Director of Operations

Position Summary

The Director of Operations builds and maintains the organizational infrastructure that allows CONNECT's people and programs to operate effectively. This role is responsible for developing and maintaining clear, practical systems for people operations, internal processes, organizational information, and day-to-day operations so that work does not depend on informal practices, individual memory, or consistent reliance on the Executive Director's direct involvement.

CONNECT has talented people, strong relationships, meaningful programs, and a substantial foundation of organizational knowledge. What it needs is a stronger backbone to connect those pieces. The Director of Operations will help build that backbone. The Director of Operations works closely with the Executive Director, expert consultants, and other organizational leaders to translate organizational priorities into effective internal systems, clarify how work gets done, and ensure that policies, processes, tools, and information support accountability and collaboration.

This is a systems-building and organizational leadership role, not primarily an administrative position. The Director of Operations should be comfortable building structure in a growing organization, identifying where systems require improvement, and creating solutions that are clear enough to be used consistently without becoming unnecessarily bureaucratic. The right person will bring both strategic thinking and practical execution. They will be able to see the larger organizational system while also being willing to build the processes, document the workflows, train the people, and make sure the system works reliably.

About the Organization

The Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) brings together neighboring municipalities and other partners to strengthen regional collaboration and address shared challenges.

CONNECT is entering an important stage of organizational development. Following its transition from the University of Pittsburgh to an independent organization, CONNECT is building an effective operating model that can support its current work and future growth.

Primary Responsibilities

Organizational Operations & Systems

• Build and maintain practical systems for core organizational processes, with clear ownership, workflows, documentation, and maintenance responsibilities.
• Maintain a central, accessible home for policies, procedures, templates, role documents, and operational information.
• Regularly assess and improve processes, determining what to maintain, revise, consolidate, retire, or develop.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, gaps, and single points of failure, and implement solutions that improve consistency and continuity.
• Establish and continuously improve practices for introducing, communicating, maintaining, and updating organizational systems and procedures.
• Coordinate cross-functional operational needs and ensure organization-wide responsibilities have clear ownership.

People Operations & HR Infrastructure

• Own and maintain CONNECT's people operations systems, distinguishing HR administration from the people-management responsibilities of supervisors and the Executive Director.
• Administer core employee processes, including onboarding, offboarding, personnel records, policy administration, and employee communications.
• Maintain and update the employee handbook and people policies in partnership with organizational leadership and employment counsel, as appropriate.
• Maintain consistent processes for employee concerns, performance documentation, leave, accommodations, and other personnel matters.
• Coordinate the performance management cycle, including goal-setting, check-ins, evaluations, documentation, and follow-up.
• Equip supervisors with the tools, guidance, and foundational training needed to manage staff effectively and appropriately.
• Ensure people policies are applied consistently, escalate complex or legally sensitive matters appropriately, and safeguard confidential employee information.

Financial Operations & Compliance

• Coordinate budgeting, bookkeeping, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and financial reporting in partnership with the Executive Director and external accounting support.
• Support budget development and financial reviews, monitor deadlines, and help ensure leadership has the information needed for financial decision-making.
• Coordinate insurance renewals, annual filings, audit preparation, and other organizational compliance requirements.
• Maintain clear financial and administrative processes and documentation.

Organizational Information & Institutional Knowledge

• Develop and maintain systems that make organizational knowledge accessible, transferable, and current.
• Ensure critical processes, program information, partner relationships, and other essential knowledge are documented to reduce dependence on individual staff.
• Coordinate information management across organizational systems so staff can reliably find and use current information.
• Maintain practical metrics and reporting systems that support management and decision-making without creating unnecessary administrative burden.

Technology & Operational Infrastructure

• Coordinate and maintain CONNECT's internal technology and information management systems.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors and service providers as needed.
• Establish and maintain practical guidelines for technology, data security, and AI use in partnership with organizational leadership and appropriate advisors.
• Evaluate technology and systems based on organizational needs, usability, and value.

Organizational Planning & Leadership Support

• Work with the Executive Director and organizational leaders to translate priorities into operational plans, systems, and resource needs.
• Identify capacity constraints, operational risks, and infrastructure needs that could affect implementation.
• Maintain clear information about organizational priorities, responsibilities, timelines, and dependencies to support planning and coordination.
• Provide the Executive Director with timely operational insights and recommendations to inform decisions.
• Strengthen organizational ownership and accountability so directors and staff can manage their responsibilities without unnecessary dependence on the Executive Director.

Qualifications

Required

• 3–5 years’ experience in nonprofit operations, people operations, organizational management, or a related field.
• Experience developing or improving organizational processes and managing projects
• from planning through implementation.
• Working knowledge of core financial processes, including budgeting, bookkeeping,
• payroll, and financial reporting.
• Familiarity with HR fundamentals and employee management processes.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience coordinating vendors, consultants, or external service providers.
• Proficiency with digital tools and organizational systems.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to manage competing priorities independently.
• Ability to work collaboratively across different functions and levels of an organization.
• Comfort working in an organization where systems are still being developed and priorities may evolve.

Preferred

• 5–7 years’ experience working in a small or growing nonprofit organization.
• Experience coordinating financial reviews, audits, compliance, or HR processes.
• Familiarity with employment-law compliance and the ability to identify when a matter requires specialized HR or legal support.
• Familiarity with accounting software, project management tools, and knowledge
• management systems.
• Experience supporting organizational change or building infrastructure during a period of growth.
• Experience developing policies, SOPs, or other organizational documentation.
• Experience supervising staff or supporting managers in their supervisory responsibilities.

Defining Success

The successful candidate is:

• A systems thinker who can see how people, processes, technology, information, and organizational priorities fit together.
• A builder who can turn ambiguous organizational needs into clear, practical systems that people can actually use.
• A thoughtful operator who brings structure and accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy or control.
• A strong people partner who understands that effective operations should support employee clarity, autonomy, development, and accountability.
• Proactive and resourceful, able to identify problems, recommend solutions, and move work forward without waiting for every next step to be assigned.
• Collaborative and communicative, able to work effectively with the ED, directors, staff, and external partners while maintaining appropriate boundaries around decision-making and confidentiality.
• Comfortable with change and ambiguity, with the judgment to distinguish between what needs to be standardized and where flexibility is appropriate.
• Detail-oriented without losing sight of the bigger picture, able to build reliable systems while understanding why they matter to CONNECT's mission.

Within the first year, the Director of Operations will:

• Establish clear ownership and practical systems for CONNECT's core operational and people processes.
• Create a reliable central home for organizational policies, procedures, templates, role information, and other essential resources.
• Review and improve CONNECT's highest-priority operational processes, with particular attention to processes that create risk, confusion, or dependence on individual staff knowledge.
• Establish a consistent people-operations infrastructure, including onboarding, offboarding, personnel documentation, policy administration, and support for the organization's management and performance processes.
• Ensure supervisors have the tools, information, and foundational HR training needed to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
• Identify and address critical gaps in institutional knowledge, information management, and operational continuity.
• Establish practical systems for organizational information, metrics, and technology that support decision-making without creating unnecessary administrative burden.
• Help clarify operational responsibilities and handoffs across the organization so that the ED is not the default owner or coordinator of day-to-day operational issues.
• Establish a sustainable approach for maintaining, updating, and improving CONNECT's organizational systems over time.

Working at CONNECT

Compensation & Benefits 

This is a full-time, exempt salaried position. Occasional weekend and evening work may be necessary. The annual salary is $75,000–85,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance, a generous Time Off policy and retirement contributions. . 

Work Setting

CONNECT operates in a hybrid work environment, with staff generally expected to work from the office three to four days per week. Staff have flexibility to choose their in-office and remote work days, with clear communication about work-from-home days expected to support coordination and collaboration.

The CONNECT team works from Field Day, a shared co-working space in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, which offers flexible, unassigned seating and free coffee and snacks. Free street parking is available on nearby side streets.

Our Culture 

CONNECT values collaboration, equity, innovation, and stewardship. We are looking for someone who can bring structure without unnecessary bureaucracy, create accountability without excessive control, and build systems that support people in doing their best work.

We recognize that candidates may hesitate to apply if they don't meet every qualification, particularly women and people from historically underrepresented backgrounds. If you're excited about CONNECT's mission and believe your skills and experience would contribute to the role, we encourage you to apply. CONNECT is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.

To Apply

Email your resume and cover letter, attached as PDF or Word files, to jobs@connectgovs.org with the subject line ‘CONNECT Director of Operations – [Your Name]