Director of Strategic Operations

Director of Strategic Operations- Nonprofit (Remote) Job ID 21815 City Houston Published date 12-May-2026 State Texas Country United States Description & Requirements Director of Strategic Operations Remote | Mission-Driven Nonprofit Connective is seeking a Director of Strategic Operations to join its leadership team during a critical phase of organizational growth. This strategic leader will be pivotal in building, managing, and sustaining a high-functioning, agile internal operations infrastructure for a newly independent non-profit that is quickly growing its team and geographic footprint. A primary focus for this role is managing the expansion of the Connective team—both in capabilities and locations—to support the organization’s mission in new geographies. About Connective Connective is a growing, Houston-based civic technology, design, and collective action nonprofit. Our mission is to transform social services into a more connected, empathetic, and accessible system. We do this by designing and delivering human-centered social service programs, developing cutting-edge technology tools for service providers, and leading community-wide change. Getting assistance is harder than it should be, and the process of asking for help is dehumanizing and stressful. With mounting risk of climate disasters and increasing economic pressure on low-income communities, social services are struggling to keep up and need a radical transformation. That’s why we’re here. We envision a future where the next crisis is not an emergency. A future in which we've prepared for and adapted to inevitable change. We dream of thriving, resilient communities that are equipped with the right tools in the moments they need them most. Our potential lies in our power to connect; we can do better through our collective knowledge and experience. Alongside our network of partners, we turn barriers into bridges and expand access for those in need. About You Operational Architect: You are a builder at heart who thrives on creating, managing, and sustaining high-functioning, agile internal infrastructures. You have a proven ability to design scalable systems from scratch, particularly within startup environments or rapidly expanding non-profits. Human-Centered Leader: You believe that organizational structures and workflows should first and foremost support the humans doing the work. You prioritize employee effectiveness and engagement, ensuring that as the organization scales, the "human" element remains at the center of every process. Strategic Growth Partner: You are adept at managing expansion, not just in terms of systems, but across new geographies and team capabilities. You ensure operational readiness in every new market and can align infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of diverse programs and products. Collaborative Change Agent: You are a clear and trusted leader in change management, capable of building strong relationships across a leadership team. You can translate complex operational strategies into actionable internal communications that guide the team through transitions and new initiatives. Versatile Systems Expert: Your expertise spans the critical pillars of a modern non-profit, including Finance, HR, Legal, and IT. You are comfortable managing sophisticated external vendors—such as fractional controllers, lawyers, and executive-level consultants—while ensuring their work aligns perfectly with the organization’s mission. Risk-Aware Strategist: You have a keen eye for mitigating organizational risk through rigorous regulatory compliance, contract management, and internal disaster management protocols. You ensure the organization is safe, current, and able to maintain critical operations even when disasters strike. Mentor and Coach: You are dedicated to the professional growth of your team. You aim to optimize the functions of the Strategic Operations division by providing regular feedback, coaching on strategy, and guidance on people management skills to those you lead. What You’ll Do 1. Division Leadership & Organizational Growth Lead the Strategic Operations division in providing the essential infrastructure and change management necessary to support organizational growth, human-centered workflows, and operational readiness during geographic expansion. Infrastructure for Growth: Lead the Strategic Operations division to provide the structures necessary for organizational growth, ensuring infrastructure meets the needs of evolving programs and products. Geographic Expansion: Manage expansion operations for the Connective team as it activates work in new locations, ensuring operational readiness in every new market. Human-Centered Operations: Ensure organizational structures and workflows support employee effectiveness and engagement, prioritizing the "human" element of the scaling process. Change Management: Lead organizational change and internal communications related to new strategies, processes, or systems. 2. Design & Implementation of Strategic Operations Functions Oversee the design and execution of core operational pillars—including HR, Finance, Legal, IT, Procurement, and Disaster Management—by managing specialized external vendors, consultants, and internal staff. Human Resources (HR): Manage the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment and hiring to training, performance management, and offboarding with the support of an external HR Professional Employer Organization (PEO), team managers, and staff involved in hiring and onboarding. Accounting Operations: Manage the organization’s money and financial health by supervising an external controller and accounting team, bank and payments vendors, and an assistant. Legal: Manage all legal affairs, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating risks for the organization with the support of several contracted law firms and coordinate all organizational contracts, ensuring proper recording and compliance with leadership and the programs teams. Office Operations: Coordinate the resources, supplies, and meeting spaces for the team to work and engage with each other with the support of an experienced team member. IT: Organize and maintain the technology equipment and software necessary for general office work by contracting with an external IT vendor. Procurement: Support the process of sourcing, negotiating, and acquiring goods, services, materials from external suppliers with help from staff on the programs team. Internal Disaster Management: Activate the appropriate protocol and resources needed to support the team and continue critical operations when a disaster affects Connective. 3. People Management & Team Development Mentor and guide the Strategic Operations team to optimize its functions and ensure continuous improvement by fostering a culture of engagement and providing the mentorship and resources necessary for professional growth. Team Culture: Lead the Strategic Operations division with a focus on building a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that internal workflows prioritize human effectiveness and high levels of employee engagement. Staffing Structures: Ensure organizational structures and workflows for the Strategic Operations team, including the integration of dedicated staff, cross-divisional shared staff, and external consultants support employee effectiveness and engagement. Mentorship & Growth: Establish framework for mentorship and professional growth; manage the development of team members by providing regular feedback, coaching on division strategy, and guidance on people management skills. Resource Allocation: Ensure the team has the necessary resources, training, and tools to optimize their functions and meet the shifting demands of a rapidly growing organization. Qualifications Experience: 8-10+ years of progressively responsible experience in operations, finance, or business administration, with a minimum of 3-5 years in a senior leadership/management role. Substantial experience in managing Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, and Communications/Development Operations. Significant experience working within or closely with non-profit organizations (501(c)(3) context is a major plus). Leadership Track Record: Demonstrated success in building, scaling, and managing operational infrastructure for a growing organization. Clear success in change management leadership and building trusted relationships. Start Up / Transition Expertise: Substantial experience creating new processes from scratch in startup environments or rapidly expanding non-profits. Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to manage relationships with internal stakeholders, consultants, and vendors. Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (preferred) or tangible proof of work experience directly related to the role. Your Compensation and Benefits Salary & Bonus: Your annual base salary range for this role is $115,000-$130,000. Annual bonuses are offered based on your contributions and performance. Retirement: You’ll receive a 401(k) employer match of up to 6%. Health Coverage: Day-one access to quality, affordable health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance). You can also participate in an HSA or FSA. Time Off: You will receive 20 days of PTO/floating holidays, plus 11 paid company holidays, per calendar. Parental Leave: If you have or adopt a child, 8 weeks of parental leave at 100% of regular weekly pay, and an additional 4 weeks at 50%. An additional 4 weeks may be taken without. Support: Access to a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which includes mental health and legal resources for you and family members, even if they’re not your dependents. Flexibility: You are welcome to work from anywhere for a week at a time while maintaining Houston working hours. Additional work-from-anywhere flexibility is offered in the summer and around the winter holidays. After three years with Connective, employees have the option to work permanently from anywhere in the U.S. while maintaining Houston working hours and traveling to Houston or elsewhere as needed. This role is not eligible for employer visa sponsorship. Come as You Are Connective is firmly committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. We value your unique experiences and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, minorities, people with disabilities, system-impacted people, veterans, and people of all ages to apply. Connective is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, or any protected category prohibited by local, state, or federal laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr Connective