Director of Operations

Director of Operations

Broad Reach Foundation

Location: Remote within the U.S.
Salary: $165,000–$180,000 annually
Reports To: Executive Director

 

About Broad Reach Foundation

 

Broad Reach Foundation (BRF) is a private family foundation focused on promoting healthy ecosystems, coexistence, community resilience, and human well-being. The Foundation’s varied grantmaking priorities include toxic chemical reform, climate change, healthy ecosystems, the State of Maine, nutrition, careworker rights, the arts, and international human rights and diplomacy.

 

Across its work, the Foundation seeks to nurture new ideas, champion underrepresented viewpoints, and advance innovative approaches that lead to sustainable change.

 

In 2026, the Foundation expects to award $60 million through more than 600 grants, with a projected 10% increase in 2027. This upward trajectory will continue over the next several years, likely plateauing at around $80 million in annual grantmaking, reflecting the Foundation’s expanding ambition and deepening commitment across its core program areas.

 

BRF’s current operating budget is $2.9 million and will grow incrementally as the Foundation builds the internal capacity needed to support its expanded grantmaking. The Foundation aims to scale sustainably while maintaining strong partnerships with grantees, responding to emerging needs, and acting nimbly in the face of unprecedented challenges in the fields in which it works.

 

As Broad Reach continues to grow, the Foundation is creating a new Director of Operations role to strengthen the systems, processes, and internal infrastructure that support its work. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Operations will serve as a senior internal partner and central operational leader across finance, human resources, compliance, technology, legal administration, and organizational planning.

 

In Broad Reach’s small, 10-person, fully remote organization, the role will combine sound judgment and big-picture thinking with hands-on responsibility for the day-to-day work that keeps the Foundation running smoothly.

 

The Opportunity

 

The Director of Operations translates Broad Reach Foundation's mission and values into clear operational and financial plans, ensures that systems and processes support the Foundation's grantmaking and program work, and helps the organization learn and adapt as its portfolio of grants, projects, and partnerships grows.

 

This role strengthens the policies, processes, and internal infrastructure that enable BRF to operate efficiently and proactively, while taking ownership of the day-to-day operational work needed to keep the Foundation running well. In doing so, the Director will create greater capacity for the Executive Director and staff to focus more fully on strategic and programmatic priorities.

 

The Director of Operations partners closely with the Executive Director and Board on financial, fiduciary, and organizational matters; serves as the primary liaison to external accounting, bookkeeping, audit, legal, HR, and other professional partners; and helps ensure strong regulatory compliance and organizational readiness for continued growth.

 

While external partners handle day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping, the Director will bring financial fluency to interpret standard financial statements, monitor operational spending and explain variances, and plan cash flow and budgets. Similarly, the Director will serve as the primary liaison to the Foundation’s PEO, Justworks, helping to ensure that the Foundation’s HR and employment-related needs are met.

 

With limited administrative support, the Director of Operations will pair senior-level judgment and thought partnership with hands-on execution, moving between analyzing organizational needs, developing recommendations, coordinating external expertise, and managing the administrative details needed to carry work through.

 

The Director models BRF’s values, helps translate them into organizational policies and practices, contributes positively to organizational culture and internal communications, and creates operational efficiencies that enable colleagues to do their best work in service of the Foundation’s mission.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

The Director of Operations will hold a broad and evolving portfolio of responsibilities across the Foundation's internal operations, including:

 

Finance

 

• Lead the annual operational budgeting process, including the development of organizational, operational, and program-level administrative budgets and supporting narratives.

• Review monthly financial statements and expenditures, analyze variances and trends, and provide clear financial analysis and briefs to support Executive Director and Board decision-making, especially for operational spending.

• Manage cash-flow forecasting and planning, including anticipating grant-funding needs and ensuring sufficient funds are available in the Foundation’s checking account and in donor-advised funds at the appropriate times.

• Review and approve invoices and operational expenditures, monitor transaction activity for accuracy and proper coding, and maintain sound financial management policies and procedures.

• Serve as the primary organizational point of contact for the annual audit and Form 990 preparation, coordinating with external bookkeeping, accounting, audit, and tax partners and collecting required financial information and documentation.

• Coordinate routine financial administration with external partners, including transmitting banking and investment documentation and other information needed to support accurate and timely financial management. The Director of Operations will not be responsible for managing the Foundation’s investment portfolio.

 

Grantmaking Systems

 

• Partner with the Executive Director and grants administration staff to strengthen systems and processes at the intersection of grantmaking and the Foundation's broader operations, including appropriate internal controls and integration between grants management and accounting systems.

• Recommend and implement process improvements that strengthen operational effectiveness and accountability.

 

Human Resources

 

• Serve as the primary liaison with Justworks, the Foundation’s professional employer organization (PEO), overseeing the administration of employee benefits, payroll, and employment-related requirements, and ensuring that services are delivered accurately and effectively.

• Monitor Justworks reporting, invoices, and other employment-related administration to identify potential errors or compliance concerns and confirm that applicable employer taxes and federal, state, and local requirements are being appropriately addressed.

• Maintain and strengthen employee policies, procedures, handbook materials, and related HR systems and documentation, and determine when changes in employment requirements or best practices warrant updates to Foundation policies or practices.

• Coordinate performance review and compensation adjustment processes and their associated administrative workflows.

• Support employee onboarding and transitions and manage relationships with external HR and employment advisors, identifying when specialized expertise is needed and translating guidance into effective, repeatable organizational practices.

 

Information Technology

 

• Lead long-term technology planning and oversee decisions on technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, systems, upgrades, and staff training.

• Manage technology vendors and service agreements and identify opportunities for technology to strengthen organizational effectiveness.

• Develop and maintain technology-related policies and practices, including emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, data security, and responsible technology use.

 

Legal

 

• Maintain effective systems for organizing and retaining legal guidance, organizational records, and related documentation in compliance with records-retention requirements.

• Assess legal service needs and manage relationships with external legal counsel, ensuring that advice is properly documented and translated into organizational policies and practices.

• Partner with the Executive Director to identify, assess, and address legal and operational risks.

 

Compliance

 

• Work with external experts, as needed, to ensure the Foundation complies with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations that affect the organization or its employees, and recommend updates to organizational policies and practices as requirements change.

• Assess organizational insurance needs and oversee insurance policies, coverage, and renewals.

• Strengthen systems and processes that support ongoing organizational compliance and help identify and address emerging operational risks.

 

Organizational Planning & Operations

 

• Partner with the Executive Director on long-range organizational planning and capacity-building, translating organizational priorities into operational recommendations, plans, and systems.

• Strengthen organizational planning rhythms and cross-functional coordination, helping BRF anticipate needs, sequence work effectively, and balance operational demands as the Foundation grows.

• Prepare analyses, reports, recommendations, and materials to support the Executive Director and the Board in decision-making.

• Periodically attend Board meetings and support Board committee work, particularly the Finance and Personnel Committees.

• Lead and support cross-organizational operational projects and other priorities as needed.

 

Desired Qualifications

 

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the qualifications, experiences, and qualities described below. We recognize that candidates may bring these strengths through different professional pathways and do not expect any one candidate to bring equal depth across every area.

 

• Experience: 10+ years of progressively responsible experience leading organizational operations, administration, finance, or related functions, with a demonstrated ability to own a broad and varied portfolio of responsibilities. Experience in a small or lean organization where senior leaders remain close to execution is particularly relevant. Prior experience in a grantmaking organization is a plus, not a requirement.

• Passion and values alignment: A genuine passion for BRF’s mission and programs and a commitment to contributing to a collaborative, mission-driven, values-based organization.

• Hands-on leadership: Ability and willingness to move between senior-level responsibilities and detailed execution, and to be equally comfortable developing a recommendation for the Executive Director or Board and managing the administrative steps required to carry the work through.

• Financial acumen: Strong practical understanding of financial management, budgeting, reporting, expenditure and variance analysis, and cash-flow planning; ability to interpret financial information, identify questions or anomalies, and clearly communicate financial implications to organizational leadership and the Board.

• Strategic partnership and judgment: Experience serving as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders and governing bodies on organizational priorities, growth, and long-term planning, with familiarity in governance, compliance, and risk management. Ability to exercise sound judgment and influence across the organization through credibility, relationships, and collaboration.

• Systems and process excellence: A track record of building or strengthening organizational systems, processes, policies, workflows, and internal controls, with an instinct for turning one-time solutions into clear, repeatable practices and for anticipating future operational needs. Demonstrated ability to evaluate and manage external vendors and professional service providers.

• Organization and attention to detail: Exceptional planning, prioritization, project management, and follow-through skills; ability to manage multiple functions and substantially different types of work simultaneously while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.

• Collaboration and communication: Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to build trusted working relationships within a close-knit team and with Board members, external partners, and professional advisors. Excellent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive organizational, financial, personnel, and legal matters.

• Adaptability and resourcefulness: Flexibility and resilience to thrive in an evolving organization; comfort navigating questions without obvious answers, adjusting systems and priorities as needs change, learning unfamiliar areas, and determining when and how to draw on external expertise.

 

Compensation & Benefits

 

Broad Reach Foundation offers competitive compensation with a salary range of $165,000–$180,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience.

 

Comprehensive benefits currently include:

 

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance for the employee and dependents.

• 401(k) match of up to 5% of base compensation.

• Long-term and short-term disability insurance.

• 20 days of paid time off (PTO), 10 days of sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.

• Professional development allowance to support ongoing learning and training.

 

How to Apply

 

Broad Reach Foundation is partnering with Allison Kupfer Poteet and Alejandra Villa of NPAG on this search. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

 

Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website.

 

Broad Reach Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.