Vice President, People & Operations

Description

Unite America seeks a Vice President, People & Operations. This senior executive role is a unique and timely opportunity to join a leading national, nonpartisan democracy reform organization and 25-person team that is poised to make a scalable, sustainable, and significant impact on the U.S. electoral system. The role will be primarily responsible for acquiring, developing, and retaining top talent to advance the organization’s mission, cultivating a high performing team culture and effective organizational practices that prioritize our shared values, and overseeing all operations functions, including legal and finance. The Vice President, People & Operations reports to the Executive Director and currently manages a team of three full-time staff as well as multiple contractors and vendors.

OUR ORGANIZATION

Unite America is a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents that aims to foster a representative and functional government committed to solving the nation’s major challenges. We invest in candidates, campaigns, and organizations to advance nonpartisan electoral reforms that improve governing incentives and put voters first.

Founded in 2014, Unite America and its 25-person team has grown to be a leader in the democracy reform movement — supporting, coordinating and executing to advance policy and elect pro-reform candidates. The Unite America Fund launched in 2019 and has since mobilized tens of millions of dollars from dozens of philanthropists to reform campaigns and candidates across the country.

Over the last three years, the Unite America Fund has been the driving force behind passing and implementing Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in New York City, the largest expansion of RCV in history; defeating the most extremist member of Congress in their primary election in 2020; adopting a first of it's kind final-four voting system in Alaska to address the “primary problem;” winning an anti-gerrymandering campaign in Virginia; and electing state lawmakers across the country who have formed cross-partisan legislative caucuses already advancing groundbreaking electoral reforms. We are focused on dramatically scaling our impact in the years to come.

At Unite America, we are working to build a more representative and functional government that puts voters first and reflects the diversity of our country. We believe in an inclusive democracy where leaders embrace problem solving over fueling divisiveness. Likewise, organizationally, we have a vision of building a team that reflects diverse identities, experiences and perspectives; a culture of working across differences toward common goals; and a workplace where everyone feels included, respected and heard. To that end, Unite America is proud to have made diversifying our team, ensuring more equitable opportunity, and fostering a culture of belonging a priority. Our organizational values reinforce this commitment as we work to model the leadership we seek, solve problems together, and take care of one another, to name a few.

THE ROLE

This is a senior executive position at Unite America. The role has high accountability, will report directly to the Executive Director, and will serve as an integral member of the executive team helping to drive the mission, values, and performance of the organization.

This is an opportunity for a hardworking and mission-driven individual to work alongside a talented team of political reformers. The position is based in Denver, Colorado (though remote opportunities exist for exceptional candidates) and is a full-time role with full benefits.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Executive Director and the rest of the executive team to develop, communicate, and execute a holistic people strategy.
• Support Unite America’s mission through talent acquisition, development, and management, including implementing long-range strategic talent management objectives.
• Design and implement learning and professional development programs and staff retreats to engage, motivate, and empower employees – unlocking their potential and helping them grow in their careers.
• Support and develop managers, equipping them with standardized frameworks (e.g. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team) and utilizing best practices in leadership excellence.
• Identify key performance indicators for the organization's human resource and talent management functions; assess the organization's success and market competitiveness based on these metrics.
• Research, develop, and implement competitive compensation, benefits, performance appraisal, and employee incentive programs.
• Identify and implement new Human Resource processes, technologies, and systems to improve and streamline organizational processes and use of staff time and financial resources.
• Collaborate with departmental and executive leadership to draft and implement the organization's staffing and operations budgets.
• Ensure that departmental decisions and project plans such as those for staffing, professional development, organizational structure, hardware acquisitions, and facilities are in line with the organization’s objectives and long-term strategy.
• Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) practices throughout the employee lifecycle, ensuring awareness and appreciation of underrepresented perspectives and training on equitable processes.
• Manage three full-time staff as well as multiple contractors and vendors responsible for finance and accounting, legal and compliance, information technology, facilities management, and various other operationally-related accountabilities.
• Ensure compliance with employment, benefits, insurance, safety, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and requirements; maintain knowledge of best practices in employment law; consult with Unite America’s legal counsel when needed.
• Think one step ahead in regards to legal liability, risk management, threats to the organization, etc.

Requirements

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

You are a highly agile team player with the ability to effectively lead a critical department and expansive functional area at Unite America, while independently overseeing a broad range of accountabilities in support of the entire organization. You are highly organized, communicative, and poised, especially in a fast-paced, often remote, and demanding environment. You value authenticity and humility, and you embody the axiom that culture eats strategy for breakfast. You excel working in a mission-driven, nonpartisan organization alongside Democrats, Republicans, and independents.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• You possess a strong desire to fix a broken political system and passion for our cause.
• You have 12+ years of relevant work experience (e.g. Human Resources, operations, talent management, recruiting, etc.) and 6+ years of direct supervision experience.
• You enjoy coaching, mentoring, and developing people; helping your colleagues become the best version of themselves matters to you.
• You possess exceptional interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, and, when necessary, you’re willing to have hard conversations with subordinates, peers, and superiors alike.
• You are a clear, concise, and effective communicator when writing to and speaking with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• You possess a working knowledge of applicant tracking and HRIS systems, as well as best practices in interview techniques and applicant screening.
• You have an all hands on deck, team-first mentality and believe no task is beneath you; you are a true servant leader.
• You have an exceptionally high standard of professionalism and personal integrity.
• You have experience developing a strong program of professional development for staff.
• You have experience using best practices in assessing job performance.
• You are familiar with employment laws and regulations (or are willing to learn fast), especially in Colorado.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• You are familiar with the landscape of organizations, parties, and interest groups in the U.S. political system.
• You have helped to grow and then lead or help manage a team or organization of 20-40+ employees.
• You have experience managing both in-person and remote teams.
• You are proficient using LinkedIn Recruiter.

Benefits

THE PERKS

• Competitive Compensation (est. $150k - $180k)
• 401(k) Plan (with up to a 3% employer contribution match)
• Health Care Plan (medical, dental, and vision)
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (vacation, sick days, and public holidays)
• Family Leave (maternity, paternity, and adoption)
• Training & Professional Development
• Wellness Resources
• Expense Reimbursements (up to $100 per month for daily transit, parking, and/or home office expenses)
• Two days a week of remote/flex work permitted
• Opportunity to join an inclusive, vibrant, and diverse team
• Ability to live and work in one of the best large cities in America (Denver, CO)

https://apply.workable.com/uniteamerica/j/B2962D21DA/