Director of Operations

Director of Operations for the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed

Essential Info: 

$37.5 - $44/ hour, depending on experience and qualifications, 25hrs/week for first month trial period, hours to be increased thereafter based on availability and pending grants.

Benefits: Flexible Hours, Semi-remote possible, Paid Time Off (50hrs/yr to start), Paid Sick Leave (50hrs/yr to start), Wifi-Stipend (30$/month), TBD (see below) travel, health insurance, retirement, professional development TBD

Mutual reviews every three months, with room for salary rate, hours, and benefits increase, especially if business case can be made for operational efficiency and contributions to organizational development. 

This is a start up non-profit (7 months of professional operation) and requires a builder mindset.

Job Description 

This position supports the core values of the Alliance and the implementation of our vision, mission and goals. The Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed (www.alliancemrw.org)  is the first Tribal and non-tribal Watershed Alliance in CT - and is composed of residents, members, staff, and leadership of the Mashantucket Pequot and Eastern Pequot Tribal Nations and the towns of Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington and Stonington. Our present focus is creating collaborative and community based planning processes for holistic watershed regeneration and developing implementation mechanisms and funding strategies for resilience and regeneration interventions and projects. Our mission is to keep all life in the Mystic River safe and flourishing in these times of increasing change.  Having begun as an all volunteer organization in 2022, the Alliance is quickly growing to have an annual budget of over $300k, over $6million in submitted grants applications, supporting over $30million in partner grants, and now has 3 FTE equivalents spread between 4 staff members, and 5 contractors. Our active projects include collating watershed wide analyses of Climate Vulnerability, supporting bi-monthly convening of regional planning and knowledge organizations, developing a Living Atlas knowledge platform, embarking on a Watershed Regeneration Action Plan which will serve as an EPA 9-elements plan for our watershed, crafting a bioregional regeneration strategy and financing facility, youth engaged ‘design circle’ processes, youth education programs on the importance of migratory fish restoration in area schools, hosting community conversation circles, and supporting community engagement for town and regional planning and decision making process. The Operations Director forms part of the executive team to build a solid foundation for operations for the Alliance and will also perform all day to day administrative tasks required for non-profit operations. Success in this role will be evaluated by formalizing and streamlining administrative tasks, demonstrated contribution to organizational operational and financial development, and generation of good will and good feeling between staff, community members, the board, and our network of allies.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Support budget development and managing organizational finances, including:
2. managing the Alliance’s Quickbooks in collaboration with contracted accountant including tracking and coding expenditures to 5 grant and contract accounts and donations
3. invoicing contractors, vendors, and grantee organizations
4. identify and contribute to development opportunities (e.g. grants, donor advised funds)
5. additionally near term additional funding may support strategic financial planning (TBD)
6. running online and in person fundraisers like our Silent Auction, raffles, and developing our merchandising
7. Develop, maintain, and enhance our donor and volunteer relations platform and support donor relations
8. develop Little Green Light database and related sign up forms
9. working with communications coordinator, the board, and Executive Director for marketing/branding and regular communications (weekly updates, monthly newsletter)
10. maintain and develop strong relationships with key donors
11. Organize our volunteer database 
12. track volunteer hours and contributions, 
13. supporting our volunteer working committees (Youth Council, Water Quality Group, Community Action Team)
14. Manage HR workflows
15. on boarding and employee relations
16. payroll with contracted payroll manager (aggregate and report weekly hours per employee per funding sources),
17. develop benefits administration and package in collaboration with Executive Director
18. Logistical Support
19. for regular (2 per year) and programmatic (9 per year) events
20. purchasing and inventory tracking of small but growing organizational assets
21. contributing to developing internal business systems
22. Support monthly reporting to the board of directors, and assist Treasurer and Executive Director with annual reporting and 501c(3) compliance

Work Environment, Compensation, and Terms

This is a largely remote position with some occasional travel to the Mystic River Watershed and surrounding areas. The Ideal candidate will have familiarity with SE CT, and strong relations with communities in our watershed, including familiarity with Tribal Nation issues.

Hours are flexible, although the position should be generally responsive to email and phone communications during regular business hours unless sick or taking time off. 

Occasional attendance at in person events may be required, with a minimum of 2 week lead time if so.

This is an at-will position, subject to 3 month mutual reviews with potential to update contract terms. 

Contract length is 1 year from start date, this is a combination of grant funded and donor funded position, employment length depends upon availability of future funding post fall 2026

Qualifications

Familiarity and knowledge of Indigenous governance, tribal self determination, and cross cultural collaborative planning especially as it applies to Pequot peoples and Southeastern Connecticut 

Willingness to work within a fast paced and rapidly growing organizational environment

2 years of experience in Quickbooks or equivalent bookkeeping software, knowledge of accounting principles and practices

2 years experience in donor relations and database management, e.g. Little Green Light

demonstrated education, training, and familiarity with regenerative principles and understanding of regenerative paradigms that transcend nature/culture, ecology/economy dualities

Value and mission alignment with the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed

Prior Experience in start up businesses and non-profits, a builders mindset

5 years demonstrated experience in organizational operations, strategic planning, and financial administration

demonstrated willingness to learn and ability to be self taught

formal education is not a requirement, but can be used to substitute for 3 years of experience if applicable (e.g. certification in non-profit management, MBA, PA, or relevant degrees)

To Apply:

Submit a cover letter describing value alignment, prior experience, qualifications and a brief statement of vision for developing this role and the Alliance as a whole, Resume, and 3 professional references to z@alliancemrw.org cc’ing maggie@alliancemrw.org