Chicago Beyond · 1 month ago
Director of Business Operations
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$125K/yr - $150K/yr
8+ years expChicago Beyond is a national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity by backing solutions led by those closest to the issues. The Director of Business Operations is responsible for building the systems and infrastructure to enable the organization to achieve its mission, leading business functions, and ensuring operational efficiency across projects, people, systems, and finances.
CharityProfessional Services
Hiring Manager
Lexi Zarecky
Responsibilities
Lead the development and execution of Chicago Beyond’s operational infrastructure to deliver on strategic priorities. Identify inefficiencies, design scalable solutions, and drive implementation across teams. Collaborate with the Chief Strategy Officer to develop and implement strategic plans. Partner with senior leaders to translate strategy into clear goals, KPIs, and dashboards that track progress and performance. Ensure alignment between people, processes, systems, and strategy, and drive organizational learning by surfacing insights from operations to inform strategy and continuous improvement
Lead all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, expense management, and reporting, ensuring fiscal integrity and transparency. Manage vendor relationships, invoicing, and reimbursements, and serve as the organizational lead for QuickBooks and financial controls. Develop budgets, dashboards, and tools that enable visibility into financial health. Identify opportunities for efficiency, automation, and foresight through scenario modeling and strategic financial planning
Embed values and culture into systems design and ensure they are reflected in tools, processes, and decision-making. Redesign and implement core systems to create cross-functional visibility and efficiency. Evaluate and optimize tools such as Asana, QuickBooks, Airtable, and Microsoft Office to maximize integrations and streamline workflows. Lead change management to ensure adoption and sustainability of new systems. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance scalability, automation, and alignment with strategic goals. Drive organizational learning by translating data and insights into narratives that inform leadership decisions and drive organizational alignment
Partner with the Chief Strategy Officer to define the organization’s operational cadence, including planning, prioritization, and progress tracking. Streamline project management practices to improve coordination, simplify workflows, and strengthen accountability. Supervise the Administrative Support Associate and work across teams to align operations with programmatic goals. Foster a culture of collaboration and shared learning. Serve as sense maker by connecting strategy to execution and identifying themes, risks, and opportunities across the organization
Oversee full-cycle hiring, onboarding, and offboarding to attract and retain talent aligned with Chicago Beyond’s mission and values. Lead the professional development and performance management processes, connecting individual goals to organizational priorities and KPIs. Manage benefits through third-party vendors, maintain organizational policies, and champion a culture of growth, feedback, and reflection that advances both individual and collective impact
Design and lead Chicago Beyond’s space strategy to align physical space with our mission, values, and evolving strategic priorities. Shape how our space furthers our work with partners and community to advance our goals. Translate strategic intent into operational execution, designing systems and processes to ensure the space functions efficiently. Continuously assess how the space is used, incorporating data and feedback to drive decisions
Identify potential risks and challenges to the organization's operations, including financial, and develop strategies to mitigate them. Lead scenario planning and strategic forecasting to anticipate organizational needs and external shifts and design adaptive plans that evolve as context changes. Monitor and evaluate operational performance metrics to proactively address issues and optimize outcomes. Oversee operational governance structures, internal controls, and compliance procedures to safeguard people, systems, and resources
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of experience in business operations, strategy, management consulting, or operations management
Demonstrated experience in financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis
Strong strategic planning and project management skills, with the ability to set clear goals, develop actionable plans, and drive results
Demonstrated ability to develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms that drive insight, decision making, and accountability
Experience implementing, automating, and optimizing operational systems and processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness
Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve their full potential in a dynamic environment
Strong collaborator with the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and deliver measurable results
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to identify issues, evaluate options, and implement solutions
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex information to diverse stakeholders
Preferred
Familiarity with QuickBooks
PMP certification or equivalent experience
Experience with Airtable, Asana, CRMs, and grant management systems
Benefits
Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans
A matching 401(k) program
Generous paid time off
Company
Chicago Beyond
Chicago Beyond is a non-profit organization that assists community leaders and provides equitable research opportunities to young people.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Liz Dozier
Founder & CEO
Recent News
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