VP of Operations

Job purpose

Who We Are

At Penfield Childrens Center, we transform the lives of children and families by fostering love, learning, and a community of care. At Penfield we are on a mission to ensure children have positive early experiences from pregnancy through age 5 when the foundations for lifelong development are established. Our mission drives everything we do, and we believe in leading with love, growing together, and doing whatever it takes to create brighter futures.

Were looking for an innovative and inspiring operational leader to help us amplify our impact by overseeing key operational functions: Human Resources, IT, and Facilities.

Job Purpose: Why This Role Matters

As VP of Operations, you will be a cornerstone of our executive leadership team, ensuring that our operational backbone supports the transformative programs and services we deliver every day. Penfield is a dynamic organization in a time of growth with a plan to increase our service reach by 10x in the next decade. Were looking for a leader to support the execution of our ambitious growth goals while maintaining a thriving, healthy culture.

Reporting to the President/CEO, youll lead with heart and strategy, driving efficiency, collaboration, and innovation across the organization. Youll oversee the teams and systems that keep our organization running smoothly, making sure we deliver on our mission for every child, every family, every time.

The VP of Operations serves as a staff member to the Penfield Board of Directors and Operational Risk and Informational Integrity Committee.

Working relationships

Executive team

Supervisory relationship with: Director of People and Culture, Director of IT, Director of Facilities

Board of Directors Operational Risk & Information Integrity Committee

Community Professionals

Vendors

What Youll Do

Youll be the operational expert, harmonizing IT, Facilities, and HR to align with Penfields mission, vision, and strategic goals.

Heres how:

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to turn big ideas into bold, actionable plans.
• Champion cross-departmental initiatives that drive innovation and amplify Penfields impact and drive organizational growth and performance.
• Keep our operational strategy laser-focused on our mission and core values.

Operational Excellence

• Build and optimize systems and processes that support collaboration, innovation, and

accountability across departments.

• Foster cross-departmental alignment.
• Build and refine systems and processes that make us more efficient, innovative, and collaborative.
• Use data to measure success, identify challenges, and fuel continuous improvement.
• Foster relationships with vendors and ensure contracts and agreements align with our high standards.

IT Innovation

• Oversee the development and implementation of IT systems and infrastructure to

support organizational efficiency and program delivery.

• Ensure robust data management, security, and compliance practices.
• Oversee the development of technology systems that empower our teams and enhance our programs.
• Prioritize data security, compliance, and innovative solutions that improve our operations.

Facilities Leadership

• Provide leadership for the management, maintenance, and optimization of Penfields

facilities to ensure a safe and effective environment for staff, children, and families,

compliant with all regulatory bodies.

• Develop and manage budgets for facilities operations and capital projects.
• Lead facility improvements, manage vendor relationships, and ensure compliance with safety and accessibility standards.
• Align facilities operations with our commitment to excellence and care.

People & Culture

• Partner with the Director of People and Culture to attract, retain, and grow top talent.
• Foster a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and empowered.
• Support key HR initiatives to advance performance management, training, and professional development.
• Build and optimize systems and processes that support collaboration, innovation, and
• accountability across departments.
• Ensure HR policies and practices are compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership

• Inspire and mentor teams in IT, Facilities, and HR to perform at their highest level of capability.
• Build a culture of collaboration and shared ownership of our mission.
• Champion Penfields core values in every interaction and decision.

What You Bring

• Education: Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field (Masters preferred).
• Ace of Execution: You have a proven ability to align operations with a mission-driven strategy.
• Experience: 8-10 years in operations leadership (HR, IT, Facilities) with a passion for contributing to mission-driven work.
• Analytical Mindset: Strong skills in project management, change management, and process improvement.
• People-Centric: A leader who inspires teams and cultivates a culture of performance, collaboration, and innovation.
• Adaptability: You thrive in a dynamic environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities.
• Commitment to Our Mission: Your committed to seeing young children and their families thrive.

Other Qualifications:

• Ability to lift or move objects of 25 lbs. or less on a daily basis.
• Must have sufficient mobility to move- including bend, stoop, reach, lift and grasp.
• Meeting vaccine standards as outlined in Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
• Valid Wisconsin drivers license and access to an insured vehicle during working hours

Why Youll Love Working at Penfield

Core Values

• Lead with Love - We welcome everyone with compassion and empathy; patience and kindness.To lead with love, we look for the best in our co-workers, our families, and ourselves.
• Grow with Us - We celebrate our successes and learn from our mistakes. We believe there is always a better way of asking questions that challenge the status quo, improve our process and make our work easier. Grow with us allows us to focus on how we can improve ourselves and, in the process, better serve the children and families in our care.
• Better Together - Together, we can do amazing things. Children and families trust us and

depend on us to work as a team to meet their needs. We are better together when we maximize our strengths, the gifts of our colleagues and the commitment of our amazing partners.

• Do What it Takes - We are determined, motivated and adaptable. We solve problems. We own our work, our actions and our behaviors. We step up to help our co-workers, partners and our families. We do what it takes to get the job done right and done well.
• Be Present - We bring our best genuine self to everything we do. Being present allows us to bring our passion and commitment to our work to ensure the best possible outcomes for Penfield.

Our Non-Negotiables:

At Penfield, we are unapologetic about excellence. These are the behaviors we strive to display everyday to deliver on our mission:

• We start with positive intent - believing in and giving our best to each other
• We embrace passionate debate - challenging respectfully and getting all ideas on the table
• We are results oriented - prioritizing outcomes over effort and adapting based on data
• We are all caretakers of Penfields mission - we make decisions for sustainability, acting as stewards and thinking as owners of our organization
• We offer solutions contributing our expertise and overcoming challenges collaboratively.
• We take responsibility for our actions, attitudes and personal growth.
• We care for ourselves championing our own well-being so that we can best serve others.
• We act with a sense of urgency because the needs of children and families are urgent.

Join Us!
If youre ready to bring your passion, expertise, and creativity to a role where you can truly make a difference, wed love to hear from you.

Penfield Childrens Center is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

What You Bring

• Education: Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field (Masters preferred).
• Ace of Execution: You have a proven ability to align operations with a mission-driven strategy.
• Experience: 8-10 years in operations leadership (HR, IT, Facilities) with a passion for contributing to mission-driven work.
• Analytical Mindset: Strong skills in project management, change management, and process improvement.
• People-Centric: A leader who inspires teams and cultivates a culture of performance, collaboration, and innovation.
• Adaptability: You thrive in a dynamic environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities.
• Commitment to Our Mission: Your committed to seeing young children and their families thrive.

Other Qualifications:

• Ability to lift or move objects of 25 lbs. or less on a daily basis.
• Must have sufficient mobility to move- including bend, stoop, reach, lift and grasp.
• Meeting vaccine standards as outlined in Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
• Valid Wisconsin drivers license and access to an insured vehicle during working hours

Why Youll Love Working at Penfield

Core Values

• Lead with Love - We welcome everyone with compassion and empathy; patience and kindness.To lead with love, we look for the best in our co-workers, our families, and ourselves.
• Grow with Us - We celebrate our successes and learn from our mistakes. We believe there is always a better way of asking questions that challenge the status quo, improve our process and make our work easier. Grow with us allows us to focus on how we can improve ourselves and, in the process, better serve the children and families in our care.
• Better Together - Together, we can do amazing things. Children and families trust us and

depend on us to work as a team to meet their needs. We are better together when we maximize our strengths, the gifts of our colleagues and the commitment of our amazing partners.

• Do What it Takes - We are determined, motivated and adaptable. We solve problems. We own our work, our actions and our behaviors. We step up to help our co-workers, partners and our families. We do what it takes to get the job done right and done well.
• Be Present - We bring our best genuine self to everything we do. Being present allows us to bring our passion and commitment to our work to ensure the best possible outcomes for Penfield.

Our Non-Negotiables:

At Penfield, we are unapologetic about excellence. These are the behaviors we strive to display everyday to deliver on our mission:

• We start with positive intent - believing in and giving our best to each other
• We embrace passionate debate - challenging respectfully and getting all ideas on the table
• We are results oriented - prioritizing outcomes over effort and adapting based on data
• We are all caretakers of Penfields mission - we make decisions for sustainability, acting as stewards and thinking as owners of our organization
• We offer solutions contributing our expertise and overcoming challenges collaboratively.
• We take responsibility for our actions, attitudes and personal growth.
• We care for ourselves championing our own well-being so that we can best serve others.
• We act with a sense of urgency because the needs of children and families are urgent.

Join Us!
If youre ready to bring your passion, expertise, and creativity to a role where you can truly make a difference, wed love to hear from you.

Penfield Childrens Center is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.