Vice President of Operations and Risk Management

Oxfam America•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Vice President of Operations and Risk Management provides strategic and operational leadership for Oxfam America’s Operations and Risk Management division, including Finance, Technology and Information Management, and People, Culture and Human Resources. As a member of the executive leadership team, the VP ensures that operational systems, infrastructure, people processes, financial stewardship, risk management, compliance, grants management, and shared services are integrated, effective, agile, and aligned with organizational priorities and values. The role also represents Oxfam America with operational leaders across the Oxfam confederation, advancing systems harmonization, process improvement, alignment, and accountability in support of global goals. Success in the role means establishing a coherent, streamlined operating model with clear accountabilities and strong cross-functional service. Core systems and processes should be modernized, documented, secure, cost-conscious, and automated where appropriate. The VP ensures operational risks have clear ownership and governance, shared services are regularly reviewed and improved, and leadership practices such as talent mapping and succession planning are embedded. The role aims to make internal operations responsive, transparent, enabling, and aligned with Oxfam America’s mission and values. The VP provides leadership across organizational operations and shared services; oversees people, technology, finance operations, operational risk, compliance, grants management, facilities, and governance; and partners with executive and Board leadership. The position coordinates with Oxfam America’s Senior Leadership Team, operational leaders, Oxfam International and affiliate teams, the Board and relevant committees, and external advisors, auditors, vendors, and consultants. Oxfam America is a Gender Just organization and an equal opportunity employer. It provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities upon request. The organization is committed to a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination, or misconduct. Employment offers are contingent on satisfactory references and appropriate pre-employment checks under its Safeguarding Policy. Oxfam America participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and is an E-Verify employer. Oxfam America never requests payment, bank information, or personal financial details from candidates during recruitment.

Requirements

10–15+ years of progressively senior leadership experience with significant responsibility for complex organizational operations and enterprise-wide systems.
Demonstrated executive leadership across multiple operational functions, including Human Resources, Finance, Technology, Facilities, and Risk Management.
Track record of leading operating-model redesign, process improvement, systems modernization, automation, outsourcing or vendor strategy, and organizational change in resource-conscious environments.
Significant experience with enterprise risk management, compliance, internal controls, cybersecurity and digital risk, business continuity, and governance.
Financial fluency, including experience with budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, reporting, audits, grants or restricted funding, and enterprise financial systems.
Experience managing senior leaders and multidisciplinary teams and establishing accountability and service standards across diverse functions.
Experience partnering with Presidents/CEOs, executive teams, and Boards and communicating complex operational, financial, technology, people, and risk matters clearly.
Ability to operate independently, lead through ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and combine strategic thinking with operational depth.
Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
Demonstrated values-driven leadership and substantive experience overseeing people, finance, technology, and risk functions, including relevant experience in employee relations, talent, organizational development, labor relations, HR systems, or people operations.

Nice To Haves

Nonprofit, international, or similarly mission-driven experience is strongly valued.
Experience in an international NGO, federated or confederated organization, or organization operating across multiple legal, financial, and regulatory contexts.
Experience with enterprise resource planning transformation, cloud migration, cybersecurity and data governance, AI-enabled process improvement, and technology outsourcing.
Experience with grants management, sanctions/OFAC or anti-terrorism financing controls, safeguarding, or comparable risk frameworks relevant to international nonprofits.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for internal operations and shared services, ensuring functions are integrated, responsive, cost-effective, adaptive, and aligned with organizational priorities.
Establish operating rhythms, decision rights, service expectations, controls, and cross-functional processes that enable consistent execution.
Drive continuous improvement through process simplification, automation, shared services, strategic outsourcing, and effective use of data and technology.
Ensure business continuity and operational resilience, including management of significant organizational, systems, facilities, and confederation-related transitions.
Oversee the continued development and institutionalization of People, Culture and Human Resources, establishing a fit-for-purpose operating model with clear roles, capabilities, accountabilities, and service expectations.
Ensure consistent, transparent, and well-documented employee lifecycle practices, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, professional development, retention, promotion, and offboarding.
Oversee modernization of people policies, systems, and processes, including the Employee Handbook and implementation of relevant learnings from staff feedback and organizational assessments.
Partner with executive and Board leadership on organizational health, leadership effectiveness, talent mapping, succession planning, and workplace culture.
Support Oxfam America’s anti-racist, feminist, decolonial, safeguarding, and leadership-learning priorities through organizational systems, policies, and leadership practices.
In partnership with the Executive Vice President, support constructive and transparent labor-management relations and effective union engagement.
Provide executive oversight of technology strategy, infrastructure, service delivery, data governance, cybersecurity, digital risk, and vendor and outsourcing models.
Advance modernization and integration of operational platforms and business systems, emphasizing usability, automation, data quality, scalability, and confederation-wide harmonization.
Ensure technology investments align with organizational strategy, risk, cost, staff experience, and measurable business value.
Strengthen cybersecurity governance, information security, incident preparedness, and coordination with Oxfam International and affiliates.
Provide executive-level operational oversight of Finance and financial systems, partnering with the CFO and President and CEO to support stewardship, planning, controls, reporting, and decision-making.
Ensure finance operations and systems are efficient, appropriately structured, and fit for purpose.
Strengthen cross-functional processes involving grants management, payroll, procurement, contracting, vendors, and shared services.
Use financial and operational data to identify risks, cost drivers, performance gaps, and opportunities for improved efficiency and resource allocation.
Represent Oxfam America, in coordination with the President and CEO and CFO, in relevant confederation operational forums.
Lead Oxfam America’s operational risk management framework, ensuring material operational, legal, financial, people, technology, security, and reputational risks are identified, assessed, mitigated, and appropriately escalated.
Oversee compliance and control areas, including sanctions and anti-terrorism financing requirements, cybersecurity and digital risk, insurance, legal risk, internal controls, and other organizational compliance obligations.
Partner with executive leadership, the Board, Audit Committee, external advisors, and internal leaders to maintain effective risk reporting, governance, and accountability.
Promote risk management that enables responsible action and innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards and controls.
Strengthen and professionalize grants management through clear roles, standards, controls, service levels, and integration with Finance, Resource Development, and program priorities.
Oversee facilities and workplace operations to provide safe, streamlined, cost-effective support for Oxfam America’s hybrid operating model.
Develop shared administrative services where they improve consistency, staff experience, and organizational efficiency.
Ensure vendors and outsourced services are managed through clear performance expectations, appropriate controls, and disciplined contract management.
Partner with the President and CEO, Executive Vice President, and Senior Leadership Team on enterprise-wide priorities, planning, and execution.
Lead through influence across organizational boundaries, building alignment and translating strategic direction into effective implementation.
Provide clear reporting and recommendations to executive and Board leadership on operations, finance, technology, people, and risk matters within the role’s remit.
Build leadership capacity, accountability, collaboration, and performance across teams in the Operations and Risk Management division.
Represent Oxfam America with Oxfam International and affiliate counterparts, as well as external partners, advisors, auditors, and vendors.
Lead with integrity, political acumen, accountability, emotional intelligence, stewardship, and sound judgment.
Build strong relationships across technical and non-technical functions and foster shared accountability, transparency, and effective teamwork.
Maintain current knowledge of evolving operating models, technologies, risk and compliance practices, and digital tools; champion simplification, automation, integration, and optimization.
Integrate commitments to gender justice, racial equity, feminist principles, and inclusive practices into operational leadership and decision-making.
Uphold Oxfam’s safeguarding standards and promote systems and management practices that support a safe, respectful, accountable, and inclusive workplace.