National Director of Operations & Quality Assurance

 

National Director of Operations & Quality Assurance

Friends of the Children

Portland, OR (hybrid)

 

The Moran Company is pleased to partner with Friends of the Children to recruit the organization’s first National Director of Operations & Quality Assurance.

Organizational Background

Friends of the Children is a national nonprofit with the mission to break the cycle of generational poverty. Friends of the Children empowers youth facing the greatest obstacles by pairing them with paid, professional mentors (called Friends). These Friends stay with each child from as early as age 4 through high school graduation – for 12+ years, no matter what. Friends work closely with youth and their families to build the academic, social-emotional, and life skills that help young people thrive, while also supporting their caregivers through a whole-family approach. Friends of the Children’s successful model has grown from five to over 48 locations nationwide in the last ten years. The organization’s impact is evident – a longitudinal study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon confirmed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs.

Friends of the Children values putting children first, building relationships on love, and committing to empowering youth, families, and colleagues to reach their full potential. Its team pursues goals relentlessly, with a disciplined, yet innovative approach. The National team supports a growing network of chapters across the country. Its new National Center of Excellence for Professional Youth Mentoring in Portland, OR, brings together National headquarters, the Portland chapter’s team and programming, and serves as a hub for events, thought leadership, and research. 

Position Summary

The National Director of Operations & Quality Assurance provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure Friends of the Children National and its network have the systems, processes, infrastructure, and organizational practices needed to operate effectively and efficiently. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer and based in Portland, OR, this role oversees network quality assurance, enterprise reporting and analytics, network operations and support, vendor and contract management, business continuity, and administrative best practices, while providing support for risk management, facilities, and Human Resources. Working closely with the National Executive Team, the Director translates organizational strategy into scalable operational practices using operational and financial data to improve efficiency, accountability, risk management, and organizational performance across the National organization and network.

This newly created position offers the opportunity to turn information into actionable insights that strengthen chapter health and operational excellence across the network. Initial priorities include leading and refining the chapter quality assurance and monitoring process, maintaining the organization’s chapter health dashboard, and leading risk management. 

The Director will be a hands-on contributor who leads through relationships, sound judgment, and influence. Working primarily with the National team, the Director will coordinate cross-functional expertise and serve as a resource to chapter leaders on operational standards and best practices. This full-time, exempt position requires a minimum of three days per week onsite at the National Center of Excellence in Portland, OR, offering the opportunity to contribute to a national movement while staying connected to the daily work of an operating chapter.

Key Responsibilities

Network Quality Assurance, Grant Documentation & Monitoring

• Lead the redesign and implementation of the Network’s chapter monitoring process, including quality assurance, grant documentation, and organizational accountability.
• Monitor compliance with National standards, chapter agreements, organizational policies, and applicable grant requirements.
• Identify risks and underperformance; coordinate corrective actions with National and chapter leaders.
• Partner with the Director of National Grants and other stakeholders to develop and execute chapter subawards, related documentation, monitoring, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate and execute operational aspects of grant compliance and reporting requirements in partnership with Finance, Development, Program, and Network teams.

Network Operations & Support

• Develop and continuously improve operational systems, processes, standards, and tools that promote efficiency, consistency, accountability, and scalability.
• Translate organizational strategy into practical operating plans, systems, and processes and lead cross-functional process improvements, including support for emerging opportunities such as Medicaid reimbursement.
• Lead operational readiness for the launch of new locations, including insurance, facilities, systems, vendors, and other operational requirements.
• Support HR with onboarding Operations Directors across the Network, establishing consistent expectations, tools, processes, and best practices.
• Facilitate Network Operations calls and serve as a senior operational resource to chapters and Network leaders.

Operational Reporting & Analytics

• Maintain organization-wide dashboards, KPIs, and operational metrics, including the Network’s chapter health dashboard.
• Lead operational reporting for the Executive Team and Board committees, as appropriate. Staff Lead for the Board Risk Management Committee.
• Analyze organizational performance data and identify trends, risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Translate dashboard and monitoring findings into actionable recommendations that help National leaders prioritize chapter support and strengthen operational performance.

Compliance, Risk & Governance

• Lead the organization-wide operational compliance framework, including calendars, documentation, monitoring, reporting, and accountability mechanisms, in partnership with functional leaders.
• Ensure operational priorities and compliance activities align with Board priorities and organizational strategy.
• Coordinate insurance administration, business continuity, emergency preparedness, workplace safety, and related risk-management activities.
• Partner with Human Resources on Child Safety protocols, operational policies, onboarding, and screening requirements.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Change Management

• Partner with Finance, People & Culture, Program, Network, Development, and other teams to advance organizational priorities and resolve complex operational issues.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to translate organizational priorities into operational plans, timelines, resource requirements, and accountability measures.
• Lead the coordination of the organization’s administrative team to ensure consistent support, coverage, and business continuity.
• Lead cross-functional problem-solving, process improvement, and change management initiatives, assessing operational impacts, risks, dependencies, and resource requirements.
• Foster a culture of responsiveness, accountability, customer service, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Vendor, Contract & Facilities Management

• Lead operational procurement and vendor management processes in partnership with Finance and department leaders, monitor service delivery, contract compliance, performance, cost, and quality.
• Partner with leadership and Finance to negotiate, execute, and manage operational contracts and identify cost-effective solutions.
• Support the Building and Events Manager in building operations, including maintenance, security, facilities projects, and improvements.

Professional Qualifications & Personal Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management, public administration, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive operational leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing scalable systems, processes, and operational infrastructure.
• Strong experience with operational reporting, data analytics, and performance measurement, including executive-level reporting and dashboards. 
• Broad business acumen and the ability to learn quickly, work across functions, and navigate a wide range of operational responsibilities.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including the ability to interpret budgets, forecasts, financial reports, and performance metrics.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects, process improvement initiatives, organizational change management, and implementation of new systems.
• Strong project management, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, influence across teams, and drive accountability without relying solely on direct authority.
• Demonstrated ability to apply compliance and risk management practices with sound judgment, attention to detail, and a practical, collaborative approach to helping others meet requirements.
• Executive presence and the ability to communicate confidently with Board members, executive leaders, chapter staff, and colleagues at all levels.
• A self-starter who takes ownership of work and collaborates effectively with a geographically dispersed team and a supervisor based outside Portland.
• Commitment to Friends of the Children’s mission, values, and a relational culture that puts the needs of children first.
• Experience in a nonprofit, mission-driven, or grant-funded organization is a plus.
• Experience in a federated or chapter-based organization, franchise environment, or a comparable multi-site model is a plus. 
• Direct experience with federal grant compliance and subaward monitoring is a plus.
• Experience overseeing facilities or workplace operations is a plus.
• Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, or similar operational excellence certification is a plus.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 – $115,000. This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Portland, OR, with an expectation of working a minimum of three days per week onsite at the National Center of Excellence. 

Friends of the Children offers a generous benefits package, including paying 100% of employee medical premiums for two of its four health plans, employee dental and vision premiums, basic life insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage. Benefits also include a 401(k) plan with a company match of up to 4% of earnings contributed, flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program. Paid time off includes three weeks of annual vacation during the first four years, with increases for length of service, two weeks of annual sick time, and 11 paid holidays, including three floating holidays; first-year vacation and sick time are prorated. Additional benefits include a portion of cell phone and/or internet reimbursement and up to $1,000 for employee development and wellness after the first year. 

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Friends of the Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Application Process

The search for Friends of the Children National’s National Director of Operations & Quality Assurance is being conducted by The Moran Company. Questions about the position can be directed to Angie Heer, The Moran Company; Angie (at) morancompany.com.

To apply for this position, submit a cover letter and resume to Angie Heer, The Moran Company, via the secure online portal. The resume should include all professional education and experience, dates of employment (month and year), and relevant work accomplishments. The cover letter should articulate your passion for Friends of the Children’s mission and how you align with the qualifications and attributes needed for this role.

Applications are due by December 10, 2026.

PLEASE NOTE: All email correspondence from The Moran Company will originate from our official @morancompany.com domain or using our applicant tracking system domain @applytojob.com.