See the full job description here.

ABOUT KESEB

Keseb is a nonpartisan, pro-democracy nonprofit organization with the mission to advance inclusive and resilient democracies.

Our unique multidisciplinary approach bridges effective practices from venture philanthropy, network-building, and think tanks to build a transnational ecosystem that fuels pro-democracy civil society by: accelerating the pace of innovation by local and national pro-democracy organizations/efforts; strengthening field intelligence through research and sense making to facilitate transfer of knowledge and effective tactics between countries; building and deepening solidarity among democracy champions; and advancing narrative-building and case-making for inclusive democracy.

Keseb is fiscally sponsored by the Fund for Constitutional Government (FCG).

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Director of Operations to engage in the critical work of advancing Keseb’s mission, in partnership with a small and diverse global team. The Director will report to Keseb’s Founder and CEO and will work closely with Keseb’s fiscal sponsor FCG.

The primary responsibility of the Director will be to manage and execute Keseb’s day-to-day operations, strengthen the organization’s operating infrastructure, and manage the logistics and execution of Keseb’s convenings. Along with all team members, the Director will also contribute to Keseb’s organizational strategy, impact initiatives, and culture-building efforts. At this time, this position will not have direct reports.

Please see below for preferred location and start date.

Key responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:

Managing and strengthening Keseb’s organizational infrastructure and operations (60%)

• Staff recruitment and management: Managing the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and staff development of a growing global organization; Managing annual staff performance review approach and process; Providing HR support to Keseb staff, in coordination with FCG and relevant external partners; Supporting staff capacity building programming including team retreats;
• Financial planning and management: Working with the CEO to build and manage a multi-year financial model and scenarios; Conducting monthly budget tracking and developing financial reports, in coordination with FCG; Managing external reimbursement requests and invoices submitted by external partners, in coordination with FCG;
• Contract and vendor management: Managing contracts with consultants, vendors, and other external partners, and working with FCG to ensure timely payment and accurate record-keeping; In some cases, sourcing and managing relationships for vendors that pertain to organizational-wide operations;
• Grant management: Managing the disbursement of Keseb’s grants to partner organizations (e.g. Keseb Fellowship organizations); Managing grant agreements and communication with grantees and ensuring compliance with deadlines in coordination with FCG and relevant external partners;
• Operating system management: Overseeing the management of existing systems such as data management and document access/retention in Google Drive; Exploring, designing, and implementing new internal systems (e.g., CRM, new tech tools) that improve security and efficiency for the team;
• Fundraising operations management: Managing grant agreements and other relevant documentation; Preparing financial and operations reports for internal and external purposes; Supporting with development and submission of grant applications and progress reports;
• Policies and procedure management: Developing, updating, and managing internal policies and procedures in coordination with FCG; Ensuring policies are communicated and understood by all team members; Conducting regular reviews of policies to ensure they remain relevant and effective; Conducting appropriate onboarding and regular staff trainings on policies;
• Legal compliance: Working with FCG to ensure the organization remains compliant with legal requirements;
• Risk analysis and management: Working with the CEO and Chief of Staff to conduct regular risk analysis in order to develop and implement effective risk mitigation strategies; Managing the operationalization of risk management plans across the organization, including security measures such as cyber and event security; and
• Leading operational excellence: Developing strategies, systems, and processes that continually improve Keseb’s operations to maximize organizational effectiveness and impact, internally and externally.

Managing the logistics and execution of convenings (30%)

• Serving as the operations lead for Keseb’s in-person convenings, in collaboration with appropriate Keseb team members;
• Managing overall convening finances, including creating a convening budget in partnership with CEO; Tracking expenses against budget; Processing invoices, in coordination with FCG;
• Supporting, or where appropriate, leading due diligence of external vendors;
• Managing contract negotiations and in some cases vendor management and communication, including with event planners, meeting venues, hotels, etc.;
• Managing travel arrangements, lodging, and other logistics for convening participants, including coordinating with travel agency and other vendors; Supporting the development and execution of on-site convening management plans, including logistics and activities, in collaboration with appropriate Keseb team members and external partners;
• Supporting logistics communications with convening participants related to booking travel, hotel logistics, and finances, in coordination with appropriate Keseb team members; and
• Capturing key learnings and codifying best practices to continually improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Keseb’s convening operations.

Supporting Keseb’s strategy and programming (10%)

• Contributing to the strategy of a growing, entrepreneurial organization; and
• Supporting programmatic work, as appropriate.

At all times, serving as a positive ambassador of Keseb’s mission and culture, both internally and externally.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Demonstrated passion for and commitment to Keseb’s mission;
• At least seven years of relevant operations experience, preferably at a mission-driven organization;
• Proven experience and expertise in Finance and HR;
• Proven experience in event logistics management and execution;
• Proven ability to plan, manage, and design operational systems and processes for organizational productivity and efficiency;
• Experience and/or demonstrated interest to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, managing multiple projects and effectively meeting deadlines;
• Highly organized and detail-oriented;
• Proactive and excellent at planning and execution;
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, both oral and written;
• Entrepreneurial mindset to support a high performing and growing organization;
• Creative, learning-oriented problem solver;
• Strong service orientation;
• Comfort and facility with tech;
• Mastery of Google Suite, particularly Google Sheets and Google Slides;
• Experience and/or demonstrated interest in working cross-culturally; and
• Collaborative team player willing to go above and beyond for the success of Keseb.

Location: Keseb is a virtual organization with team members located in strategic geographies across the globe to advance our mission. For the Director of Operations role, we have a strong preference for candidates based in the greater Washington, DC area. However, we are open to considering highly qualified candidates from other locations in the U.S.

Keseb’s working hours are U.S. East Coast.

Start date: We are looking for a candidate that can start on April 15, 2025; we are open to discussing alternative start dates, as appropriate.

Compensation: The salary for this role is $115,000 – $125,000, commensurate with experience. Additionally, Keseb through FCG offers a competitive benefits package including 100% employer-paid health, dental, vision, life and disability insurances; an optional employee-paid Flexible Spending Account; a tax-deferred individual retirement account with an employer contribution; and generous personal PTO and holiday leave.

How to apply: Please submit the following to careers@keseb.org:

1. Letter of interest summarizing your experience, expertise, and why you are interested in this role at Keseb (no more than 250 words)
2. Resume, including your current location

The Fund for Constitutional Government values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.