Director of Operations

Office Location: 727 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02111 – This position will be required to be in office on Wednesdays and additional days of the week as needed to manage office functions. Applicants must be a resident of MA, NH or RI.

To Apply: Candidates should submit a resume and cover letter explaining why you would like to be considered for this position to operationshr@silverliningmentoring.org. Applications will be reviewed immediately for an anticipated early March 2025 start date.

About Silver Lining Mentoring:

Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM) empowers youth in foster care to thrive through committed mentoring relationships and the development of essential life-skills. For 23 years, Silver Lining Mentoring has matched young people in the child welfare system with highly-committed volunteer mentors. The match relationship is supported by in-depth training and ongoing, personalized match support from clinically-informed staff. Most youth participants are preparing to age out of the child welfare system, and Silver Lining Mentors offer both companionship and guidance in navigating critical life skills. SLM supports these match relationships through three services offered in the greater Boston region: Community Based Mentoring, which provides one-to-one volunteer mentorships to youth ages 7 ; Learn and Earn, a life skills curriculum accompanied by a one-to-one volunteer mentorship available to young people ages 16 ; and life skills development and leadership opportunities to help young adults navigate their independent living goals.

SLM also features a national initiative to expand access to mentoring relationships for youth impacted by foster care. This aim is achieved through training and technical assistance of programs serving young people nationwide and through advocacy efforts for policies that promote positive, healthy, consistent relationships for young people affected by the child welfare system. In 2025 SLM will also be launching a new e-Mentoring program for young adults as part of our national work.

Position:

The Director of Operations (DoO) is a new and vitally important role for SLM as we launch our new e-Mentoring program in 2025 and embark on an exciting three-year strategic growth plan. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Director of Operations will lead and support the management and continuous improvement of SLM operations.

This is a particularly exciting time for the Director of Operations to join SLM and leverage their transformative and data-driven skills to support continued growth and ambitious innovation goals. The DoO will have primary responsibility for ensuring coordination, tracking and successful execution of all operational aspects SLM’s three-year strategic plan, and serve as a key thought partner to the Chief Operating Officer and other leaders across SLM.

The ideal candidate will have experience scaling organizational operations with knowledge and expertise in growing complex technological ecosystems. They will have deep knowledge of Salesforce and cloud-based systems. They will have a proven track record of success in project management and be a mission-driven team member who upholds SLM’s values in all aspects of their work. This position may require some travel and attendance at events/activities on occasional evenings and/or weekends.

Responsibilities:

General Operations and Cross-Functional Collaboration:

● Lead and support the overall operational health of the organization, proactively identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness

● Work with COO and Executive Leadership Team to ensure that processes/infrastructure support the organization’s growth strategically; continuously improve productivity of operations support of delivering services in a way that maximizes impact for our stakeholders

● Oversee the organization’s physical infrastructure and maintenance (office, phone system, hardware, security, cleaning, supplies, etc.); serve as a liaison to SLM’s landlord to lead the lease renewal or office space search process; if need be, project manage and coordinate move to new office space including migrating all technology

● Support key departments in accomplishing their goals including development and programming events as needed (i.e. quarterly programming events, annual Match Gala, etc.)

● Supervise staff and consultants as assigned to meet objectives on time and ensure excellent process and project management; facilitate positive communication and relationships with various stakeholders and vendors to ensure operations support organizational success

● Foster a productive operations team culture that aligns with our values of performance, belonging, and accountability, and supports our staff

● Develop and manage annual Operations department OKRs (Objectives & Key Results), proactively monitor and report on OKR progress, update dashboards and key performance indicators to monitor progress of operations across the organization

● Perform deep dives into operational data, conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses to identify trends, root causes of issues, and areas for process improvement; use data to forecast and prepare for operational needs

● Leverage data-driven insights to recommend and implement strategic operational improvements that will enhance efficiency and productivity

Technology Operations:

● Manage all SLM IT infrastructure, ensuring it meets organizational and programmatic needs including: software licenses, hardware assets, and training; serve as administrator and/or systems architect on all nonfinancial technologies

● Manage our outsourced IT vendor(s) and oversee IT contractors and ensure data security and compliance with relevant regulations

● Evaluate SLM’s current software systems: Optimize utilization and ensure alignment with industry standards, including automation, configuration, change management, and infrastructure provisioning, to support projected growth. Conduct IT assessment on annual basis to ensure technological ecosystem is serving SLM’s strategic priorities

● Provide technical and strategic guidance to SLM’s team members: Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement while ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality data solutions

● Collaborate with key internal stakeholders: Understand functional and reporting needs, prioritize projects, provide budget recommendations, and effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

● Manage operations vendors for project ROI and suitability: Source new vendors, arrange internal demos, manage the contract review process, make recommendations to leadership and oversee product implementation. Create, monitor, and manage project budgets and timelines

● Collaborate with the Director of Quality Assurance to support SLM’s data culture and practices

● Ensure a responsive and well-managed, interoperable technology stack that meets the needs of staff and meets high satisfaction rates

Compliance and Risk Management:

● Develop and implement compliance policies and practices to meet legal, regulatory, and organizational requirements including adherence to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations

● Coordinate risk management initiatives, including insurance coverage, safety protocols, and emergency response plans

Who You Are & What You’re Good At:

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Our ideal candidate will be a values led, adaptable individual interested in supporting youth impacted by foster care. Data shows that BIPOC and women often rule themselves out from job opportunities when they don’t feel they fit 100% of the criteria listed in a job description. If that sounds like you, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work.

EXPERIENCE:

● You have a 8-10 year track record of leading and supporting business operations within nonprofit organizations and managing complex technical ecosystems.; experience in mentoring or child-welfare sectors is a plus. This position requires a strategic thinker with strong project management and leadership skills to enhance the effectiveness of our operations in alignment with SLM’s mission and values

● You have significant experience leading change initiatives that help teams, functions, and organizations navigate transformative growth and scale

● You are an adept relationship builder, agile and able to move at speed, sustaining momentum on projects to ensure SLM can meet its ambitious goals

● You excel working collaboratively with a diverse range of decision-makers and have a proven ability to motivate, inspire colleagues and partners and produce exceptional outcomes

● You facilitate environments of open dialogue, candid feedback, and psychological safety to strengthen relationships and you have experience managing project teams and/or managing people directly or indirectly

● You demonstrate a strong commitment to and belief in the mission, vision and values of Silver Lining Mentoring

SKILLS:

● Technical proficiencies and knowledge of SLM’s current and future applications:

• Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Barracuda, Salesforce, Classy, Constant Contact, Form Assembly, Calendly, Asana, Box, TalentLMS, MentorPro, Cloud Ally, JumpCloud, TPX, HRIS systems

● You have advanced knowledge of Salesforce, with expertise in database management. You’re highly skilled in project management and digital engagement strategies, with a deep understanding of nonprofit software and constituent management systems

● You demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills

Please note that at this time Silver Lining Mentoring is not able to sponsor U.S. work authorization for this role. Silver Lining Mentoring is an Equal Opportunity Employer.