Vice President of Operations and Risk Management

Oxfam America•Boston, MA

1h•$235,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President of Operations and Risk Management (VP O&RM) provides strategic and operational leadership for Oxfam America’s Operations and Risk Management division, including Finance, Technology and Information Management (TIM), and People, Culture and Human Resources (PCHR). As a member of the executive leadership team, the VP ensures that operational systems, infrastructure, people processes, financial stewardship including grants management, risk management, compliance, and shared services are integrated, effective, agile, and aligned with organizational priorities and values. The VP integrates the division’s functions and senior leaders into a high-performing team that provides harmonized operational support. The VP leads experienced senior functional leaders, sets shared priorities, and works to streamline and integrate support functions while improving the service experienced by staff and leaders. The role represents Oxfam America in operational discussions across the Oxfam confederation, advancing shared-system harmonization and improvement through influence, negotiation, relationships, diplomacy, and sound judgment. The position oversees operational efficiency; people, culture, and human resources; technology and information management; financial stewardship and operational finance; operational risk, compliance, and resilience; facilities and shared services; and executive leadership and governance. The VP provides executive oversight of these areas while functional leaders retain day-to-day responsibility for their specialist domains. The role reports to the President and CEO, with a dotted-line relationship to the Executive Vice President – Sr. Advisor to the President and CEO. Direct reports are the CFO, Senior Director of Technology & Information Management, and Head of People, Culture and Human Resources. This is a full-time, exempt role. It is remote day-to-day, anchored to either the Boston, Massachusetts, or Washington, DC, office, with a regular established presence at the selected office and additional in-person attendance as needed. Candidates must live within commuting distance of Boston or DC; candidates in the New York area who can readily travel by train to either office are also encouraged to apply. Compensation is USD 235,000 to USD 250,000 per year.

Requirements

At least 10 years of relevant professional experience, including substantial senior or executive leadership responsibility for complex organizational operations, enterprise-wide systems, and experienced functional leaders; equivalent combinations of experience will be considered.
Demonstrated executive leadership of multiple operational support functions, with depth in one or more relevant disciplines and judgment to lead senior specialists across finance, people operations, technology, facilities, and risk.
Track record of integrating functions, setting shared priorities, and holding leaders accountable for results.
Enterprise-level fluency and sound judgment across operational functions; specialist credentials in every discipline are not required.
Demonstrated record of improving enterprise-wide operating models, structures, and cross-functional processes, and overseeing cost-effective organizational change in support of mission and strategy.
Experience establishing or overseeing risk, control, compliance, and business-continuity practices, working effectively with functional experts and external advisors.
Strong financial fluency, including working knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, reporting, audits, and grants or restricted funding, sufficient to partner with and provide strategic support and oversight of a CFO.
Demonstrated success 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 clearly communicating complex operational, financial, technology, people, and risk matters.
Ability to operate independently, build cross-division relationships, lead through ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and combine strategic thinking with operational depth.
Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
Executive presence and credibility, sound judgment, and willingness to constructively challenge proposals when needed.
Candidates must reside within commuting distance of Boston or Washington, DC; candidates based in the New York area who can readily travel to either office by train are also encouraged to apply.

Nice To Haves

Nonprofit, international, or similarly mission-driven experience.
Deep specialist expertise in one or more of the division’s functions: finance, human resources/people operations, technology, or risk management.
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, integrating functions to deliver responsive, cost-effective, adaptive support aligned with organizational priorities.
Set direction for senior functional leaders and establish operating rhythms, decision pathways, service expectations, controls, and cross-functional processes.
Drive continuous improvement through process simplification, automation, shared services, strategic outsourcing, and effective use of AI, data, and technology.
Ensure business continuity and operational resilience, including management of significant organizational, systems, facilities, and confederation-related transitions.
Oversee development and institutionalization of PCHR, establishing an adaptive operating model with clear roles, capabilities, accountabilities, and service expectations.
Ensure consistent, transparent, 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 implement relevant learning 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 constructive and transparent labor-management relations and effective union engagement in partnership with the Executive Vice President.
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, financial systems, and grants management, partnering with the CFO and President and CEO on stewardship, planning, controls, reporting, and decision-making.
Ensure finance operations and systems are efficient, appropriately structured, supported, and fit for purpose.
Strengthen and streamline cross-functional grants management, payroll, procurement, contracting, and vendor processes and 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 relevant confederation operational forums in coordination with the President and CEO and CFO.
Oversee regular review, monitoring, and updating of the operational risk management framework; ensure material risks are tracked, assessed, mitigated, and escalated appropriately.
Oversee compliance and controls, including sanctions and anti-terrorism financing requirements, cybersecurity and digital risk, insurance, legal risk, internal controls, and other organizational obligations.
Partner with executive leadership, the Board, Audit Committee, external advisors, and internal leaders on risk reporting, governance, and accountability.
Promote risk management that enables responsible action and innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards and controls.
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.
Manage vendors and outsourced services 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.
Build alignment across organizational boundaries, translating strategic direction into effective implementation and influencing system-wide improvements within the confederation.
Provide clear reporting and recommendations to executive and Board leadership on operations, finance, technology, people, and risk matters within the role’s remit.
Lead, coach, develop, and hold the CFO, Senior Director of TIM, and Head of HR accountable for results while building leadership capacity, collaboration, and team performance.
Represent Oxfam America with Oxfam International and affiliate counterparts, external partners, advisors, auditors, and vendors.
Lead with integrity, political acumen, accountability, emotional intelligence, stewardship, and sound judgment.
Foster cross-functional relationships, shared accountability, transparency, and effective teamwork.
Maintain current knowledge of operating models, technologies, risk and compliance practices, and digital tools, and champion simplification, automation, integration, and optimization.
Integrate gender justice, anti-racism, feminist and decolonial principles, and inclusive practices into operational leadership and decision-making.
Uphold safeguarding standards and promote systems and management practices that support a safe, respectful, accountable, and inclusive workplace.