Senior Operations Manager

SPUN•New York, NY

18d

About The Position

SPUN (Society for the Protection of Underground Networks) is a startup NGO working to map and protect mycorrhizal fungal networks. The Senior Operations Manager will run the organization’s operational backbone, supporting a small international team, research and conservation partners, and a network of scientists in more than 80 countries. The role owns the administration, systems, and processes that allow SPUN’s scientific, data, and partner teams to focus on their work. The manager will oversee administration and back-office systems, people operations, legal and compliance matters, grants administration, sustainable operations, and IT and data security. Many systems were built quickly or have not yet been established, so the role has ownership over what to retain, rebuild, or create, while maintaining an appropriate level of structure for a fast-moving organization. SPUN describes its benefits as supporting health, well-being, growth, and balance, tailored to local laws so its globally distributed team receives a consistent standard of support. Benefits include health coverage and generous PTO. The organization emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and decolonizing science.

Requirements

At least 5 years of operations experience, ideally covering several of the listed areas in a small or growing organization.
Experience handling administration, employment, or compliance across more than one country.
Familiarity with PEO and employer-of-record platforms such as Justworks or Deel.
Strong organization and follow-through, including the ability to manage many moving parts and details reliably.
Ability to identify process breakdowns, improve and document processes, and use sound judgment about when simple processes are preferable.
Understanding of IT security and data protection fundamentals, with a practical approach to applying them.
Ability to manage agreements and regulatory requirements confidently and recognize when legal or financial experts should be consulted.
Discretion and integrity in handling sensitive personal, financial, and legal information.
Responsive, clear, approachable communication and the ability to work with colleagues across time zones and disciplines.
Motivation by SPUN’s mission and interest in building the operational foundation of an environmental NGO.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a nonprofit, NGO, research, or impact-driven organization.
Experience with grants administration, including funder reporting and subaward management.
Experience with US and European requirements, particularly in the Netherlands.
Experience administering workplace systems and IT for a remote team.
Familiarity with GDPR and other data protection frameworks.
Familiarity with bookkeeping, budgeting, or finance operations.
Familiarity with organizational emissions tracking or sustainability programs.

Responsibilities

Own SPUN’s core administrative and back-office systems, ensuring they are configured, integrated, and documented.
Administer software licenses, accounts, and system access, including setup and removal for employees joining or leaving.
Manage vendor relationships, procurement, contracts, and renewals.
Support the finance team with expense processes, invoicing, and operational budget tracking as needed.
Coordinate logistics for retreats and organization-wide gatherings.
Identify opportunities to automate routine work, including with AI.
Manage employee lifecycle administration, including offer letters, contracts, onboarding and offboarding logistics, and personnel records.
Administer payroll inputs, benefits, and leave across PEO and employer-of-record providers.
Maintain the employee handbook and people policies, keeping them current and compliant.
Run recruiting logistics and manage contractor and consultant agreements, including appropriate classification.
Implement people processes developed with the Head of People & Organizational Development, including onboarding programs and performance cycles.
Handle confidential employee information with discretion and care.
Manage entity administration, registrations, and filings across the countries where SPUN operates.
Manage SPUN’s contract process, including templates, review, signatures, and records for partnership, data-sharing, and confidentiality agreements.
Coordinate with outside counsel as needed.
Support the CFO in assessing insurance coverage and maintaining core organizational policies.
Track regulatory and employment requirements across operating jurisdictions.
Administer the grant portfolio after award, maintaining reporting calendars, tracking deliverables, and coordinating funder-report inputs.
Work with finance to track grant budgets and restricted funds, ensure compliance with funder terms, and prepare for audits.
Administer outgoing grants and subawards, including agreements, due diligence, payments, and documentation.
Develop and administer SPUN’s travel policy, balancing fieldwork and in-person collaboration with environmental costs.
Track and report greenhouse gas emissions and identify practical ways to reduce them.
Incorporate sustainability into procurement and vendor decisions, including equipment and events.
Partner with the data team to set and maintain security practices across SPUN’s systems, including access controls, device policies, password management, and backups.
Ensure staff understand and follow security practices, starting during onboarding.
Help manage data protection obligations, such as GDPR, for personal information held about staff, partners, and the global network.
Coordinate responses to security issues with the data team and external providers.