[Hiring] Operations Manager @Activest

About Us

Activest is a leading voice for fiscal justice, which is our multilayered, critical analysis of equity in municipal finance, measured at the intersection of fiscal health and racial justice. Our research shows that communities realize stronger fiscal outcomes when they prioritize the well-being of their most marginalized residents. A fiscal justice approach offers new tools for stakeholders to advocate for disclosures and accountability that have the potential to shift financial markets.

We are a Black-owned and led firm founded in 2016, based on our work in Ferguson, Missouri following Michael Brown’s death. Over the past six years, we have honed our approach by working with a host of cities, organizers, and activist investors. This includes supporting organizers in a City of Chicago campaign to mobilize municipal investors to pressure the City to stop using proceeds from the bonds to cover police-brutality settlements. We've also collaborated with grassroots coalitions and city leaders, like our work with Bloomberg Philanthropies, where we worked with twenty-nine city mayors and budget directors on their equitable COVID-19 fiscal recovery efforts.

Requirements

The Position

Activest is looking for an experienced full-time, 100% remote Operations Manager. This position will broadly lead a variety of internal-facing systems, manage the core infrastructure of the company and help the organization’s processes remain legally compliant. The ideal candidate will be skilled in human resources, finance, and IT management, and be able to develop and contribute to systems and processes that create an environment of trust, diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization.

Requirements:

What You Will Do:

1. Financial management, including developing and tracking annual budgets, payroll and supporting an external accountant and bookkeeper in tax return preparation
2. Business development support, including tracking of business development leads, using our tracking software.
3. HR systems management including:

a. Implementing our human resources and people operations plan, including supporting talent searches, coordinating aspects of organizational culture, such as annual performance review processes, ongoing staff feedback surveys, and virtual/in-person team gatherings.

b. Administering our health insurance and benefits plan, with support from our outsourced insurance consultant.

1. Vendor and contract management including:

a. Creating and managing professional service contracts and accompanying payment schedules.

b. Assisting in organizing vendor reporting, W9 filing, and establishing an onboarding process for future contractors and vendors.

1. Virtual office management, including managing our various software licenses, such as our business development and sales software, contact management software, Google drive file system, etc.
2. Grant financial report management, including tracking and supporting the preparation of grant financial reports
3. Business insurances and licenses management, which includes coordinating compliance and tax services, and engaging with service providers on legal, compliance, and tax issues, as well as:

a. Registering Activest to do business in key state

b. Acquiring and maintaining necessary business insurance

Mindset

• A commitment to Activest’s goals of running a financially successful business and making a positive impact in the communities where we invest.
• Highest integrity and ethics
• High Emotional intelligence: you have a regular, deep self-reflective practice that allows you to consciously choose how you respond and act rather than unconsciously react based on old habits and patterns.
• A commitment to equity and racial justice, and living out those values in the workplace
• Genuine excitement for municipal policy, local government research and public sector innovation
• Comfort in operating with a high level of independence and efficiency, coupled with a desire to be a part of a high-performing team.
• Always looking for ways to engage their employees and make the workplace more effective and efficient

Skills and Competencies

1. Ability to juggle multiple and evolving priorities, with a track record of running multiple functions effectively.
2. Solid understand of financial management
3. Experience creating and tracking budgets
4. Experience with HR management, including hiring, staff retention, and employee benefits administration
5. Strong skills with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Quickbooks (or Xero)
6. Experience managing accounts payable and accounts receivable
7. Ability to work with a variety of different stakeholders and hold people accountable who have busy and unpredictable schedules
8. Excellent organizational skills to ensure the smooth running of the company and operational roles; proven track record of building and operating internal operations systems.

Benefits

Salary:

$70,000

Benefits:

We have an unlimited vacation policy--work hard and take time when you need it. We also offer a 100% paid health, dental, and vision plan as well as a 401k retirement plan. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who are Black and Indigenous, women of color, Trans and gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, Hard of Hearing, Disabled, and working class.

Hiring Process

• Step 1: After you apply, our staff may reach out to you to confirm a few details.
• Step 2: If you continue through the process, you will be asked to complete a practical exercise that gives you a good sense of the day-to-day of the work and helps us understand how prepared you are to do it. Candidates will be compensated for their time completing the exercise.
• Step 3: You may be invited to an interview with members from our team to present your findings and field additional questions.
• Step 4: A final conversation with a board member.