Director of Business Operations & People

Colorado Dream Foundation•Denver, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Operations & People will serve as the organizational backbone of CLF’s growth, reporting directly to the CEO and owning two interconnected domains: People & Culture and Organizational Operations. In this newly created role, you will design and steward the people systems, financial administration, and operational infrastructure that allow every team member—from program staff to senior leadership—to do their best work. You will recruit and onboard exceptional talent, cultivate the culture that keeps people rooted in mission, and build the vendor relationships and financial workflows that keep CLF running with integrity and efficiency. This is a solo-operator role in FY27, with direct access to the CEO, significant autonomy, and real influence over how CLF grows and functions. An Operations Coordinator is projected to join as a direct report in FY28, giving you the opportunity to build and lead a team of your own. The role requires an operating posture of 'Whatever It Takes' and a commitment to CLF’s five core values in all aspects of work.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive experience in HR, People Operations, operations management, or a closely related field.
Working knowledge of Colorado and federal employment law, benefits administration, and HR compliance.
Demonstrated experience managing recruiting, onboarding, and performance processes—ideally in a small or growing organization.
Hands-on experience with financial administration platforms—particularly Bill.com and/or QuickBooks—including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and expense management.
Strong organizational and project management skills with a systems-thinking mindset.
High degree of discretion and judgment in handling confidential employee and financial matters.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to operate independently and build structure from the ground up without heavy oversight.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent HR certification (or actively pursuing).
Familiarity with HRIS and payroll platforms (e.g., Rippling, Gusto, BambooHR, or similar).
Proficiency with Bill.com and QuickBooks—experience with AR/AP workflows, monthly close processes, and financial controls.
Experience with vendor management, IT liaison responsibilities, contract administration, or operational process design.
Background or demonstrated interest in culture-building, staff engagement, or organizational development.
Experience with fleet or facilities management a plus.
Comfort with tools like Google Workspace, Slack, Claude.ai, Monday.com, Asana, or other collaborative work platforms.

Responsibilities

Lead full-cycle recruiting for all open positions, including job posting, candidate screening, interview coordination, offer management, and reference checks.
Design and own an onboarding experience that immerses new hires in CLF’s mission, culture, and systems.
Build and maintain relationships with recruiting platforms, diversity-focused sourcing channels, and university partners.
Champion equity by building hiring processes that actively center equity, structuring interviews, scoring, and selection to surface diverse candidates and reduce bias.
Manage CLF’s quarterly performance review processes, including goal-setting frameworks and feedback cycles.
Partner with the CEO and senior leaders to identify professional development needs and source learning opportunities.
Maintain a clear framework for promotions, compensation adjustments, and role evolution.
Serve as the primary point of contact for HR compliance, including federal and Colorado state employment law, required filings, and regulatory updates.
Maintain and update the CLF Employee Handbook, policies, and procedures.
Manage benefits enrollment, open enrollment periods, and serve as the liaison with CLF’s benefits providers.
Handle confidential employee matters, documentation, and separation processes with care, professionalism, and legal compliance.
Champion CLF’s organizational culture and values, building belonging, psychological safety, and a shared sense of mission.
Audit, codify, and strengthen CLF’s existing staff celebrations and traditions.
Design and own CLF’s annual all-staff retreat: agenda development, logistics coordination, facilitator selection, and post-retreat follow-through.
Build and maintain a calendar of cross-team engagement touchpoints throughout the year.
Lead internal recognition and staff appreciation programs.
Gather and act on staff feedback through regular pulse surveys, listening sessions, and 1:1 check-ins.
Partner with the CEO to advance equity, inclusion, and belonging as core organizational commitments.
Manage CLF’s vendor relationships—IT support, insurance, legal counsel, HR platforms, and other operational service providers.
Serve as the primary internal liaison with CLF’s contracted IT support provider.
Review and maintain contracts, renewals, and compliance tracking for all vendor and operational agreements.
Identify cost efficiencies and negotiate terms where appropriate.
Manage the maintenance, registration, and inspection of CLF’s organizational vehicles.
Oversee CLF’s physical workspace needs—office supplies, facilities maintenance requests, and coordination with building management.
Maintain an inventory of CLF’s physical and technology assets.
Serve as CLF’s operational owner for financial administration platforms—including Bill.com and QuickBooks.
Process and track accounts payable and accounts receivable in coordination with CLF’s external bookkeeper.
Manage the monthly financial close checklist in partnership with CLF’s accounting team.
Oversee expense reporting workflows.
Support the CEO in annual budget planning.
Manage payroll coordination in partnership with CLF’s HRIS/payroll platform.
Audit existing organizational processes and build or improve systems for cross-team efficiency.
Serve as the internal owner of operational platforms (HRIS, project management tools, shared drives).
Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process documentation for recurring organizational functions.
Partner with the CEO on organizational planning—including headcount modeling, budget inputs for staffing, and capacity analysis.
Support compliance with grant reporting requirements related to operational and HR data.
Serve as a resource and thought partner to managers navigating people situations, team dynamics, or operational challenges.
Manage HR/operational platform logins, access controls, and account transitions.