Director of Business Operations & People

Director Of Operations & People

You are a builder. You don't just maintain systemsyou create them, and you find deep satisfaction in the work of making an organization run well from the inside out. As the Director of Operations & People, you will serve as the organizational backbone of CLF's growth, reporting directly to the CEO and owning two interconnected domains: People & Culture and Organizational Operations.

In this newly created role, you will design and steward the people systems, financial administration, and operational infrastructure that allow every team memberfrom program staff to senior leadershipto do their best work. You will recruit and onboard exceptional talent, cultivate the culture that keeps people rooted in mission, and build the vendor relationships and financial workflows that keep CLF running with integrity and efficiency.

This is a solo-operator role in FY27, which means you will have direct access to the CEO, significant autonomy, and real influence over how CLF grows and functions. An Operations Coordinator is projected to join as a direct report in FY28, giving you the opportunity to build and lead a team of your own. Whatever It Takes isn't just a value hereit's the operating posture you bring every day to the people and systems in your care.

CLF's five core values are not background scenerythey are the criteria by which this role recruits, the lens through which we build culture, and the commitments that connect every person on our team to the young people we serve. Once a Dreamer, Always a Dreamer means this role carries the weight of that promise into every hire, every onboarding experience, and every system we build.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Lead full-cycle recruiting for all open positionsjob posting, candidate screening, interview coordination, offer management, and reference checksbringing CLF's values into every step of the process.
• Design and own an onboarding experience that immerses new hires in CLF's mission, culture, and systems from day oneensuring every team member feels welcomed, connected to the young people we serve, and grounded in how CLF works together.
• Build and maintain relationships with recruiting platforms, diversity-focused sourcing channels, and university partners to expand CLF's talent pipeline.
• Champion A Seat at the Table by building hiring processes that actively center equitystructuring interviews, scoring, and selection to surface diverse candidates and reduce bias at every stage.

Performance & Development

• Manage CLF's quarterly performance review processes, including goal-setting frameworks and feedback cycles that support growth and accountability across the organization.
• Partner with the CEO and senior leaders to identify professional development needs and source learning opportunities that invest in team members' long-term trajectories.
• Maintain a clear framework for promotions, compensation adjustments, and role evolutionhonoring CLF's commitment to Once a Dreamer, Always a Dreamer by building internal pathways that reflect the organization's long-term investment in its people.

HR Compliance & Administration

• Serve as the primary point of contact for HR compliancefederal and Colorado state employment law, required filings, and regulatory updatesensuring CLF operates with integrity and legal soundness.
• Maintain and update the CLF Employee Handbook, policies, and procedures to reflect current law and organizational values.
• Manage benefits enrollment, open enrollment periods, and serve as the liaison with CLF's benefits providers.
• Handle confidential employee matters, documentation, and separation processes with care, professionalism, and legal compliance.

Culture & Engagement

• Champion CLF's organizational culture and values across all three teamsAdministrative, Youth Programs, and Clinical Programsbuilding belonging, psychological safety, and a shared sense of mission.
• Audit, codify, and strengthen CLF's existing staff celebrations and traditionsdocumenting them as repeatable organizational practices that reinforce We Not Me across every team.
• Design and own CLF's annual all-staff retreat: agenda development, logistics coordination, facilitator selection, and post-retreat follow-through on commitments made.
• Build and maintain a calendar of cross-team engagement touchpoints throughout the yearcreating opportunities for Administrative, Youth, and Clinical staff to connect, collaborate, and build the relational infrastructure that makes the organization whole.
• Lead internal recognition and staff appreciation programsincluding peer recognition structures, milestone celebrations, and leadership shout-outs that reflect CLF's values in action.
• Gather and act on staff feedback through regular pulse surveys, listening sessions, and 1:1 check-instranslating what you hear into concrete improvements that demonstrate CLF is a place where every voice shapes the culture.
• Partner with the CEO to advance equity, inclusion, and belonging as core organizational commitmentsnot just policies, but lived culture.

Vendor & Contract Management

• Manage CLF's vendor relationshipsIT support, insurance, legal counsel, HR platforms, and other operational service providersensuring reliability, cost-efficiency, and mission alignment.
• Serve as the primary internal liaison with CLF's contracted IT support providertriaging technology issues, managing user access, overseeing hardware and software needs, and ensuring the team has what it needs to work effectively.
• Review and maintain contracts, renewals, and compliance tracking for all vendor and operational agreements.
• Identify cost efficiencies and negotiate terms where appropriate in alignment with the annual budget.

Facilities & Fleet

• Manage the maintenance, registration, and inspection of CLF's organizational vehicles, including scheduling service, tracking compliance requirements, and coordinating with program teams on availability.
• Oversee CLF's physical workspace needsoffice supplies, facilities maintenance requests, and coordination with building management or landlord.
• Maintain an inventory of CLF's physical and technology assets, ensuring equipment is properly assigned, tracked, and managed through staff transitions.

Financial & Administrative Systems

• Serve as CLF's operational owner for financial administration platformsincluding Bill.com (accounts payable/receivable) and QuickBooks (accounting and bookkeeping)ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and proper financial controls.
• Process and track accounts payable (vendor invoices, contractor payments, expense reimbursements) and accounts receivable (grants, donations, program revenue) in coordination with CLF's external bookkeeper, including accurate financial coding of all transactions.
• Manage the monthly financial close checklist in partnership with CLF's accounting teamensuring timely, accurate, and well-documented financial records.
• Oversee expense reporting workflows: reviewing and approving staff expense submissions, enforcing spending policies, and maintaining reimbursement timelines.
• Support the CEO in annual budget planning by providing operational cost data, vendor renewal projections, and staff expense trend analysis.
• Manage payroll coordination in partnership with CLF's HRIS/payroll platformensuring timely, accurate pay runs and resolving any discrepancies.

Systems & Process Design

• Audit existing organizational processes and build or improve systems for cross-team efficiencyincluding onboarding workflows, approval chains, and information management.
• Serve as the internal owner of operational platforms (HRIS, project management tools, shared drives)maintaining documentation and ensuring team adoption.
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process documentation for recurring organizational functions, creating institutional knowledge that outlasts any single person in the role.
• Whatever It Takes means you don't wait to be askedyou identify what's broken or missing, build the fix, and document it so the organization is stronger for it.

Cross-Organizational Support

• Partner with the CEO on organizational planningincluding headcount modeling, budget inputs for staffing, and capacity analysis.
• Support compliance with grant reporting requirements related to operational and HR data.
• Serve as a resource and thought partner to managers navigating people situations, team dynamics, or operational challenges.
• Manage HR/operational platform logins, access controls, and account transitions when staff depart or join.

Skills & Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in HR, People Operations, operations management, or a closely related field, preferred
• Working knowledge of Colorado and federal employment law, benefits administration, and HR compliance
• Demonstrated experience managing recruiting, onboarding, and performance processesideally in a small or growing organization
• Hands-on experience with financial administration platforms