Director of Business Operations
Chicago Beyond, Chicago, IL, United States
About Chicago Beyond
Chicago Beyond is an national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity by backingsolutions led by those closest to theissues. Since our inception in 2016, Chicago Beyond has invested more than $65 million in catalytic funding in over 250 individuals and community organizations whileleading national systems change initiatives. Because thereis no single barrier toequity, ChicagoBeyondengages inopportunities across philanthropy, justice, health, andbeyond.
We address systemicinequity in three ways:
Investments: We makecatalytic investments to increase the impact of solutions led by those closestto the issues.
NationalInitiatives: We lead national initiatives in partnership with change makers tochallenge and reshape the status quo.
Insights: We provideinsights to disrupt and reimagine “systems as usual” and share learnings onequitable funding, practices, and policies.
About Chicago Beyond’s Partners Our investmentpartnerships include:
Multiyear InvestmentPartners:
Through multimillion-dollar, flexible grants and partnership support, we work to increase the impact of solutions led by those closest to the issues.
Rapid Response Fund: This fund quickly delivers unrestricted grants to organizations and individualswith solutions for their own communities across the country. Our investmentsstrengthen partners’ wide-ranging work.
Leader in Residence:
The Leader in Residence program offers funding and support to selected leaders, empowering them to develop innovative, transformative ideas that create meaningful impacts in targeted communities.
Chicago Beyond was founded by Liz Dozier, a nationally renowned former educator and high school principal. Chicago Beyond’s innovative and impactful work has been featured on both the local and national level from the Chicago Tribune to the Clinton Global Initiative to Aspen Ideas Festival and Stanford Social Innovation Review. For more information on Chicago Beyond, please visit chicagobeyond.org.
Position Details Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, this is a high-visibility, hands-on role for someonewho thrives at the intersection of operations, systems design, and businessstrategy. You will architect Chicago Beyond’s infrastructure, from financialsystems and technology tools to project management practices and organizationaldashboards, ensuring visibility into progress, resources, and results. You willalso oversee key initiatives and collaborate closely with internal teams tooperationalize our strategy and ensure Chicago Beyond runs smoothly to achieveour goals.
This role requiresstrong leadership, strategic thinking, and expertise in operations andmanagement to support Chicago Beyond’s mission and growth. It is ideal for astrategic generalist and operational builder who can diagnose inefficiencies,translate strategy into systems, and lead change in an organization. Inaddition to what is outlined below, you will be responsible for other duties asassigned to support the goals and objectives of the organization.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic &Operational Leadership : Develop, evolve, and implement the adaptive operationalinfrastructure required to execute and sustain Chicago Beyond’s strategicpriorities. Identify organizational inefficiencies, design scalable solutions,and lead implementation across departments. Collaborate with the Chief StrategyOfficer to develop and implement strategic plans and objectives for ChicagoBeyond, with a focus on meeting Chicago Beyond’s annual goals and operationalexcellence. Partner with senior leadership to develop KPIs and organizationaldashboards to track progress against strategic goals, budgets, and capacity. Ensure clear operational alignment between people, processes, systems, andstrategy. Drive organizational learning by identifying insights fromoperations, programs, and partnerships to inform strategy, decision-making, andcontinuous improvement.
Financial Management : Lead and manage all financial operations for Chicago Beyond(including budgeting, forecasting, expense tracking, grant disbursementcoordination, and financial reporting), ensuring sound fiscal management andintegrity across the organization. Manage vendor relationships, invoicing,payment processing, and reimbursements. Serve as the organizational lead forQuickBooks, ensuring accurate financial records and adherence to internalcontrols and regulatory requirements. Develop departmental and organizationalbudgets, financial dashboards, and tools that provide real-time visibility intobudget performance and operational health. Identify opportunities forautomation, cost efficiency, and improved visibility across financial operations. Partner with leadership to model financial scenarios that support strategicforesight and risk planning.
Continuous Improvement of Systems, Tools, and Processes :Embed values and culture intosystems design and ensure they are reflected in tools, processes, anddecision-making. Redesign and implement core systems to create cross-functionalvisibility and efficiency. Evaluate and optimize tools such as Asana,QuickBooks, Airtable, and Microsoft Office to maximize integrations andstreamline workflows. Lead change management to ensure adoption andsustainability of new systems. Drive continuous improvement initiatives thatenhance scalability, automation, and alignment with strategic goals. Identifyopportunities for automation and technology adoption to drive innovation andproductivity. Drive organizational learning by translating data and insightsinto narratives that inform leadership decisions and drive organizationalalignment. ensuring that systems, policies, and processes embody ChicagoBeyond’s mission, values, and ways of working.
Project Management & Collaboration : Partner with the Chief Strategy Officer to establish the operational cadence for running the organization, including All Hands, cross-departmental planning, prioritization, and progress tracking. Collaborate with other departments and teams within Chicago Beyond to align operational activities with programmatic goals and objectives, including supervising and managing the Administrative Support Associate. Overhaul project management practices to streamline workflows, simplify processes, and promote accountability. Foster a culture of collaboration, communication, and teamwork across the organization through working closely with the executive team. Lead the operational cadence that connects strategy to execution, ensuring progress tracking, shared learning, and adaptive planning. Serve as sense maker for the organization by continuously connecting the dots across teams to identify themes, risks, and opportunities.
Talent, Hiring, and Professional Development : Oversee the full lifecycle of the hiring process, including defining role requirements, crafting job descriptions, sourcing and screening candidates, coordinating interviews, making hiring recommendations, onboarding and offboarding. Ensure the process reflects the organization’s value, attracting top talent that aligns with the mission and culture of the organization. Collaborate cross-functional teams to create a seamless and professional candidate experience. Lead the professional development cycle, ensuring systems support both individual growth and organizational performance. Manage benefits through 3rd party vendors. Maintain the employee handbook and partner with leadership to design key organizational policies. Design and oversee a performance management framework that connects individual goals to organizational KPIs and strategic priorities. Champion a culture of growth, reflection, and feedback that aligns with Chicago Beyond’s values and commitments.
Space Strategy, Utilization, and Management : Design and lead Chicago Beyond’s space strategy toalign physical space with our mission, values, and evolving strategicpriorities. Shape how the space furthers our work with partners and communityto 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.
Risk Management, Scenario Planning, & Compliance : 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.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degreeand 8+ years of experience in business operations, strategy, managementconsulting, or operations management.
Demonstratedexperience in financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, andfinancial analysis. Familiarity with QuickBooks preferred.
Strong strategicplanning and project management skills, with the ability to set clear goals,develop actionable plans, and drive results. PMP certification or equivalentexperience preferred.
Demonstrated abilityto develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms that drive insight,decision making, and accountability.
Experienceimplementing, automating, and optimizing operational systems and processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Experience with Airtable, Asana, CRMs,and grant management systems preferred.
Excellent leadershipand interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams toachieve their full potential in a dynamic environment.
Strong collaboratorwith the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and delivermeasurable results.
Strong analyticaland problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to identify issues, evaluateoptions, and implement solutions.
Excellentcommunication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complexinformation to diverse stakeholders.
Working at ChicagoBeyond We are an agile,ambitious team with diverse experience across various sectors. We thrive onchallenging each other and continuously learning, united by our passion forequity and lasting impact. If you are an entrepreneurial individual looking tojoin a dynamic community with significant opportunities to grow and shape whatyou do, then this will be a perfect role for you. Please note that this role is based in our Chicago office and operates in a hybrid work environment.
Our values guide ourwork.
Always Equitable – People in our communities face unimaginable obstacles to achieving theirfullest human potential. So, we must fight for equity, not equality.
Incessantly Urgent – The simple fact is that lives are literally at stake right now. Theunacceptability of the situation requires our relentless bias to action inorder to accelerate our impact.
Endlessly Creative – To dramatically impact the lives of our youth and communities, we must employimagination to augment or replace the usual, typical, and predictable.
Stubbornly Audacious– Entrenched challenges require disruptive ideas boldly applied. We must beunafraid to embrace risks.
Uncompromising Integrity – How we achieve our mission is equally as important as our mission. We must do right by our youth, our communities, our partners, our teammates andourselves.
Benefits The salary range forthis role is $125,000 - $150,000. Chicago Beyond provides a comprehensivebenefits package, including competitive medical, dental, and vision plans, amatching 401(k) program, and generous paid time off.
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We address systemicinequity in three ways:
Investments: We makecatalytic investments to increase the impact of solutions led by those closestto the issues.
NationalInitiatives: We lead national initiatives in partnership with change makers tochallenge and reshape the status quo.
Insights: We provideinsights to disrupt and reimagine “systems as usual” and share learnings onequitable funding, practices, and policies.
About Chicago Beyond’s Partners Our investmentpartnerships include:
Multiyear InvestmentPartners:
Through multimillion-dollar, flexible grants and partnership support, we work to increase the impact of solutions led by those closest to the issues.
Rapid Response Fund: This fund quickly delivers unrestricted grants to organizations and individualswith solutions for their own communities across the country. Our investmentsstrengthen partners’ wide-ranging work.
Leader in Residence:
The Leader in Residence program offers funding and support to selected leaders, empowering them to develop innovative, transformative ideas that create meaningful impacts in targeted communities.
Chicago Beyond was founded by Liz Dozier, a nationally renowned former educator and high school principal. Chicago Beyond’s innovative and impactful work has been featured on both the local and national level from the Chicago Tribune to the Clinton Global Initiative to Aspen Ideas Festival and Stanford Social Innovation Review. For more information on Chicago Beyond, please visit chicagobeyond.org.
Position Details Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, this is a high-visibility, hands-on role for someonewho thrives at the intersection of operations, systems design, and businessstrategy. You will architect Chicago Beyond’s infrastructure, from financialsystems and technology tools to project management practices and organizationaldashboards, ensuring visibility into progress, resources, and results. You willalso oversee key initiatives and collaborate closely with internal teams tooperationalize our strategy and ensure Chicago Beyond runs smoothly to achieveour goals.
This role requiresstrong leadership, strategic thinking, and expertise in operations andmanagement to support Chicago Beyond’s mission and growth. It is ideal for astrategic generalist and operational builder who can diagnose inefficiencies,translate strategy into systems, and lead change in an organization. Inaddition to what is outlined below, you will be responsible for other duties asassigned to support the goals and objectives of the organization.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic &Operational Leadership : Develop, evolve, and implement the adaptive operationalinfrastructure required to execute and sustain Chicago Beyond’s strategicpriorities. Identify organizational inefficiencies, design scalable solutions,and lead implementation across departments. Collaborate with the Chief StrategyOfficer to develop and implement strategic plans and objectives for ChicagoBeyond, with a focus on meeting Chicago Beyond’s annual goals and operationalexcellence. Partner with senior leadership to develop KPIs and organizationaldashboards to track progress against strategic goals, budgets, and capacity. Ensure clear operational alignment between people, processes, systems, andstrategy. Drive organizational learning by identifying insights fromoperations, programs, and partnerships to inform strategy, decision-making, andcontinuous improvement.
Financial Management : Lead and manage all financial operations for Chicago Beyond(including budgeting, forecasting, expense tracking, grant disbursementcoordination, and financial reporting), ensuring sound fiscal management andintegrity across the organization. Manage vendor relationships, invoicing,payment processing, and reimbursements. Serve as the organizational lead forQuickBooks, ensuring accurate financial records and adherence to internalcontrols and regulatory requirements. Develop departmental and organizationalbudgets, financial dashboards, and tools that provide real-time visibility intobudget performance and operational health. Identify opportunities forautomation, cost efficiency, and improved visibility across financial operations. Partner with leadership to model financial scenarios that support strategicforesight and risk planning.
Continuous Improvement of Systems, Tools, and Processes :Embed values and culture intosystems design and ensure they are reflected in tools, processes, anddecision-making. Redesign and implement core systems to create cross-functionalvisibility and efficiency. Evaluate and optimize tools such as Asana,QuickBooks, Airtable, and Microsoft Office to maximize integrations andstreamline workflows. Lead change management to ensure adoption andsustainability of new systems. Drive continuous improvement initiatives thatenhance scalability, automation, and alignment with strategic goals. Identifyopportunities for automation and technology adoption to drive innovation andproductivity. Drive organizational learning by translating data and insightsinto narratives that inform leadership decisions and drive organizationalalignment. ensuring that systems, policies, and processes embody ChicagoBeyond’s mission, values, and ways of working.
Project Management & Collaboration : Partner with the Chief Strategy Officer to establish the operational cadence for running the organization, including All Hands, cross-departmental planning, prioritization, and progress tracking. Collaborate with other departments and teams within Chicago Beyond to align operational activities with programmatic goals and objectives, including supervising and managing the Administrative Support Associate. Overhaul project management practices to streamline workflows, simplify processes, and promote accountability. Foster a culture of collaboration, communication, and teamwork across the organization through working closely with the executive team. Lead the operational cadence that connects strategy to execution, ensuring progress tracking, shared learning, and adaptive planning. Serve as sense maker for the organization by continuously connecting the dots across teams to identify themes, risks, and opportunities.
Talent, Hiring, and Professional Development : Oversee the full lifecycle of the hiring process, including defining role requirements, crafting job descriptions, sourcing and screening candidates, coordinating interviews, making hiring recommendations, onboarding and offboarding. Ensure the process reflects the organization’s value, attracting top talent that aligns with the mission and culture of the organization. Collaborate cross-functional teams to create a seamless and professional candidate experience. Lead the professional development cycle, ensuring systems support both individual growth and organizational performance. Manage benefits through 3rd party vendors. Maintain the employee handbook and partner with leadership to design key organizational policies. Design and oversee a performance management framework that connects individual goals to organizational KPIs and strategic priorities. Champion a culture of growth, reflection, and feedback that aligns with Chicago Beyond’s values and commitments.
Space Strategy, Utilization, and Management : Design and lead Chicago Beyond’s space strategy toalign physical space with our mission, values, and evolving strategicpriorities. Shape how the space furthers our work with partners and communityto 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.
Risk Management, Scenario Planning, & Compliance : 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.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degreeand 8+ years of experience in business operations, strategy, managementconsulting, or operations management.
Demonstratedexperience in financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, andfinancial analysis. Familiarity with QuickBooks preferred.
Strong strategicplanning and project management skills, with the ability to set clear goals,develop actionable plans, and drive results. PMP certification or equivalentexperience preferred.
Demonstrated abilityto develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms that drive insight,decision making, and accountability.
Experienceimplementing, automating, and optimizing operational systems and processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Experience with Airtable, Asana, CRMs,and grant management systems preferred.
Excellent leadershipand interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams toachieve their full potential in a dynamic environment.
Strong collaboratorwith the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and delivermeasurable results.
Strong analyticaland problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to identify issues, evaluateoptions, and implement solutions.
Excellentcommunication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complexinformation to diverse stakeholders.
Working at ChicagoBeyond We are an agile,ambitious team with diverse experience across various sectors. We thrive onchallenging each other and continuously learning, united by our passion forequity and lasting impact. If you are an entrepreneurial individual looking tojoin a dynamic community with significant opportunities to grow and shape whatyou do, then this will be a perfect role for you. Please note that this role is based in our Chicago office and operates in a hybrid work environment.
Our values guide ourwork.
Always Equitable – People in our communities face unimaginable obstacles to achieving theirfullest human potential. So, we must fight for equity, not equality.
Incessantly Urgent – The simple fact is that lives are literally at stake right now. Theunacceptability of the situation requires our relentless bias to action inorder to accelerate our impact.
Endlessly Creative – To dramatically impact the lives of our youth and communities, we must employimagination to augment or replace the usual, typical, and predictable.
Stubbornly Audacious– Entrenched challenges require disruptive ideas boldly applied. We must beunafraid to embrace risks.
Uncompromising Integrity – How we achieve our mission is equally as important as our mission. We must do right by our youth, our communities, our partners, our teammates andourselves.
Benefits The salary range forthis role is $125,000 - $150,000. Chicago Beyond provides a comprehensivebenefits package, including competitive medical, dental, and vision plans, amatching 401(k) program, and generous paid time off.
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