Senior Associate, Operations

Think of Us•Washington, DC

42d•$70,000 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a mission-aligned and solutions-oriented Senior Associate, Operations to help strengthen and scale the systems that power Think of Us’ work. Reporting to the COO, this role will play a key part in ensuring the organization’s operations and finance infrastructure are effective, efficient, and positioned for growth. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity and thrives in environments that are still being built. You’ll work closely with the COO and Senior Director, Finance to connect strategic goals with operational execution—helping to design and refine processes across finance operations, facilities, and organizational systems. You will succeed in this role if you’re proactive, resourceful, and energized by improving how things work. Ideal candidates will bring both operational discipline and creativity, leveraging technology—including AI—to streamline workflows, strengthen collaboration, and support making data-driven decisions.

Requirements

You bring 2-3 years of experience in operations, finance operations, or business management within a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You’ve worked across functions, understand how different teams connect, and know what it takes to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.
You’re a builder at heart—someone who finds satisfaction in creating clarity and order where there isn’t any. You approach challenges with curiosity and practicality, balancing operational discipline with a creative, problem-solving mindset.
You’re a self-starter who thrives in dynamic environments. You’re proactive and seek out direction, clarification, and you move ideas from concept to implementation. You propose solutions, and follow through to get to results.
You’re systems-minded and love making processes work better. You see how the right workflows, tools, and routines create stability and efficiency. You’re comfortable iterating, improving, and building lightweight systems that scale.
You’re tech-forward—curious about emerging tools and how technology (including AI) can make work smarter and more efficient. You’re open to learning new platforms and using automation to reduce manual effort and improve insight.
You’re a strong communicator and collaborator, known for translating complexity into clarity. You build trust with colleagues by being organized, reliable, and transparent.
And you balance big-picture understanding with attention to detail—able to zoom out to see how daily operations connect to strategic goals, and zoom in to ensure execution is tight and consistent.

Responsibilities

Develop, document, and refine core organizational processes to strengthen operational effectiveness and ensure alignment across teams.
Implement tools and systems that improve coordination, tracking, and accountability across functions.
Identify opportunities for automation and AI integration to streamline administrative and reporting workflows.
Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure operational systems support efficiency, clarity, and scalability.
Partner closely with the Senior Director, Finance and Senior Manager, Finance to ensure smooth financial operations, including budgeting, expense tracking, and reporting.
Support the design and implementation of finance-related systems (e.g., expense management, time tracking, forecasting tools).
Help translate financial data into clear operational insights and ensure alignment between financial and operational planning.
Manage day-to-day facilities operations for the DC office, including vendor relationships, space planning, supplies, and onsite logistics.
Oversee procurement processes and vendor management to ensure value, transparency, and timely delivery.
Manage the full lifecycle of contracts (drafting and negotiation to execution, renewal, and recordkeeping) in collaboration with internal stakeholders and legal counsel.
Support organizational compliance activities working with the Senior Director, FInance and Senior Manager, Finance, ensuring adherence to policies, documentation standards, and external requirements.
Serve as an internal connector to help teams translate strategic priorities into clear operational actions.
Lead or support cross-functional projects that enhance organizational efficiency and team coordination.
Track progress against operations function goals and surface process improvements to the COO.

Benefits

100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.
401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.
Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
8 company holidays, plus three organization-wide seasonal breaks.
$1,500 annual stipend per employee.
Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.