Operations Lead - Hope Story

CharityVillage; Cambridge; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Operations Lead to enhance the efficiency of their Canada-based team. This role involves strategic planning, overseeing HR functions, and ensuring operational effectiveness. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and a passion for fostering a thriving team culture. Join a mission-driven organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children worldwide. If you are a builder at heart, energized by helping others thrive, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations or organizational leadership, preferably in nonprofit.
• Strong systems thinking and ability to develop organizational processes.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate strategic planning and translate plans into actionable goals.
• Lead core HR functions and foster a healthy team culture.

Skills

Operations Management

Organizational Leadership

Project Management

Financial Stewardship

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Emotional Intelligence

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Hope Story is a Christian charity helping vulnerable children around the world access health, education, and discipleship. Working in partnership with local, in-country churches, our work spans the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

Hope Story is in a season of exciting growth and opportunity. To sustain this momentum, we are seeking an Operations Lead to support the smooth and efficient functioning of our Canada-based team. You will hold the team accountable to shared goals and manage day-to-day operations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Planning, Organizational Alignment & Execution

• Facilitate strategic planning for Hope Story and alongside Hope Story's international partners.
• Translate strategic plans into actionable goals, and drive execution across departments.
• Develop and implement effective rhythms for team collaboration, including weekly meetings, quarterly planning, scorecards, and accountability structures.
• Promote clarity in priorities and decision-making across the team.

People & Culture Oversight

• Lead core HR functions, including recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, and development processes, delegating as needed internally or to external service providers.
• Foster a healthy team culture aligned with Hope Story values.
• Ensure clarity in role expectations, team accountability, and internal communication.

Operations & Workflow Management

• Assess and support onboarding of new international partners, ensuring sustainable growth of international operations.
• Design and manage repeatable, efficient processes that support operational effectiveness and program delivery.
• Oversee project management systems and help departments stay on track with deliverables and timelines.
• Build systems for documentation, knowledge management, and internal reporting.

Financial Stewardship and Risk Management

• Monitor budgeting processes and ensure compliance with internal financial controls (in Canada and internationally).
• Support annual budgeting processes (in Canada and internationally).
• Provide monthly financial and KPI reports to the Board of Directors.
• Assess and mitigate risks to Hope Story finances and donor data.
• Collaborate on decisions related to outsourced service providers and operational vendors.

Cross-Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the Executive Director and other team leads to ensure alignment across Programs, Fundraising, Communications, and Finance.
• Proactively identify and address gaps in execution and capacity.

Qualifications & Skills

• 5+ years of experience in operations, organizational leadership, or program execution, preferably in the nonprofit sector.
• Strong systems thinking and ability to develop and manage organizational processes.
• A builder at heart—energized by helping others thrive and designing systems that serve people well.
• Experience building operating systems to enable organizational alignment and efficiency.
• High emotional intelligence, humility, and clarity in communication.
• Skilled in project management, people management, and cross-functional collaboration.