Oakland Rising

Operations Manager
Oakland Rising/Oakland Rising Action

Based in Oakland, CA

 

Overview
Oakland Rising (OR), a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund, is a collaboration of social justice organizations that have a long-term, shared vision for winning a community-based political infrastructure and governing majority in Oakland that centers racial, economic, and environmental justice. Over the past fifteen years, OR's political operation has grown into one of the largest, longest-lasting, and most sophisticated programs in the area. It has built a voter base in Oakland's working-class, immigrant, and communities of color neighborhoods that makes up more than 25% of the city's electorate. OR has helped to craft and win policies for racial, economic, and environmental justice while promoting a vision for transformational governance in Oakland and beyond.

This position is shared with our sister entity Oakland Rising Action (ORA), a separate 501(c)4.

In order to advance the work of OR and ORA, we are looking for someone who will bring to the Communications Coordinator role a personal understanding of Oakland politics and relationships with key stakeholders in Oakland and throughout Alameda County. The position requires a high functioning, organized storyteller that deploys communications strategies for maximum impact and links communications to advocacy and organizing for social change and political power. The successful candidate will confidently cultivate and build the relationships necessary to sustain and grow the OR and ORA projects and who understands the importance of aligning and building the power of movement organizations. 

Who We Are
OR works to build the power of working-class families, immigrants, and people of color in Oakland to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice. OR plays three key roles to achieve our mission:

• Builds and exercises progressive electoral power through integrated strategies, including base-building and policy advocacy.
• Aligns and coordinates citywide and regional progressive forces through our collaborative model to build power & profile for the social justice movement.
• Recruits, trains, advances and supports progressive leaders who lead in a collaborative, accountable and values-based way that centers social justice.

Oakland Rising’s partner organizations include: Asian Pacific Islanders for Environmental Justice (APEN), Causa Justa/Just Cause (CJJC), Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA), Parent Voices Oakland (PVO), and St. Mary’s Center. 

Oakland Rising Action’s steering committee includes: community leaders, APEN Action, Dream Beyond Bars Action Fund, East Bay Action Fund, and Ella Baker Center Action. 

The Opportunity
The Operations Manager will work in partnership with the Executive Director to ensure that the OR organizational infrastructure, strategy and coordination among staff and Partners moves in alignment with our long-term agenda and strategic plan. Through this position, the Operations Manager will provide strong direction on implementation of organization planning and integration across OR Teams to support the organization to achieve its mission and shared collaborative policy platform. The Operations Manager supervises the Administrative Assistant and any consultants that support the operations team. The Operations Manager will lead coordination with our fiscal sponsor. The Operations Manager reports directly to the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities
Organizational Infrastructure (HR/ Systems/ Tech) (30%)

• Sustain implementation of the policies, process and systems that are values-based and efficient, to uplift the equity, access-justice, and well-being of the staff and the partner organizations staff involved in aspects of our work
• Manage overall operations strategy including goals, objectives, and staffing needs
• Manage quarterly and annual evaluations and work planning for the Operations Team
• Directly supervise the Operations Team including Administrative Assistant, independent contractors and partners
• Prepare contracts with independent contractors, vendors, and partners as needed to implement operations strategy annually
• Provide outreach and logistical support for special projects, large events and meetings including but not limited to scheduling space rental, ordering food, completing paperwork, etc

Organizational Leadership and Strategy (30%)

• Partner with the Leadership Team to refine and advance the organization’s strategic direction, including managing annual planning retreats, and developing and evaluating annual goals and benchmarks
• Manage staff meetings, quarterly retreats and workflows. Schedule sessions, clean up notes and make sure all work planning systems get updated (airtable, asana)
• Work collaboratively with Program Team to coordinate operations work for campaigns and participate as staff for volunteer days during civic engagement campaigns

Finance and Budget Management (15%)

• Work with Executive Director to develop annual budget
• Sustain financial tracking and management systems
• Work with Development Manager to update internal management budget with new grants and income tracking 
• Work with Executive Director and Development Manager to project organization fundraising needs across fiscal years
• Assist Executive Director and Development Manager with grant proposals and reports by providing timely and accurate information and analysis of organizational operations work
• Support with regrants, including completing necessary paperwork and follow-through
• Manage monthly updates to appropriate budgets

Data Management (15%)

• Work with IVE Director and Communications Manager to develop and manage data management system
• Work with partner organizations and organizational IVE campaigns to implement data management system protocols and procedures
• Support database management with data entry, activities tracking, and generating reports 
• Document management and organization (in Google Drive)

Fiscal Sponsor Coordination (10%)

• Work with Executive Director to coordinate between Oakland Rising and Fiscal Sponsor on the operational and administrative partnership in: HR, Finances, and Compliance
• Ensure the timely completion of the deliverables from the Fiscal Sponsor
• Establish and facilitate clear internal work processes and protocol for coordinating with RS

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Excellent planning and project management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written.
• Knowledge and commitment to social justice values and principles. Dedication to racial, economic, and environmental justice. 
• Strong belief in building power in most impacted communities (people of color, indigenous, Black, immigrant, working-class, formerly-incarcerated) and that organizing is a core strategy to make change 
• Ability to work alone (virtual) or be present at the office and/or events as needed. Can keep projects moving, manage and make progress on multiple projects simultaneously, pay attention to detail, make sure things don’t slip through the cracks, and meet quick deadlines.
• Understand that ultimately, organizing is about building connections and relationships. Belief that technology should be in service of organizing, not the other way round. 
• Ability to switch between detail-intensive data processing and relationship-based interaction with ease.
• Ability to handle diverse challenges with a calm demeanor and positive outlook and be oriented towards excellence in service.
• Computer skills: Google Suite, Asana, CRM database; and the ability to use Zoom
• Budgeting and Finance skills a plus
• Bilingual English-Spanish or English-Cantonese (ability to read and write) is a plus
• Familiarity with Oakland flatlands, Alameda County and based in the East Bay
• An orientation towards learning and development; willing to learn from mistakes, receive feedback, and give feedback to others
• Positive attitude, team player, and interest in leadership development
• Reliable transportation

Work Environment / Physical Demands
This position may require sitting at a desk for an extended period of time. It will also require being on site for organizational events and activities. There may be a hybrid work schedule between work from home and work out of the office. The candidate should be able to work on a computer including sitting at a desk for extended periods of time with or without reasonable accommodation; manual dexterity to operate a keyboard; able to see or read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; able to speak clearly and in audible tones on the phone and in-person and be understood by others; able to hear and understand speech, including on the phone; able to understand and follow oral and written instructions; able to occasionally lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Employment Terms
This position is 40 hours per week. This position has an estimated hourly rate of $36 – 43. This position is regular benefit eligible and non-exempt. We offer a competitive health benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, a generous paid time off schedule, and other perks. 

How to Apply
Submit résumé, cover letter, and references through this job portal. We also ask that you submit a sample social media post and a sample graphic along with a brief description of the campaign/organizing that the post/graphic is connected to. Please submit all the documents as a single PDF through the portal. Applications will be reviewed as received.

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=c858a322-00a0-4526-9713-59699ec1e4bf&ccId=9200105160195_2&jobId=565644&source=CC2&lang=en-us

*Oakland Rising contracts with Resilient Strategies LLC for backend and operational support including hiring and employment. Resilient Strategies is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Folks who are queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, parents, are/have been system-impacted, are immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression and/or gender-based violence are encouraged to apply. Pursuant of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.