Director of Operations

The Ludlow Institute is a 501(c)(3) research and media institute advancing freedom through technology. Its media arm, NBTV, has grown into one of the largest digital rights channels in the world, with over 1 million subscribers across platforms and more than 100 million views. The Ludlow Institute’s mission is to advance freedom through technology. Through its research program, policy work, and educational materials, the Institute educates the public about surveillance, digital overreach into the sovereignty of everyday lives, and the technology that helps people protect themselves and restore their rights. Its focus is to ensure that privacy, individual autonomy, and human dignity remain central to life in the digital age. In an era of expanding surveillance, the Ludlow Institute stands at the forefront of the fight for digital freedom. About the Role: The Ludlow Institute is looking for a seasoned Director of Operations to run the operational backbone of our nonprofit. If you’re the kind of person who takes real pride in a well-run back office — who finds satisfaction in a clean compliance calendar, a smooth payroll cycle, and a filing system that actually works — this role is built for you. You’ll be our operations function: the person who makes sure the systems, contracts, and administrative infrastructure of the Institute run beautifully so that the rest of the team can focus on the fight for digital freedom. It’s a role with real ownership, meaningful trust, and clear impact on a small organization doing meaningful work. You’ll report directly to the President and work closely with them day-to-day. The role can be executed virtually from anywhere in the United States. Occasional travel may be required for team meetings or events. What you’ll own: Payroll & benefits: Run payroll end-to-end. Manage our HRIS, benefits enrollment, and all related administration. Contracts & agreements: Administer employment agreements, contractor agreements, NDAs, and vendor contracts. Manage the full lifecycle — execution, storage, renewals, and tracking. Compliance & reporting: Keep the Institute in good standing across all federal, state, and local requirements — nonprofit filings, 990s, W-2s, 1099s, state charitable registrations, and annual reports. Insurance & risk: Own all business insurance policies — general liability, D&O, workers’ comp, health benefits. Handle renewals, claims, and coverage reviews. Financial oversight: Partner with our bookkeeper as a second set of eyes across our financial operations, and manage relationships with our accountant, payroll provider, and insurance broker. Process & documentation: Document processes and identify opportunities to make things run better as the organization grows. Who you are: 5+ years running operations as the primary or sole operations person at a small organization — nonprofit, foundation, small firm, or similar. Deeply comfortable with the full stack: payroll, compliance, insurance, contracts, vendor management, and financial admin. Experience with 501(c)(3) compliance, or an adjacent regulated environment. Proactive and self-directed — you love building systems and seeing them work. Discreet, calm, direct, and easy to work with. Experienced with QuickBooks. Why this role: Real ownership of a function that matters, in an organization small enough that your work is visible and valued. A direct partnership with the President and close collaboration with a smart, mission-driven team. The chance to bring your experience to bear at an organization on the front lines of digital freedom. Compensation: 110K–135K, with flexibility commensurate with the experience of the applicant. #J-18808-Ljbffr