BASIC FUNCTION

The Director of Operations oversees all finance and administrative services and needs of the Engelberg Center with emphasis on the quality and integration of budget/finance with development and other core divisions in the program. Working with the Director and Deputy Director, the Director of Operations oversees internal management of the program, including the creation and enforcement of policies, processes, and internal communications mechanisms that ensure the program’s key divisions are operating in a uniform, integrated, efficient, and high quality manner. Serves as a member of the management team of the Engelberg Center and works closely with Program and Brookings-wide leadership on operations integration, strategic planning, and long-term budgeting and forecasting. Collaborates with Economic Studies to promote operational efficiency across programs and centers. Ensures compliance with Brookings institutional policies and standards as well as recommends policies and procedures.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Bachelors’ degree required. Master or advanced degree preferred in business administration, accounting/finance, or public policy/administration. Additional specialized training in financial management, business management, organizational management, human resources or project management preferred. Ten or more years of demonstrated experience in managing multiple, complex programs and projects in a fast-paced but highly thoughtful work environment required. Prior experience in a research, public policy or public advocacy organization preferred. Experience in a health policy or related field preferred.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate must have:

• strong finance and organizational management skills strongly tied to content and mission including: budgeting, finance, human resources, office administration, and integration with development;
• experience in creating and implementing mechanisms for internal communications;
• strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a highly integrated and collaborative environment;
• strong supervisory skills;
• ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters;
• ability to focus on ensuring planning and implementation in support of reaching Center goals;
• ability and willingness to adapt to changes in a fast-paced environment;
• expertise in using accounting and planning packages, including PeopleSoft, for financial and HR management;
• proven ability to conceptualize strategic initiatives as well as translate strategy into tactical, executable actions, including ability to identify, develop, and introduce effective performance reporting mechanisms; and
• understanding of financial analysis/modeling to forecast expenditures and trends.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

25% Strategic Budgeting and Financial Planning

• Overall, in consultation with the budget and finance and members of the management team, establish modernized approaches, processes, and tools that better integrate the program’s team divisions with strategic budgeting, planning, and forecasting.
• Ensure that long-term strategic planning is guided by projections and tactical budgeting, including the examination historic and projected trend lines in both costs (e.g. staffing, direct research, indirect costs) and revenues.
• Develop and oversee a regular and more transparent business planning and budgeting process for the program, in consultation with the Program Finance Team and Center management team.
• Along with the Program Finance Team, manages an ongoing, transparent process that better integrates budget with revenues, revenue planning, forecasts, and risk assessment.
• Provides leadership and tools needed for management to make strategic human capital decisions regarding project work.
• Help evaluate the effectiveness of events and special initiatives to inform future investment of time and resources in these efforts.
• Along with Program Finance team, assists with the development and preparation of management reports for external stakeholders.

15% Brookings Institution Internal/External Relations and Event Management

• Serve as the principal liaison to the Brookings Institution management team on matters affecting the operations policies and operations of the Center.
• Serve as the Center’s surrogate representative to the Brookings Institution’s internal Committees as assigned and as appropriate.
• Provide transitional supervision over external communications and events management. Oversee external communication efforts, project communications and project event planning and execution
• Work closely with Director, Deputy Director, and others as needed to prepare for steering committee meetings.

40% General Program Operations and Leadership

• Oversee internal management of the center in ways that ensures research, policy, communications, partnership, fundraising, special initiative and administrative functions are operating in a truly integrated fashion, with efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and highest quality to maximize impact, in close consultation with the director and deputy director.
• Ensure that appropriate human resources, systems and IT infrastructure are in place and to work with the operational managers to carry out implementation and continued management of established structures Assess, design and enforce all policies and processes that will maximize internal information flow, decision-making, and overall program effectiveness.
• Assess, design and continuously improve mechanisms for ongoing internal communications (including staff meetings, possible intranet, brown bags, etc.) to ensure that all staff are apprised of key program developments, are current in their knowledge of program activities; implement in consultation with research, operations and management teams.
• Serve as member of the Center’s management team, ensuring that all of the ongoing activities, commitments, and resources inform priority and longer-term plans for the Center.
• Identify areas of decision-making and action that need improvement and engage appropriate senior leadership and staff to help strengthen and resolve.
• Assist with the ongoing strategic planning process, including helping create and carry out evaluative mechanisms to help determine impact, outcomes and success.
• Assist with the development and preparation of management reports for internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with central Human Resources and IT to ensure program’s requirements are clearly understood and integrated into the Institution’s overall infrastructure plans.
• Manage business operations of the ACO Learning Network and Annual ACO Conference, including business and contracts with Brookings Executive Education, outside partners and conference vendors.
• Support the development process through tracking of prospects and opportunities. Along with the Program Finance team, facilitates the proposal development and budgeting process and serves as primary interface with the Brookings Development Office and approval committees.
• Communicates with operational staff in the Economic Studies program to coordinate operational areas and ensure collaboration between research areas.
• Ensure compliance with Brookings Institutional policies and practices and support implementation and internal communications of such policies and practices.

20% Human Resources

• Manage a strategic staffing plan. Oversee areas of recruitment, professional development and succession planning, employee relations, and other Human Resource needs of the Center.
• Work with the Director, Deputy Director and Fellows to create standardized processes and annual staffing plans.
• Work with Director, Deputy Director and Fellows to help address short-term staff shortages or gaps and shift staff resources to accommodate short-term needs and priorities.
• Work with the Engelberg Center Managers, Brookings Human Resources department and assistant director for budget to administer the process for affiliate appointments, employment offers, annual salary discussions, promotions, and bonuses.
• Oversees the hiring and recruitment processes, including determining how to proceed on specific hires (through BI, an outside search firm, or search consultants, for example)
• Oversees the process for screening applicants and the interview process for select positions with input from senior leadership, create and implement professional development programs for all employees
• Oversees the program’s annual performance evaluation process.
• Continuously update and improve the Center’s orientation program for new employees and a quality intern experience.
• Work with Brookings Human Resources and Center leadership on any conflict resolution or sensitive staffing/management issues as they arise.

Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications for the position will be considered. Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment in this position. No phone calls please. Brookings welcomes resumes from all qualified applicants, particularly women and minorities.