote a productive, interactive, collaborative and fun work environment;
• Coordinate and facilitate regular staff meeting agendas with the assigned office teams, including advancing SCRC’s growth, capacity, and competency in their commitment to equity and justice;
• Assist the SCRC in operationalizing and embedding equity and justice into organizational policies, practices, and programs;
• Manage and develop the Regional Center's intranet pages/digital files;
• Communicate policies and procedures to office staff;
• Support and coordinate strategic communications between regional programs and SCRC Senior Coordinator, Online Advocacy.
• Train, support, and integrate tools and programs between regional programs with SCRC Senior Coordinator, Online Advocacy and national outreach teams (website, blog team, newsletter team, social media platforms).

Operational/Office Management:

• Maintain and promote a safe, efficient and productive office environment, including supporting regional staff on NWF platforms and supporting regional technology needs and installations
• Organize and/or assist with internal meetings, visits, retreats and special events and projects;

Required Competencies:

The Operations Manager is expected to exemplify the National Wildlife Federation’s core values (collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus) and demonstrate leadership competencies including:

Self-Awareness and Learning

• Demonstrates awareness of multiple group identities and their attendant dynamics and consistently brings a high level of self-awareness, empathy, and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions and builds awareness through continued learning.
• Builds awareness through continued learning.
• Ability to understand individual experience and identity and how these are shaped by systems of power, privilege and oppression at NWF.
• Cultivates a growth mindset for learning, including soliciting and responding to feedback from others.
• Welcomes each experience as an opportunity to learn and grow and shares these experiences. Practices both/and thinking that looks for connections between different ideas and perspectives.
• Models making space for other voices and ideas that have historically and currently been devalued, noticing responses that may be rooted in white supremacy and shifting those response.
• Demonstrates awareness of the impact of oppression on people in the NWF community and the impact that actions and inaction can have. Changes behaviors to reduce harm
• Committed to ongoing learning to deepen understanding of racism, anti-Blackness, white supremacy, and other types of structural oppression and ways to challenge them. Models open conversations around these topics and encourages inquiry and learning within the organization.

Authentic Relationships & Community Partnerships

• Proactively builds and sustains robust, authentic, productive working relationships with colleagues and community partners across race and other group identities.
• Strong ability to repair: Able to recognize when there is a breach in a relationship, acknowledge role in creating that breach, and act proactively to repair that breach. Able to coach others on repair.
• Successfully works to address grievances and works towards restorative solutions.
• Ability to openly hold space and invite others into conversations
• Builds high levels of psychological safety and courage. Frames work as learning and asks for help.
• Follows through on shared commitments
• Considers physical and emotional well-being

Open and Authentic Communication

• Communicates in ways that honor each person’s inherent dignity and agency, and leads with respect and compassion.
• Communicates clearly, honestly, and authentically with colleagues. Uses clear and precise language when referring to equity and justice concepts.
• Works to align intent with impact in interactions
• Works proactively to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings, especially across differences, and attend to conflicts as opportunities for learning and growth.
• Consistently gives both positive and developmental feedback to support learning, excellence, and personal growth and proactively asks for what is needed to be successful.
• Practice and model behaviors that contribute to an organizational culture in which each person's full humanity is recognized and affirmed.
• Interrupts statements or behaviors that cause harm to others, particularly to people of color and from other marginalized groups. This includes our own behavior, as well as the behaviors of others.

Human-Centered Innovation

• Seeks solutions by cultivating empathy, taking risks, trying new approaches, learning from mistakes, learning from others, and continually improving our efforts
• Courageous and proactive about developing solutions that are rooted in principles of equity and justice.
• Adept at shifting away from the white supremacy cultural norm of perfectionism, towards norms that embraces risk-taking and mistakes as opportunities to learn.
• Cultivates empathy for others in order to understand experiences and concerns, and respond meaningfully.
• Practices both/and thinking, welcoming multiple perspectives and accepting ambiguity.
• Demonstrate the courage to take risks that work towards greater equity.
• Learns from the wisdom of Black, Indigenous people and people of color, without expecting individuals from these communities to take on the burden of teaching.
• Develops trial solutions so that we can get rapid feedback and improve efforts

Facilitation

• Effectively holds space with empathy and utilizes strong active listening skills
• Communicates clear guidelines and instructions
• Effectively decenters whiteness in facilitation spaces

Qualifications:

• College degree or some college preferred
• Formal training in financial administration and budgeting strongly preferred
• Minimum 5 years relevant experience in a budget preparation and/or management, operations, or administration capacity, preferably in a nonprofit setting
• Proven skills in financial management and budgeting are essential, including grant management
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to deal appropriately with confidential and sensitive matters
• Must have demonstrated budget and personnel management experience, and demonstrated problem solving abilities
• Must be a strategic thinker, well organized, positive communicator; relationship builder and have a demonstrated ability to set goals and priorities, and meet deadlines
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, spreadsheet, and database management

Travel Requirements:

• Approximately 2-3 times per year; 2-4 nights

Compensation and Benefits:

This position pays in the range of $60,000 - $65,000 per year, dependent upon qualifications and experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021! We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling. We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting. We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member – including pets), 10 holidays, and 3 floating holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low cost health, dental, and vision insurance options – all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

COVID Consideration:

The National Wildlife Federation closely follows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease and has implemented processes that promote the safety of our employees, candidates, and communities. Because the health of our employees and candidates is a top priority, we conduct our hiring process virtually via phone or video until further notice. We are currently starting our positions as remote, and are continuing to explore what our future of work will be moving forward. Proof of vaccination will be required to join the National Wildlife Federation.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

A large, multi-year grant has been awarded to support various priorities. Various programs are requesting funds from the grant. What steps would you take with leadership and program staff to determine priorities and foster collaboration? Please respond to this question in your application.

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job, therefore our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.