Senior Director of Operations

Sierra Club•Washington, DC

2d•$200,000 - $210,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Operations provides strategic leadership for the Sierra Club’s organizational operations, including safety and security, enterprise risk management, insurance, event compliance, travel and expense programs, organizational policies, contracts, and facilities. The role plans and oversees facilities operations, maintenance, real estate, capital planning, construction, and management of the organization’s physical assets and infrastructure. The position manages the development, oversight, maintenance, and testing of business continuity and disaster recovery plans in collaboration with Legal, Finance, People, and other stakeholders. It leads the organization’s safety and security program, including incident reporting and response, emergency preparedness, security planning, and day-to-day security operations. The Senior Director establishes and enforces organization-wide policies and procedures intended to support safe, efficient, equitable, and cost-effective operations, and works across teams to improve business processes and systems. The Senior Director also oversees operational and administrative processes, systems, training programs, tools, and vendor relationships. The role conducts complex data modeling, analysis, and reporting on financial metrics, particularly related to travel, expenses, and the corporate card program. It supports the infrastructure and resources needed to advance the Sierra Club’s strategic priorities while remaining aligned with organizational values. The position supervises up to six direct reports and reports to the Chief Financial Officer.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 8 years of experience in nonprofit business operations.
Significant experience developing and overseeing organizational safety and security programs, including incident reporting, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, and crisis response.
Significant experience overseeing enterprise risk management, business continuity, and disaster recovery programs in a complex organization.
Significant experience overseeing contract lifecycle management, vendor onboarding, agreement tracking, and related compliance and internal controls.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate operational processes, identify risks and inefficiencies, and implement sustainable improvements to systems, policies, procedures, and internal controls.
Senior-level supervisory, administrative, or management experience; experience in a dynamic, complex, growing organization is preferred.
Ability to work effectively across multifunctional teams and with partners, including staff and volunteers.
Collaborative approach, ability to earn influence without authority, and willingness to support day-to-day work and broader strategic goals.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability and enthusiasm for coaching and professional development.
Ability to work with minimal guidance; self-motivated, resourceful, and proactive.
Commitment to continually deepen and evolve understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility, and to recognize and examine one’s relationship to privilege and power.
Constructive, kind, and growth-oriented approach to mistakes and problems.
Strong organizational, project management, time-management, and attention-to-detail skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple assignments, and complete projects.
Ability to navigate ambiguity, build consensus where possible, and use transparent, equitable, time-bound processes to reach timely decisions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to adapt communication to the audience and deliver training and reference materials that support learning, acceptance, and compliance.
Demonstrated ability to reduce ambiguity and build cross-functional relationships.
Excellent judgment and discretion when handling sensitive or confidential information, with working knowledge of the legal and social implications of confidentiality and applicable reporting and disclosure practices.

Nice To Haves

Professional certification in security management, enterprise risk management, business continuity, contract management, or a related operational discipline.
Strategic thinking, including long-term vision, analysis of complex situations, data-driven decision-making, adaptability, and the ability to translate strategic opportunities into actionable steps.
Proficiency with Microsoft and Google Suite applications and enterprise expense and travel management software such as Concur, along with willingness to learn other systems.
Ability to drive transformation, challenge the status quo, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain compliant, strategically aligned organizational policies, procedures, documentation, and training in collaboration with the General Counsel and other stakeholders.
Recommend and implement operational improvements, and promote clear communication about operational matters across the organization.
Provide strategic oversight of the travel and expense program, including its systems, vendors, policies, financial controls, year-end close activities, and performance.
Prepare and manage the annual Operations Department budget.
Oversee strategic facilities management, including operations, real estate, contracts, capital planning, compliance, safety, security, and physical assets and infrastructure.
Support organization-wide risk management by identifying and escalating risks, developing enterprise risk management policies and metrics, and leading business continuity and disaster recovery planning and testing.
Present risk governance matters and recommendations to the Board and the Finance and Risk Management Board Advisory Committee.
Oversee organization-wide safety and security operations, including risk assessment, policies, training, regulatory compliance, protective measures, event advice, emergency planning, crisis response, incident reporting, and risk trend management.
Lead security responses and coordinate internal and external resources as needed.
Work with the Finance team to manage annual insurance renewals, assess organizational risks and coverage options, evaluate broker services, and provide coverage recommendations to the Chief Financial Officer.
Oversee contract processes, systems, resources, training, and continuous improvement.
Partner with stakeholders to strengthen vendor management, procurement, contract review and approval, and payment workflows.
Maintain accurate contract records and develop sustainable, cost-effective procurement strategies.
Provide staff and volunteers with guidance to support consistent contract-process implementation and compliance.
Build, lead, mentor, and develop a high-functioning Operations Team.
Perform miscellaneous duties and special projects as requested.