Manager - Operations

The Context Founded in 2021, Edge Collaborative ("Edge") is a civic incubator that partners with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to tackle systemic economic challenges in Stockton. With a focus on three key areas – jobs and workforce, climate, and community wealth – Edge seeds and supports partner-led initiatives with a range of tools. These tools include access to capital, talent, policy support, and coalition-building. Edge Collaborative is seeking an Operations Manager who is excited to manage the operations of a young, growing organization. Position Overview The ideal candidate should combine a deep desire to serve the community, and an exceptional attention to detail and follow-up. As an independent contractor, this role at Edge Collaborative will be responsible for evaluating, planning, implementing, and maintaining operational best practices in our growing organization with the goal of improving overall efficiency. Working closely with the CEO and portfolio leads, this role will act as a primary liaison and play a key role in oversight and quality assurance monitoring for operations. This will occur in partnership with our fiscal sponsor, the San Joaquin Community Foundation – to drive the key operational functions that they provide to our organization. Overall, this role will maintain a big picture view on the organization's operational needs that balances short, medium and long term needs. Similar to delineating between manager and agent relationships in the performing arts industry, this role serves will serve an in-house operational "manager" for the Edge team – evaluating and assisting the fiscal sponsor to build their own in-house "agent" or account liaison capacity to execute on the growing operational needs of our organization, as one of their key accounts. Length of contract: 24 months with extension opportunity
Compensation range: $75,000 to 90,000 per year - depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience
\n Your Responsibilities May IncludeOverall organizational hygiene: Oversee key operational metrics to ensure that the organization's internal processes are high-functioning and accountable to all key stakeholders. Internal coordination: Ensure high degrees of coordination and communication on the development and implementation of internal processes among all members of the team. Operations & financial oversight: Partner closely with our organization's fiscal sponsor to ensure smooth and robust execution of internal operations and financial processes, in line with organizational needs. Grant contracts oversight: Ensure broad coordination and detailed oversight of grant cycle implementation.IT / software systems: Ensure all IT/software tools are well-functioning and easily accessible to the team. Required QualificationsA recognition that humor and a "let's figure it out" orientation go a long way towards navigating changing and challenging circumstances Strong project management orientation, across a variety of mission-critical initiatives Adept at organizing and tracking multiple assignments (ie: you love a well-organized Google Drive folder and Slack channel)Time savvy, with an ability to prioritize (ie: you understand how to navigate project dependencies)Exceptional communication skills (ie: you love asking questions to better understand the issue, and regularly communicate what you need to be successful)Well-organized and self-directed (ie: you appreciate guidance, but you've got it handled)High standards of integrity and confidentiality in all relationshipsEmpathetic with solid interpersonal skills Examples of What Your Days Might Look Like...Serving as a key liaison to the Edge leadership team and operational team members of our fiscal sponsor, to ensure organizational operational needs are being met and in accordance with expectations and deliverables outlined in agreements and contracts; Development of regular team-wide forum where team members can share program/project updates or discuss organizational issues that arise; Understanding of the organization's financial operations in real time through communication with fiscal sponsor; this may include working with our fiscal sponsor's "agent" to request financial statements, reports, financial transactions, and status of financial obligations;Managing the quality assurance of contract scoping, processing, on-boarding, re-negotiations, extensions, and contract completion & off-boarding of team independent contractors, vendors, and service providers in concert with fiscal sponsor's duties;Supporting the fiscal sponsor's "agent" of maintaining an understanding of the various grant cycles, contract life cycles, reporting requirements, so as to inform operational processes across the fiscal sponsor's team;Maintaining a comprehensive list of all available IT systems and resources, admin accounts, and access permissions that can only be accessed by senior leadership to ensure appropriate software and document sharing as necessary.
\nAbout Edge Collaborative's Structure  Our team is uniquely structured; we tackle public sector challenges, but with the audacity and innovation of the private sector. Our work is structured around the 3 primary portfolio areas - with teams that run fairly autonomously. Think of us as part R&D lab and part nonprofit. Increasingly, a key component of our civic incubation work involves seed investing into community-led initiatives across the region.
Team Values Beginner's mindset - we love asking the 'stupid questions' to understand what is possible. Our greatest asset is our curiosity as beginners (not experts). We want to discover how and why particular systems and people have been historically neglected by the public and private sectors. 
Undaunted - we believe that bold solutions emerge from the margins (or edges, as we might say). The first answer is usually never right, but we're not afraid of being wrong. We bring a passionate persistence to breaking through the stalemates and road blocks.
Boundless creativity - we thrive as a team. We take inspiration from "keystone species" in ecology - modeling our work after the resourcefulness of penguins and the vibrancy of bees. We cross-pollinate ideas, sectors, and institutions to help manifest the untapped potential of the people we serve. 
Humility in service of community - we care deeply about the communities in which we work, and endeavor to put their needs at the center of how we design and incubate new initiatives. We strive to balance the boldness of our imagination with the recognition that slow, sustained trust building with partners is critical to the long-term viability of the work.
Sheer whimsy - we believe that serious work calls for a playful attitude, as we imagine what is possible. Play is derived from a place of joy and speaks to how we aspire to brighten our days. Plus, what's life without a lil bit of whimsy?