Business Operations Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Organization: Center for Spiritual Living Seattle
Location: Seattle, WA
Status: FTE, Nonexempt
Position Location: Primarily onsite, some remote flexibility depending on business needs
Salary: $60,000–$70,000
Reports to: Executive Director

Position Summary
The Business Operations Manager strengthens the day-to-day business, administrative, financial, human resources, and operational systems that help the Center run smoothly, responsibly, and in alignment with its mission and values.

Working closely with the Executive Director, this role supports organizational effectiveness, financial stewardship, internal coordination, documentation, and consistent execution of core business processes. The ideal candidate is highly organized, self-directed, comfortable working across functions, and able to balance practical hands-on follow-through with sound judgment and systems thinking.

Essential Responsibilities

Business Operations & Organizational Effectiveness

• Oversee daily business operations to support efficient, consistent, and mission-aligned execution of programs, services, and administrative activities.
• Support the Executive Director in implementing organizational priorities, strategic initiatives, and operational improvements.
• Develop, document, maintain, and improve internal workflows, policies, procedures, checklists, and administrative systems.
• Maintain organizational records, file systems, databases, forms, manuals, and documentation so information is current, accessible, and reliable.
• Coordinate administrative support across key functional areas, including leadership activities, education programs, events, and internal operations.
• Identify process gaps, recommend practical improvements, and help create consistent procedures that reduce confusion and support accountability.

Financial Administration & Business Support

• Coordinate and oversee routine bookkeeping activities in collaboration with internal staff, external bookkeepers, or accounting partners as applicable.
• Monitor invoices, reimbursements, purchasing activity, expenses, deposits, and other financial transactions for accuracy, timeliness, and proper documentation.
• Support budget development, budget monitoring, forecasting, expense management, and preparation of financial or operational reports.
• Review payroll processing and serve as backup payroll processor when needed, ensuring confidentiality, accuracy, and timely internal coordination.
• Support contract administration, service agreements, vendor records, purchasing processes, and inventory-related tracking.
• Maintain strong internal controls and help ensure financial, personnel, and organizational records are handled responsibly and confidentially.

Human Resources & Administrative Coordination

• Support employee onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration, personnel records, employment documentation, and related HR processes.
• Help maintain compliance with organizational policies, employment documentation requirements, and internal administrative procedures.
• Coordinate with payroll, benefits, accounting, insurance, and other external partners as needed to support accurate and timely administration.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, internal communications, meeting materials, and decision-support documents for the Executive Director and leadership team.

Systems, Technology & Data Administration

• Administer and maintain operational systems, business applications, databases, and cloud-based tools used for day-to-day work.
• Serve as an internal point of coordination for NEON CRM and related donor, member, volunteer, event, or program data workflows.
• Coordinate with external IT, A/V, production, software, or technology vendors as needed to support reliable business operations.
• Evaluate administrative or technology needs, recommend practical solutions, and support implementation of approved improvements.

Facilities Backup Support

• Maintain a practical working understanding of the Center's facilities-related procedures, vendor contacts, service schedules, emergency information, and routine building support processes.
• Provide backup coordination during planned or unexpected absences of the Facilities Manager, including triaging urgent facility concerns, contacting appropriate vendors, communicating status updates, and escalating issues to the Executive Director as needed.
• Support continuity of operations by helping ensure facility-related information, forms, contracts, schedules, and documentation are organized and accessible.
• Coordinate with the Facilities Manager on administrative items such as service agreements, invoices, purchasing records, supply tracking, facility-use information, and operational documentation.

Leadership, Collaboration & Communication

• Work collaboratively with staff, contractors, volunteers, leadership, and external partners to support a responsive and well-coordinated organizational environment.
• Communicate clearly and professionally, balancing warmth, discretion, and follow-through in a community-centered setting.
• Manage multiple priorities independently while knowing when to seek direction, clarify expectations, or escalate concerns.
• Model reliability, good judgment, confidentiality, and a service-oriented approach consistent with the Center's values.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations, Accounting, Finance, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Facilities Management, or a related field; or equivalent experience.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience in business operations, nonprofit administration, office management, financial administration, operations management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including experience with $1.3M+ budget development, financial reporting, bookkeeping coordination, expense tracking, payroll review, or related administrative finance functions.
• Experience developing or maintaining operational systems, procedures, records, calendars, workflows, and business documentation.
• Experience with email marketing platforms (Mailchimp preferred).
• Experience with QuickBooks Online, ADP, NEON CRM, or similar accounting, payroll, donor/member, CRM, or operational systems.
• Experience coordinating vendors, contracts, invoices, purchasing, service providers, or external administrative partners.
• Working knowledge of facilities management, building operations, maintenance coordination, safety procedures, vendor coordination, or related workplace operations.
• Strong organizational, project-management, problem-solving, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work with staff, volunteers, contractors, leadership, and community members.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and cloud-based business applications.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive financial, personnel, donor, and organizational information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a nonprofit, faith-based, spiritual, educational, or community-centered organization.
• Experience supporting an executive leader or participating in leadership-level operational planning and coordination.
• Experience in donor development and nonprofit fundraising.
• Knowledge of HR administration, benefits administration, records management, nonprofit compliance practices, and business continuity procedures.
• Comfort working in a small-organization environment where responsibilities require flexibility, sound judgment, practical problem-solving, and strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience coordinating administrative aspects of facility operations, maintenance vendors, safety documentation, events, space use, or workplace readiness.

Key Competencies

• Operational judgment and practical problem solving
• Financial and administrative accuracy
• Systems thinking and process improvement
• Clear communication and collaborative follow-through
• Confidentiality and professional discretion
• Calm, organized crisis triage and escalation when issues arise
• Service orientation in a community-centered environment

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in an office, community, and event-based environment with frequent interaction with staff, volunteers, vendors, and community members.
• Ability to use standard office equipment and business technology for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally move through the facility, observe operational conditions, coordinate with vendors, and support event or program readiness.
• Ability to occasionally lift or move tables and chairs in support of event needs.

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Company Description

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