Operations Manager (Eastern or Central Time Zone Hours Required) at Startup

This startup is seeking a hands-on Operations Manager to join its team and operate in Eastern or Central Time Zone working hours. This role is for a pragmatic and resourceful professional to step into an early-stage startup and make an immediate impact. You will be responsible for overseeing core operational and financial workflows, serving as a key liaison among staff, vendors, accounting partners, and internal teams, maintaining effective documentation and records, and monitoring contracts, spending, payments, and deadlines. If you are highly organized, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and excited by the opportunity to build operational structure within a fast-moving environment, we encourage you to apply!

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the full lifecycle of operations contracts, from intake and preparation through approval, execution, amendments, and closeout.
• Advise staff and coordinate with vendors and internal teams on contract requirements, documentation, approvals, questions, and timelines.
• Maintain accurate contract records and monitor commitments, spending, renewals, deliverables, payments, and key deadlines.
• Oversee contract-related invoices and vendor payments, resolving discrepancies and ensuring alignment with agreement terms.
• Coordinate day-to-day financial operations with the outsourced accounting team, including vendor setup, expense coding, invoice processing, and outstanding items.
• Support financial accuracy and monthly close activities by maintaining records, gathering documentation, reviewing transactions, and addressing discrepancies.
• Develop and improve operational procedures, tools, and workflows while training staff on contracts, vendors, invoices, approvals, and related processes.
• Provide broader operational support as priorities evolve, collaborating across teams to address gaps and ensure consistent documentation, follow-through, and execution.

Why You’ll Love Working Here:

• Join a mission-driven startup at an exciting stage of growth and play a meaningful role in helping build the operational foundation for its future.
• Enjoy the variety and challenge of a true generalist role where no two days look exactly alike and your ideas and initiative can have a direct impact.
• This role offers remote work, requiring candidates to operate in Eastern or Central Time Zone.

What We’re Looking For:

• Hands-on startup operations experience required. You have at least four years of experience in a startup or private sector organization with constantly changing needs.
• A natural problem-solver. You are comfortable stepping into unfamiliar situations, assessing what needs to be done, and finding practical solutions without requiring extensive direction.
• Google-savvy. This role requires advanced Google Workspace experience.
• Organized and accountable. You know how to manage multiple moving pieces, keep track of deadlines, and follow through on commitments in a timely manner.
• Comfortable with ambiguity. You do not need every process to be fully defined.
• Pragmatic judgment. You can distinguish between what requires immediate attention and what can wait and know when to bring others into the conversation.
• Ready to jump in. You are excited by the opportunity to join an organization during an important period of growth, roll up your sleeves, and contribute wherever your skills are most needed.

The hourly listed reflects the anticipated compensation range for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on relevant experience, qualifications, location, business considerations, and internal equity. Final offer amounts are determined at the employer’s discretion.

Essential to Hawthorne Lane’s success is our ability to attract talent from a range of backgrounds. Our network reflects the diverse community around us, and we believe in a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed. Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.