Senior Director of Operations

Overview

Senior Director of Operations Jobs in Los Angeles, CA at The Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices

An institute is only as credible as the systems beneath it. LAIRP’s research, coaching, and
school partnerships depend on operational infrastructure that is accurate, timely, and quiet
enough that no one has to think about it. The Senior Director of Operations owns that
infrastructure. Working directly with the CEO, this role builds and runs the operational,
financial, marketing, and people systems that let every other function at LAIRP do its job,
and holds them to the same evidentiary standard we ask of our partner schools.

THE ROLE
This is a broad, senior seat with real authority and real accountability. You are the CEO’s operational counterpart, translating strategy into systems, budgets, calendars, contracts, campaigns, and staffing structures that actually function under load. You will be asked to diagnose what is inefficient, redesign it, document it, and then make sure people use it.

The scope spans several distinct domains, and you are expected to be genuinely fluent across all of them rather than strong in one and passive in the rest. Operational systems, marketing and brand, team cohesion and internal culture, finance and compliance, and organizational data all sit inside this role.

This is a hybrid position with monthly in-person administrative meetings, plus additional on-site presence as organizational needs require. Outside of those commitments, you manage your own schedule. That autonomy carries an expectation of exceptional judgment, discretion with confidential financial and personnel information, and integrity that does not require oversight to hold.

WHAT YOU’LL DO
Operational systems and infrastructure

• Design, document, and continuously improve the core systems that run the organization, including workflows, standard operating procedures, project management structures, and internal communication protocols.
• Own the organizational calendar and delivery timelines, coordinating across programs, research, and partnerships so commitments are met without last-minute scrambles.
• Evaluate, select, and administer the technology stack, including project management, CRM, file management, scheduling, and collaboration tools, and drive real adoption rather than nominal rollout.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and single points of failure, then build redundancy and documentation so the organization is not dependent on any one person’s memory.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, procurement, insurance, and facilities or logistics needs.

Marketing, brand, and external communications

• Lead LAIRP’s marketing strategy and execution across the website, social channels, email, collateral, and conference presence, ensuring one consistent voice and visual identity.
• Translate LAIRP’s research and school outcomes into clear, credible external materials for district leaders, funders, and prospective partners.
• Build the pipeline infrastructure that supports business development, including inquiry tracking, proposal templates, follow-up cadence, and conversion reporting.
• Manage outside contractors such as designers, developers, and communications support, and hold them to scope, budget, and deadline.

Team cohesion and people operations

• Build the internal conditions that keep a distributed, hybrid team connected, aligned, and clear on priorities.
• Own onboarding, role clarity, and internal knowledge management so new staff become effective quickly.
• Design and run the meeting architecture of the organization, including the monthly in-person administrative convening, with agendas, decision records, and follow-through.
• Support performance management, professional development planning, and recruitment logistics inpartnership with the CEO.
• Surface and address friction early. Model the restorative and relational practices LAIRP teaches inschools inside our own organization.

Finance, compliance, and risk

• Partner with the CEO on annual budgeting, forecasting, and monthly financial review, and flag variances before they become problems.
• Oversee accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, contractor payments, and expense policy incoordination with bookkeeping and accounting support.
• Maintain organizational compliance, including registrations, filings, insurance, records retention, and the confidentiality obligations attached to school-based work.
• Support grant and contract administration, including reporting deadlines, deliverable tracking, and documentation.

Data and reporting

• Build the dashboards and reporting rhythms that tell the CEO and board how the organization is actually performing.
• Define operational metrics, set baselines, and report against them honestly, including when the answer is unfavorable.
• Ensure data collection across programs is consistent enough to support both operational decisions and research integrity.

WHO YOU ARE

• A systems builder, not just a systems operator. You are not looking for a manual to follow. You write the manual, then improve it after watching people use it.
• Broad by design. You are comfortable moving between a budget variance, a brand question, a staffing conflict, and a vendor contract in the same afternoon, and you do each one well.
• Unimpeachably ethical. You hold confidential financial, personnel, and student-adjacent information, often without supervision.Discretion and honesty are non-negotiable, and you meet that standard without being asked.
• Self-directed. You manage your own schedule and deliver on commitments without anyone tracking your hours.
• Calm at scale. You lead well when priorities compete, deadlines compress, and multiple stakeholders want an answer at once.
• Cohesion-minded. You understand that a hybrid team stays connected on purpose, through structure and ritual, not by accident.
• Evidence-oriented. You measure what you build, and you change it when the data say to.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, nonprofit management, organizational leadership, education, or a closely related field.
• [7] + years of progressive operations, administration, or organizational management experience, including direct responsibility for budgets and systems.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing operational systems and standard operating procedures in a growing organization.
• Working fluency in marketing and communications strategy, including digital channels, brand consistency, and pipeline or funnel reporting.
• Experience building team cohesion and internal culture across hybrid or distributed staff.
• Strong financial literacy, including budget development, forecasting, and monthly financial review.
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration platforms, and the ability to driveorganization-wide adoption of new tools.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, and the judgment to represent the organization externally.
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism and educational equity.
• Residence in Southern California, availability for monthly in-person administrative meetings, and a valid driver’s license.
• The monthly salary range for this position is $5,500 to $6,350, equivalent to approximately $66,000 to
• $76,200 annually. Placement within the range depends on education, years and scope of operational
• leadership experience, and demonstrated breadth across the domains described above.Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, organizational leadership, or a
• related field.
• Operations leadership experience in a nonprofit, education-serving, or research organization.
• Experience with grant and contract administration, including funder reporting requirements.
• Direct experience supporting a CEO or executive director as an operational partner.
• Experience managing marketing contractors, designers, or web developers.
• Familiarity with school district procurement, contracting, and vendor onboarding processes.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Operations leadership experience in a nonprofit, education-serving, or research organization.
• Experience with grant and contract administration, including funder reporting requirements.
• Direct experience supporting a CEO or executive director as an operational partner.
• Experience managing marketing contractors, designers, or web developers.
• Familiarity with school district procurement, contracting, and vendor onboarding processes.

COMPENSATION

The monthly salary range for this position is $5,500 to $6,350, equivalent to approximately $66,000 to $76,200 annually. Placement within the range depends on education, years and scope of operational leadership experience, and demonstrated breadth across the domains described above.

HOW TO APPLY
Email your resume, curriculum vitae, and portfolio to Ilana Mayayo at [email protected], with “Senior Director of Operations” in the subject line.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

LAIRP is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We actively encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds reflect the communities we serve.

Pay: $5,500.00 – $6,350.00 per month

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Los Angeles, CA 90041

Title: Senior Director of Operations

Company: The Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices

Location: Los Angeles, CA

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