VP of Operations

Job Summary

The Vice President of Operations & Organizational Effectiveness serves as the CEO's strategic partner in leading and aligning the organization's operations, systems, and people practices. This role ensures seamless coordination across departments, drives staff engagement, and builds a culture of collaboration and accountability.

The Vice President leads initiatives that strengthen internal communication, staff engagement, and organizational alignment, ensuring strategy translates into effective execution.

Responsibilities include oversight of operational systems, HR and culture initiatives, meetings and education logistics, and cross-departmental process improvement.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

To enhance focus and balance, responsibilities are grouped under four strategic pillars:

1. Operational Excellence & Systems Integration

• Lead efforts to optimize workflows, technology platforms, and organizational systems for efficiency and scalability.
• Identify and lead opportunities to streamline processes, increase cross-department collaboration, and improve internal communication systems.
• Oversee technology platforms (e.g., HRIS, CRM, project management, and data systems) to ensure integration and effective use.
• Develop and monitor organization-wide operational metrics and dashboards to measure performance, system effectiveness, and engagement.
• Coordinate operational aspects of Meetings and Education to ensure alignment with strategic and logistical goals.
• Support continuous improvement through cross-functional project management and process optimization.

1. People & Culture Leadership (HR + Engagement)

• Provide strategic leadership for HR, culture, and staff engagement initiatives.
• Ensure HR policies, compliance, and systems are robust, supported by appropriate resources (e.g., HRIS vendors, legal counsel), and aligned with culture and engagement priorities.
• Champion initiatives that enhance communication, performance feedback, professional growth, and recognition across all staff levels.
• Partner with the CEO and HR Manager to strengthen talent development, onboarding, and retention strategies.
• Promote an organizational culture that reflects core values, inclusion, collaboration, and accountability.

1. Financial & Administrative Management

• Partner with the Controller and CEO to ensure effective budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation processes.
• Collaborate on internal controls, policy updates, and operational risk management.
• Oversee key vendor relationships and administrative contracts, ensuring operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Support compliance with relevant employment laws, insurance requirements, and organizational standards through strong systems and oversight.

1. Strategic Partnership & Organizational Development

• Translate strategic goals into actionable operational plans with clear accountability.
• Provide data-driven insights and operational dashboards to inform CEO and Board decisions.
• Serve as an integrative leader ensuring alignment among departments and consistent execution of strategic initiatives.
• Partner with department heads to coordinate cross-functional projects, organizational planning, and communication rhythms.
• Attend or report at board meetings as appropriate, supporting governance visibility and reporting.

Performance & Success Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Improved staff engagement and retention metrics.
• Operational efficiency gains (e.g., reduced redundancies, time/cost savings).
• Increased cross-department collaboration and communication effectiveness.
• Enhanced technology utilization and systems uptime.
• CEO time reallocation from operational to strategic focus.
• Demonstrated improvement in organizational rhythm and accountability.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, organizational leadership, or related field (master's preferred).
• Minimum 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations, HR, or organizational effectiveness roles.
• Proven ability to build trust, influence across departments, and drive cultural alignment.
• Demonstrated success leading to change management, systems implementation, or organizational transformation.
• Strong emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership style.
• Exceptional communication, planning, and project management skills.
• Experience with HRIS, CRM, and operational software systems.
• Nonprofit or association management experience preferred but not required.

HR credentialing (e.g., SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP) is a plus but not essential if candidate demonstrates strong operational and leadership