Senior Operations Partner

ECMC Foundation is a nationally focused foundation whose mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments to remove barriers to postsecondary completion; build the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems; and transform the postsecondary ecosystem using a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to support both nonprofit and for-profit ventures.

Job Summary

The Foundation Senior Operations Partner is a senior-level operational professional accountable for shaping and advancing the infrastructure, governance, and business practices that enable the Foundation to achieve its mission and strategic priorities. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this role manages a broad portfolio spanning financial operations, contracting, risk and compliance, systems, vendor management, and organizational planning. This role serves as a trusted advisor to Foundation leadership, translates strategy into scalable operating models, leads complex cross-functional initiatives, and uses data and operational insight to improve decision quality, efficiency, transparency, and organizational resilience. The position exercises significant independent judgment and partners across Foundation teams, ECMC Group Shared Services, and external organizations to deliver sustainable solutions and measurable operational impact.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Operational strategy and portfolio ownership: Manages the design, execution, and continuous evolution of the Foundation’s operating model, systems, controls, and workflows; establishes multiyear roadmaps and priorities aligned with organizational strategy, growth, and capacity.
• Strategic partnership and decision support: Advises the Director of Operations and Foundation leadership on operational implications, tradeoffs, risks, resource needs, and opportunities; translates strategic direction into actionable plans, governance, milestones, and measures of success.
• Cross-functional leadership: Manages complex, high-impact initiatives across Foundation teams, ECMC Group Shared Services, and external partners, clarifying decision rights, aligning stakeholders, resolving dependencies, and driving work through implementation and adoption.
• Financial stewardship: Leads Foundation budget administration, forecasting, expense monitoring, reconciliations, and management reporting; identifies trends and variances, improves controls, and provides analysis that informs resource allocation and leadership decisions.
• Contracting, procurement, and vendor governance: Manages the operational lifecycle for Foundation contracts and vendor relationships, including intake, coordination, performance monitoring, renewals, issue escalation, and partnership with legal, procurement, finance, and business owners.
• Risk, compliance, and internal controls: Establishes and maintains operational controls, policies, and governance practices that support compliance, sound stewardship, audit readiness, business continuity, and timely mitigation of operational risk.
• Systems and data leadership: Defines business requirements and leads improvements to financial and related systems; promotes data integrity, effective adoption, reporting discipline, and scalable technology-enabled processes.
• Performance and continuous improvement: Establishes service levels, key performance indicators, and feedback mechanisms; analyzes operational data and stakeholder needs to prioritize and implement improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and user experience.
• Policy and knowledge management: Sets standards for and oversees the development, maintenance, and communication of operational procedures, grantmaking policies, and documentation to support organizational record that includes consistency, compliance, continuity, and organizational learning.
• Organizational enablement: Provides senior-level consultation, training, and change leadership to help employees and partners adopt systems, policies, and processes; builds operational capability and accountability across the Foundation.
• Administrative portfolio leadership: Oversees honoraria and travel stipends, ensuring effective service delivery, appropriate controls, recordkeeping, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, nonprofit management, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience, with 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in operations, grantmaking, finance, or a related function.
• Demonstrated success operating at a senior or lead level, with accountability for a complex portfolio of operational processes, systems, programs, or enterprise initiatives.
• Proven ability to translate organizational strategy into operating plans, governance structures, decision frameworks, milestones, performance measures, and sustainable practices.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives and influencing senior leaders, business partners, and external stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Strong judgment and demonstrated ability to identify, assess, communicate, and mitigate operational, financial, compliance, and reputational risks.
• Strong experience with budget planning, forecasting, financial reporting, expense management, reconciliations, controls, and decision-support analysis.
• Experience managing contract and procurement lifecycles, vendor relationships, service expectations, and operational agreements in partnership with legal, finance, and business stakeholders.
• Advanced ability to synthesize financial, operational, and business data into clear recommendations for varied audiences.
• Experience defining performance indicators, service standards, dashboards, or other mechanisms to measure operational effectiveness and drive accountability.
• Experience utilizing and improving CRM, grants management, financial, or other enterprise systems, including platforms such as Fluxx, Salesforce, or comparable applications.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 25% and work effectively within the Foundation's hybrid work environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a foundation, nonprofit, philanthropic, or grantmaking organization, with knowledge of sector practices, governance, and stewardship expectations.
• Experience managing enterprise system implementations, process redesign, change management, or operational transformation initiatives.
• Experience managing the development, maintenance, and communication of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and grantmaking policies.
• Experience supporting strategic planning, annual operating planning, organizational performance management, or executive-level decision support.
• Experience supporting operations across multiple locations, states, or time zones.

The pay range for this position is $90,000 - $120,000. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as relevant experience, peer and market benchmarks, and geographic location.

This position is classified as hybrid Monday - Wednesday and requires attendance in Minneapolis, MN.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ECMC Foundation also provides a comprehensive benefits package:

• Health & wellness benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plan options, with a generous employer subsidy. Company paid life & disability insurance, pre-tax flexible spending accounts and robust wellness programs.
• Financial benefits: Generous 401(k) plan with a company match up to 6% and additional discretionary contribution potential, paid time off starting at 20 days/year and commuter subsidy.
• Education benefits: Tuition reimbursement up to $10,500/year for approved programs and student loan payment reimbursement up to $4,800/year. Up to $5,250 of qualifying education benefits can be reimbursed pre-tax.