Position Title: Operations Associate
Time Commitment: 35 hours/week; Full Time
Reports To: Managing Director
The Operations Associate will be a part of the Operations team. They will help the company complete internal projects that support strategic growth and operations. Additionally, the Operations Associate will be a key member of client-facing teams, have the opportunity to attend events (both virtual and in-person, depending on safety precautions and geographic constraints), and learn from people with decades of experience in the nonprofit sector.
The Operations Associate will be supported by the Operations and Marketing Manager, the Managing Director, and an additional Operations Associate. They must be able to function in a mission-driven environment, poised, detail-oriented, adept at managing logistically challenging situations, and able to operate with a problem-solving mindset. The ideal candidate has 1-2 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, grant writing, and/or grant making. However, if you do not have this experience, we still strongly encourage you to apply!
An interest in social justice, entrepreneurship, and non-profit management are helpful for successful candidates.
Other Responsibilities Include:
- Attending and taking concise (yet comprehensive) notes in bi-weekly client meetings
- Accurately and efficiently transferring action items from client meeting notes into the company project management system, Asana
- Working with and consulting with internal client teams to ensure all project deadlines are tracked and met
- Tracking highly detailed, client-specific information into Asana in real time (example: when grants are won, the company documents the funder, the amount, the terms, the subsequent reporting deadlines, etc.)
- Conducting client research as needed (example: using the company database to look for potential funders)
- Assist in the tracking of company-wide data and metrics
- Assisting the Operations team in their effort to implement the current company-wide operations manual
- Assisting with client appreciation and experience efforts
- Copy editing company communications such as blog posts, newsletters, and social media copy
- Working with the Operations and Marketing Manager and other Operations Associate to assist with marketing efforts, as assigned (drafting social media copy, assisting with newsletter, etc.)
Required Skills, Experience, and Values
- Predictive Mindset – As a member of the Operations team, it is absolutely essential that the Operations Associate understand and internalize the matrix of connections between the company’s systems, staff responsibilities, and client experiences. As such, the person in this position must have the ability to predict the potential effects of their actions or inactions on the company, their colleagues, and their clients and act accordingly.
- Communication – The person in this position must be able to effectively (meaning without ambiguity or animosity) communicate with colleagues, clients, and others in a direct and respectful manner and must prioritize direct communication as the most effective means of conveying meaning. In other words, say what you mean and mean what you say. Additionally, the person in this position must be able to proactively communicate with their colleagues and their supervisor regarding their projects.
- Entrepreneurship – The person in this position must have an interest in or experience with entrepreneurship, as well as an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Work/Life Balance – Spark Point Fundraising acknowledges that working full-time in a pandemic is challenging in many different ways, both personal and professional. With this and our commitment to our clients in mind, we provide high-quality service Monday through Friday from 10AM to 6PM EST. All of our clients are briefed on this expectation because maintaining a healthy work-life balance enables us to recharge and continue serving our clients to the best of our ability.
- Kindness – We aim to always treat each other and our clients with kindness and care, respecting our shared humanity and making space for our varied life experiences. It’s infused into everything we do.
- Ingenuity – The same old, same old doesn’t fly. We know what works, but we also know areas for improvement when we see them. We don’t rest on our laurels; we plant new seeds. The person in this position must have experience with creating, designing, or otherwise coming up with a new idea, creating a plan for executing on the idea, and completing the execution of said plan.
- Integrity – We operate with an unabashed commitment to honesty and justice. We honor the commitments we have made to our clients, because we value the trust they have invested in us. The person in this position must be comfortable being a part of a highly effective, collaborative team across the country and in multiple time zones. Additionally, you must be comfortable with a remote working environment, including video calls and using time-tracking software.
- Equity – We are ambassadors for equity and have a deep commitment to creating a level playing field, both within and beyond our company.
- Nonprofit Sector – We understand and value the nonprofit sector for its ability to change the world in meaningful and important ways.
- A Commitment to Ending Racism – Our commitment to equity is not superficial. Spark Point, like many organizations, is on a journey to eliminate racism and White supremacy from its operations.
Spark Point’s core working hours are Monday through Friday from 10AM to 6PM ET, with client-facing meetings occurring, primarily, Tuesdays through Thursdays. Staff are permitted to work remotely at their discretion as long as they consult with their supervisor in advance. Staff are permitted one hour daily for lunch.
Compensation
The Operations Associate will receive a salary of $55,000 – $60,000 annually, depending on experience. In addition to financial compensation, Spark Point will offer the following additional benefits:
- Health Insurance – 100% employer-sponsored
- Phone and Internet Stipend – $600 annually added to salary for phone and internet expenses
- FSA Account – with $500 employer contribution and the option for pre-tax employee contributions
- 401K – After six months of employment; 3% of salary plus an additional employer match of up to 3%.
- Paid Time Off – 15 days (accrued from first day of employment; available for use after 90 days). Additional paid time off is provided for bereavement, jury duty, and parental duties.
- Sick Leave – 24 hours (3+ work days)
- Holidays – 10 Federal holidays; office closure the last week of the calendar year; day after Thanksgiving; plus three additional floating holidays to be used at employee discretion
- Professional development – $500 per year to pay for conferences, seminars, or other professional development opportunities
- Tech -During first year of employment, you will receive a $1,000 employer contribution to the purchase of a laptop for work use and/or other equipment. In the following years, you will receive $300 per year to pay for equipment and supplies, such as additional monitors, bluetooth accessories. etc
To Apply: To apply for the Operations Associate position, please provide your information, resume, cover letter, and three professional references via our application form. It is a Google Form, and will require you to sign in. While it uses a Google interface, you can sign in from any email account. If you do not wish to write a cover letter, in lieu, you can submit a document with 4-6 sentence responses to each of the prompts below. Please note that if you choose this option, a resume and three professional references are still expected.
- How do you stay focused when you are learning a complex concept or working on detail-heavy tasks for significant periods of time?
- Describe your preferred system of time and/or task organization (whether personal or professional).
- If applicable, tell us about your experience serving clients. What is one valuable thing you learned?
- If you were the director of a foundation that had $500,000 to give, what amount and to what organization(s) would you give and why?
- Please describe any experience (volunteer or otherwise) you have in nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, and/or grant making. If you have no experience in these areas, please describe what you know and would be most excited to learn about these topics.
Spark Point Fundraising will be accepting applications for this position through Friday, June 30, 2022. The ideal start date for this position is Tuesday, August 1, but we are open to negotiating an alternative timeline.
Spark Point Fundraising LLC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Spark Point Fundraising LLC complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in Washington, DC.