Director, Operations & Strategy in Washington, District of Columbia at The Aspen Institute

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT

The Communications and Marketing Department creates compelling content to elevate and position the Aspen Institute as a values-based organization that ignites human potential through dialogue, leadership, and action to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. The department also serves as an in-house agency that provides communications and marketing support to the Institute’s 40+ programs, initiatives, public events, fundraising efforts, and the president’s office. Learn more at aspeninstitute.org.

We function on the foundation of 5 values: Collaboration, Learning, Excellence, Accountability and Respect or CLEAR. These attributes and behaviors are how we work. Upholding our department’s values is of paramount importance as they guide us to thoughtfully engage with our colleagues whilst performing at the highest level.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Associate Director of Operations serves as the Communications and Marketing Department's primary operational resource for financial administration, workforce processes, vendor management, systems administration, and department logistics.

Reporting to the Director of Operations & Strategy, this role owns the implementation, coordination, and administrative execution of departmental operations. The Associate Director ensures budgets, contracts, hiring processes, retreats, systems, and operational workflows are managed efficiently, accurately, and in alignment with Institute policies and procedures. The salary range for this position is $143,100 - $182,900. The expectation is for this role to be in our Washington D.C. office a minimum of 2x a week to collaborate with colleagues.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Financial Operations & Budget Administration

• Serve as the department's frontline resource for budget management, tracking, reporting, and financial administration.
• Maintain budget tracking systems and provide regular financial reporting and analysis.
• Process invoices, purchase orders, contract payments, and other financial transactions.
• Track spending against budget projections and identify variances.
• Support forecasting, budget planning, and financial reporting processes.
• Coordinate accounts payable and receivable activities in partnership with Finance.
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation.

Vendor & Contract Administration

• Manage vendor contracts, scopes of work, amendments, renewals, and related documentation.
• Coordinate contract review, approval, and execution processes.
• Track contract timelines, deliverables, expiration dates, and payment schedules.
• Manage software licenses, subscriptions, shared services, and departmental vendor relationships.
• Serve as a primary liaison with Finance, Legal, Procurement, and other administrative departments on operational matters.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Operations

• Coordinate recruitment processes for staff and contractor positions.
• Partner with hiring managers and People & Culture on job postings, candidate communications, interview scheduling, and hiring logistics.
• Support position description development and hiring documentation.
• Conduct initial resume screening and candidate review support when requested.
• Coordinate contractor onboarding, documentation, and payment setup.
• Facilitate onboarding and offboarding processes for staff and contractors.
• Coordinate equipment requests, systems access, orientation materials, and training logistics.
• Maintain staffing records, onboarding resources, workforce documentation, and organizational charts.
• Track vacancies, hiring timelines, and onboarding progress.

Retreats, Meetings & Department Logistics

• Serve as the primary logistics lead for departmental retreats, planning sessions, and convenings.
• Manage venue sourcing, contracts, travel, accommodations, catering, audiovisual needs, and event production logistics.
• Maintain retreat budgets, planning timelines, and vendor relationships.
• Coordinate meeting logistics, materials production, and follow-up documentation.
• Support travel coordination and logistics across the department as needed.

Operational Systems & Administration

• Manage day-to-day operational and administrative functions of the department.
• Maintain departmental procedures, documentation, process guides, and operational resources.
• Develop and maintain operational dashboards and reporting systems.
• Support implementation of new tools, technologies, and workflow improvements.
• Troubleshoot operational issues and coordinate solutions across teams.
• Maintain departmental records and operational documentation.

Publications, Awards & Leadership Support

• Coordinate timelines, materials collection, approvals, and production logistics for the annual Impact Report and other institutional publications.
• Support departmental awards submissions by maintaining calendars, collecting materials, coordinating approvals, and tracking outcomes.
• Prepare operational reports, dashboards, briefing materials, and meeting documentation for department leadership.
• Track action items, deadlines, and follow-up activities related to strategic initiatives.

Performance Planning & Team Support

• Support annual performance planning and review processes.
• Maintain records related to goals, performance milestones, and professional development activities.
• Coordinate onboarding and training related to departmental systems, workflows, and operational practices.
• Support implementation of department-wide initiatives and process improvements.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, communications, public administration, nonprofit management, organizational leadership, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience required.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in operations, finance, administration, project management, human resources coordination, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, financial processes, contracts, invoices, and vendor relationships.
• Experience coordinating hiring, onboarding, workforce administration, or related personnel processes.
• Experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, and operational priorities simultaneously.
• Experience working in a complex, collaborative, and fast-paced environment.
• Experience within a nonprofit, educational, philanthropic, public sector, or mission-driven organization preferred.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Knowledge of budgeting, financial administration, contracting, procurement, and operational processes.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships across departments and stakeholder groups.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
• Experience creating reports, dashboards, process documentation, and operational tracking systems.
• Proficiency with project management platforms, budgeting systems, spreadsheets, and collaboration tools.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining accountability and strong communication.
• Commitment to customer service, operational excellence, and continuous process improvement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.