Operations Manager

The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) was founded in 1972. Our vision is a vibrant, healthy and resilient Mystic River Watershed for the benefit of all our community members. To achieve this, MyRWA is protecting water quality, restoring important habitats, building climate resilience, transforming parks and paths, and inspiring youth and community members.

We use science, advocacy, collaboration and education to ensure a vibrant, healthy and resilient environment for the people and natural communities that call the watershed home. Thousands of volunteers help us monitor environmental health and make on-the-ground improvements; our education programs help students and families learn about nearby natural communities.

Today, MyRWA has a staff of twelve highly collaborative team members, a dedicated Board of Directors, and an annual budget of more than $3 million. As an organization committed to incorporating racial equity and justice throughout our programs and operations, we have embarked on a year-long training and strategic plan update to ensure that we are fully living into these values.  As a next step, we are centering equity as the foundation for our work, including a re-affirmation to serve all residents of the watershed, diversify our list of suppliers and contractors, and ensure our staff mirror the communities we serve across the watershed, from Reading to Revere.  

As Operations Manager, you’ll lead MyRWA’s administrative and operational efforts, including finance, office and information systems, coordinating Human Resources processes, and providing administrative support to the Executive Director and Board.  Like all our staff, you’ll also provide occasional hands-on support for our community-based programs. Given MyRWA’s work to support our diverse and robust community, oral proficiency in English plus a language spoken in our watershed communities (Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Portuguese) is preferred.

The Operations Manager reports to MyRWA’s Executive Director and works closely with other team members and external partners.   We seek motivated candidates who value collaboration, effective execution and a commitment to service. 

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO  

Key responsibilities include:

Systems and Office Management and Administration

• Partner with our team as we continue to optimize internal systems in line with organizational goals.  With support from senior staff, assess and pilot new ways to improve our team’s effectiveness and efficiency.  
• Serve as the main point of contact for MyRWA’s visitors, staff, vendors, donors and service providers, through in-person, phone and email communication. 
• Create and maintain, in partnership with staff, a productive and safe business environment, including but not limited to managing mail, purchasing office supplies and equipment, liaising with vendors and service providers, coordinating meeting space usage and set up.  
• Act as the point person for insurance, contracts, employment records and office lease
• Manage public calendar, event and volunteer registration, policies, waivers and photo releases

Finance, IT and Human Resources

• Lead on finance administration, including preparing and sending accounts payable and receivables to outside bookkeeper, monitoring expenditures and payroll, and making bank deposits; responsible for cash receipting and petty cash management
• Build and support a cohesive staff team, including support efforts to hire, welcome and onboard new staff, manage timesheets and paid time off processes and liaise with external vendor to assist staff with benefits updates
• Research and propose best practices for staff-related policies and procedures, support for building and executing inclusive staff training and professional development
• Coordinate and provide support for IT-related administrative tasks, including resolution for questions regarding software, hardware, and network and email systems.   

Executive Support

• Provide administrative support for the Executive Director including correspondence, scheduling and meeting logistics, coordination of staff and board meetings and minutes.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

• Demonstrated and lived commitment to fostering a culture of equity and justice within a workplace or volunteer setting
• Effective interpersonal and creative problem-solving skills; successful outcomes in working well across teams
• Motivated to do what it takes to ideate and complete complex projects with an attention to detail and commitment to efficiency
• A track record in setting priorities, managing relationships and ability to prioritize, negotiate and work with a broad set of internal and external stakeholders/partners
• Impeccable ethics and judgment in maintaining highly sensitive and confidential information
• Experience supporting or managing human resources, financial and general operations administrative functions
• Proficiency with relevant office software systems such as Microsoft Office and financial/membership management software

WHAT WE OFFER

This is a full-time position with the Mystic River Watershed Association with a salary range of $50,000 to $60,000 dependent on experience and skills. Our paid time off policy includes 15 days paid vacation in your first year of employment and rises to 20 days in your second year of employment.  We offer 12 paid holidays, and 6 sick paid days per year.   MyRWA benefits include health insurance (MyRWA covers up to 80% of employee premiums), immediate eligibility for participation in a 401k retirement plan with a 4% employer match and paid parental leave. 

WORK EXPECTATIONS AT MyRWA

We are a hands-on team and seek employees who are passionate about our work and service to our community.  MyRWA has been fully remote throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently aiming to work onsite a minimum of three days/week as of this fall.  Due to the Operations Manager’s responsibilities to oversee our office, this role may need to be onsite a minimum of four days/week.  

We continue to adapt to safety protocols related to COVID-19 as we understand them. For the safety of the community, all MyRWA employees are required to be vaccinated.  At this time, we do not expect additional masking or testing of employees; our team will mask if visitors are masked or indicate they are not vaccinated.  

Our office is located in the town center of Arlington, Massachusetts.  Free street parking is available next to our office, which is a 1 minute walk from the 77 and 79 bus lines on Massachusetts Avenue.  Infrequent local travel within the watershed area is anticipated, including opportunities to work at external events.  Typical hours are 9 am to 5 pm with limited night and weekend events. This role may involve minor physical activity.