Vice President, Operations

The Humane League

9d•$161,242 - $208,390•Remote

About The Position

The Humane League (THL) is a global nonprofit working to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Recognized as a Top Charity by Animal Charity Evaluators for multiple years running, we are regarded as one of the most effective animal protection organizations in the world. We are a high-impact, mission-driven team that uses our time, talent, and resources strategically to dismantle factory farming and create lasting change for farmed animals worldwide. We set bold goals, embrace continuous improvement, and hold ourselves accountable to the animals who depend on us. As a fully remote organization with 100+ staff across the globe, we collaborate across borders and with partner organizations to build a powerful, united movement for animals. At THL, our unwavering commitment to ending the abuse of animals raised for food is powered by an exceptional team and robust operational foundations. We are seeking a visionary Vice President of Operations to provide comprehensive leadership across our People, Finance, IT, and Administration functions. This critical role ensures that our internal systems, processes, and procedures are lean, nimble, cost-effective, and deeply aligned with our mission, directly driving our global impact. You are the ideal leader for this role if you possess extensive progressive operations leadership experience, coupled with a successful track record in mission-driven organizations and a deep commitment to animal protection. Empowering your team is at the heart of your leadership style, and you view challenges as opportunities for innovation and growth. You prioritize open, clear, and transparent communication, welcoming diverse perspectives and fostering a strong sense of agency within your teams. With genuine care for individual development, you engage in honest conversations that promote personal and professional growth, ensuring that each team member is able to thrive in their role. You model and encourage accountability, providing constructive feedback with clarity and kindness and addressing issues directly to cultivate a culture of trust and candor. As VP of Operations, you play a crucial role in developing and implementing efficient and effective systems, processes, and procedures across the organization. You will thrive in this role as a systems thinker, with a focus on building lean, nimble, and cost-effective operations functions that maximize every donor dollar by minimizing overhead costs and ensuring our staff can remain laser-focused on their programmatic work. As a collaborative business partner to the Senior Leadership Team and others, you will serve as a problem-solver who can unlock internal barriers so that THL can do the best work possible to advance our mission. You’ll build operations systems, policies, and procedures that serve the organization’s needs, and will lead on evolving any that don’t. You will work to align the organization’s operational functions with its long-term strategy and goals, fostering a high-agency, high-accountability, and high-performance work environment that supports THL's global objectives. This position reports directly to the CEO. As a valued member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will collaborate closely with our General Counsel, Chief of Staff, and other Vice Presidents to achieve overarching organizational goals and priorities. This is a full-time, remote position, based in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Canada, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cape Verde, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, or Sierra Leone. This position requires domestic and international travel, equivalent to 3 or more week-long trips per year. Because THL is a global organization, you may be required to work outside of standard working hours, depending on your time zone, to effectively collaborate with international teams.

Requirements

Extensive progressive experience in values-driven operations roles, complemented by a proven track record of people management experience, including significant experience at an organization with a globally distributed workforce.
Proven ability to inspire staff and cultivate a culture of inclusion and accountability.
Excels at building high-performing teams through effective recruitment, coaching, and empowerment.
Demonstrates advanced strategic thinking by developing and implementing transformative HR and operations strategies that drive organizational success and align with broader organizational goals, vision, and culture.
Articulates the vision and goals of the Operations department, ensuring clear communication of strategic priorities to all levels of the organization and fostering a culture of open dialogue and feedback.
Adept at writing HR policies, including procedures for hiring and workplace complaints.
Able to communicate changes and navigate complex topics with sensitivity, providing appropriate context and maintaining confidentiality when necessary.
Leads organizational culture initiatives and addresses executive-level interpersonal challenges.
Leads by example, promoting empathy as a fundamental component of organizational relationships and partnerships through deep listening skills and the ability to connect across differences.
Excels in addressing challenges through cross-functional collaboration and strategic thinking.
Able to identify the root of issues and effectively resolve conflicts, ensuring solutions align with organizational values and goals.
Able to embrace a mindset of nimbleness and flexibility when it comes to systems, processes, and procedures that may be hindering our ability to achieve our mission.
Oversees high-level data analysis efforts, capitalizing on data-driven insights to drive strategic decisions and improve employee experiences.
Leads initiatives that enhance collaboration at the senior level, forming and maintaining strategic alliances and partnerships.
Drives collaborative efforts to achieve organizational objectives and enhance overall performance, with expert skills in fostering mutual understanding and trust within the organization.
Drives organizational adaptation and fosters innovation, leading the organization through changes and ambiguity using creative strategies.
Sets standards for proactive leadership while inspiring and motivating business units to take on a proactive mindset.
Leads initiatives to enhance the executive-level image of the organization.
Conveys authority and engages effectively with stakeholders, inspiring confidence through leadership and presence in high-profile interactions.

Nice To Haves

Significant experience in operations leadership at a nonprofit organization
Substantial experience working at a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an affiliated 501(c)(4) entity
Proven track record of leadership experience overseeing HR/People functions
Demonstrated experience of managing and overseeing finance functions

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the entire Operations department, developing and executing a comprehensive vision for People, Finance, IT, and Administration that directly supports THL’s mission and long-term organizational goals.
As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, establish and promote high standards for team dynamics and collaboration across the entire organization, fostering a cohesive and high-performance work environment.
Lead and facilitate organizational change and crisis management initiatives as needed, developing and implementing effective response strategies and utilizing strategic thinking to address complex challenges through cross-functional collaboration.
Coach and inspire a team of senior leaders, including the Directors and Associate Vice Presidents of People (U.S. and Global), Operations, IT, and Finance, providing strategic guidance and ensuring divisional activities directly contribute to overall organizational objectives.
Foster seamless collaboration and synergy across the entire Operations department, ensuring integrated solutions and maximizing collective impact.
Serve as a proactive and collaborative business partner to the Senior Leadership Team and other key stakeholders, understanding their needs and providing strategic support on complex People and operational matters.
Oversee and lead large-scale internal system and process optimization across all People functions, including talent acquisition, performance management, employee relations, learning and development, employee engagement, compensation, benefits, and global HR functions, with an unwavering focus on equity, cost-effectiveness, compliance, and an exceptional employee experience.
In partnership with the Chief of Staff and the People team, cultivate a high-accountability environment where employees feel empowered, trusted, and effective in their roles, fostering a culture of agency, mutual understanding, and continuous growth.
Oversee the development of critical organizational policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with best practices for both U.S. staff and global workers, integrating international standards into operational practices, and prioritizing cost-effectiveness, consistency, and alignment with strategic objectives.
Create and implement a comprehensive HR agenda that aligns with THL’s overarching people and culture vision, leveraging data analysis and cutting-edge best practices to inform strategic HR decisions and optimize the employee experience globally.
Provide executive-level oversight for THL's finance function, guiding strategic financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and investment management.
Oversee executive-level financial decisions within the Operations department, managing large-scale budgets and ensuring effective financial governance and resource allocation across all functional areas.
Partner closely with the Associate Vice President of Finance to ensure sound fiscal health, robust financial controls, and compliance with all accounting principles and regulations.
Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the organization's information technology function, ensuring IT infrastructure and systems are robust, secure, and scalable.
Oversee the development and implementation of IT strategies, cybersecurity protocols, our vision and strategy for AI implementation, and data privacy best practices to safeguard organizational data and operations globally.
Guide the adoption of innovative technologies that enhance efficiency, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making across THL.
Provide executive oversight for all administrative and operational functions, ensuring the seamless execution of daily operations, vendor management, and internal services.
Guide efforts in organizational administration, including compliance with federal and state incorporation and tax exemption, charitable registration, and relationships with third-party charity review platforms.
Oversee the continuous improvement of administrative processes, virtual office infrastructure, and supply chain management to support a globally distributed workforce efficiently.
Partner with the Director of Operations to identify opportunities for scalability and operational excellence across all administrative functions.

Benefits

Unlimited paid time off
The last Friday of every month off as a THL ‘Public Holiday’ called ‘Mend Your Heart Friday’
Enhanced sick pay
Generous bereavement leave
Generous personal emergency leave
Sabbatical leave
Enhanced parental leave
Health insurance
Life insurance
Retirement contributions
Internet allowance