Director of Administration (AF)

Arcus Foundation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

Arcus Foundation in New York City seeks a Director of Administration to lead HR, Facilities, and IT, reporting to the COO. The role focuses on delivering service excellence, coordinating resources, and strengthening organizational effectiveness across a 28-person staff.

The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including 5 in a similar role, with deep knowledge of employment law, compensation, and staff development.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of professional work experience, with at least 5 in a comparable role.
• Broad knowledge of employment law, compensation and benefits administration, organizational planning, development, and employee relations.
• Strong project management with experience handling multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent staff management, coaching, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Foster alignment with the Arcus mission and values across teams.
• Directly supervise the Facilities Manager and IT Manager.
• Oversee HR, Facilities, and IT projects and partnerships.
• Manage hiring/onboarding, compensation, benefits procurement, payroll and tax administration.
• Oversee the planned office relocation and IT infrastructure projects.

Skills

HR & People Management

Facilities Management

IT Management

Project Management

Communication & Collaboration

Employee Relations

Job description

Founded in 2000, the Arcus Foundation is a private, grant-making foundation dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. Arcus’ work is based on the belief that respect for diversity among peoples and in nature is essential to a positive future for our planet and all of its inhabitants. For nearly two decades, Arcus has been a driving force behind groundbreaking work to ensure equality for LGBTQ+ people around the world and to protect and enhance the lives of the world’s great apes and gibbons. The Foundation works globally and has offices in New York City and Cambridge, United Kingdom.

The Arcus Foundation staff and Board of Directors are a diverse group, reflecting the diversity inherent in the world the Foundation’s work supports. The mission is driven by the vision of Arcus’ founder, Jon Stryker, and by a shared dedication to the emergent global human rights and conservation movements. With a deep commitment to integrity, humility, and collaboration, the leadership and staff of the Arcus Foundation hold each other accountable for implementing the Arcus mission. This includes practicing shared leadership and recognizing, celebrating, and taking collective ownership of Arcus’ success and learnings. The Arcus Foundation prioritizes strategic and rational decision making and advancing equity for those most marginalized, both internally and in its grantmaking. These values encourage all staff to take informed risks, proactively ‘course-correct’ when needed, and to efficiently manage resources so that those Arcus serves will benefit.

Arcus Foundation is seeking a Director of Administration to play a critical leadership role in the strategic design, oversight, implementation, and improvement of the Foundation’s HR, Facilities, and IT functions. Reporting to the COO, the Director of Administration will be a key member of the Operations team and will oversee core Foundation processes, projects, and relationships aimed at ensuring consistent service excellence, seamless internal coordination, effective use of resources, and a thriving culture. The position will be based full-time in the New York City offices.

The key responsibilities of the Director of Administration will include:

Values Alignment and Commitment to the Mission

• Foster a shared commitment to the Arcus Foundation mission and values, positively and professionally strengthening the capacity of Arcus’ teams
• Demonstrate sensitivity and respect for cultural values, practices, beliefs, and social experiences of diverse communities, effectively and comfortably engaging in a variety of cultural settings
• Lead with a team-oriented approach, demonstrating high integrity, effective stewardship of Foundation resources, emphasis on overall organizational wellbeing and performance, and a caring approach that builds trust and collaboration across the 28-person staff

Team Management and Organizational Leadership

• Directly supervise the Facilities Manager and IT Manager, setting goals and workflow, monitoring performance, providing mentoring, coaching, feedback, and identifying opportunities for professional development
• Oversee and direct partnerships with outsourced support teams, including IT specialists and the Foundation’s Professional Employer Organization
• Oversee key projects stewarded by the HR Manager with respect to HR administration
• Support the Foundation’s leadership team in efforts to build trust and collaboration across departments, partnering most closely with the COO, Executive Office, and Finance teams

Organizational Effectiveness and Administrative Acumen

• Drive process/project design and facilitation related to HR, Facilities, and IT; in partnership with the broader staff, ensure effective planning and the highest quality deliverables in these areas
• Oversee hiring and onboarding/offboarding processes, compensation and benefits procurement and administration, and payroll and tax administration
• Lead the development of enhanced performance management strategies, partnering closely on staff training and development with the Director of Organizational Learning and Executive Projects
• In consultation with the COO and Professional Employer Organization, manage employee relations, acting as a confidant and reliable resource for staff
• Overseeing the work of the Facilities Manager, monitor operations and ensure safety, security, and functionality of the Arcus offices (including related vendors, systems, and building personnel); provide administrative oversight for the planned office relocation in 2021
• Overseeing the work of the IT Manager, design and monitor planning, sequencing, and implementation of IT projects to ensure adequate hardware, software, and equipment to enable Arcus’ workforce, and to ultimately ensure that Arcus’ core IT function is optimized

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will demonstrate expertise across the HR, Facilities, and IT functions, and will bring the following qualifications:

• A minimum of 10 years professional work experience, with at least 5 in a comparable role
• Broad knowledge and understanding of employment law, compensation and benefits administration, organizational planning, organizational development, and employee relations, safety, and training
• Deep project management experience, with a proven track record designing and executing multiple complex projects and initiatives simultaneously; extremely well-organized, with great attention to detail
• Excellent staff management, coaching, and counseling skills
• Exceptional team orientation and possession of a facilitative and collaborate style of engaging others in projects, including colleagues in remote locations
• Demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced environment, while remaining flexible and proactive
• Exceptional degrees of integrity, confidentiality, discretion, positive partnership, cultural competence, and emotional intelligence
• Understanding of and commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills required; ability to effectively engage and communicate with various stakeholders/audiences at multiple levels
• Experience working in a relevant professional setting, like a global, multi-cultural, multi-location organization and/or a foundation or nonprofit to advance social justice, animal welfare,or conservation movements

The annual salary for this role will start at $150,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Arcus Foundation also offers a comprehensive, competitive benefits package.

Arcus Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ persons, and other underrepresented applicants.