Director of Operations

The Public Law Center; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, &

Life Insurance

FSA

Paid holidays

Sick/wellness days

Vacation days

Birthday PTO

401k match

Wi-Fi/cell phone stipend

Bilingual pay premium

Job summary

The Public Law Center in Santa Ana, CA seeks a Director of Operations to lead and evolve core administrative functions and ensure efficient, compliant operations in support of legal services to low-income residents. This senior role oversees facilities, IT coordination, HR operations, risk management, and vendor relationships.

Qualified candidates have 5+ years in operations, strong budgeting, leadership and process-improvement experience in a nonprofit setting.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of progressively responsible experience in operations, administration, or organizational management.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, contracts, projects, and competing priorities.
• Experience improving processes and implementing operational systems across teams.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Must be able to work from the office four to five days a week; some hybrid work possible.
• Bilingual English/Spanish or English/Vietnamese preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day organizational operations and develop systems, policies, and procedures that support effective service delivery and organizational growth.
• Overseeing office administration, reception, facilities, equipment, space planning, workplace safety, and business continuity planning.
• Managing vendor relationships, contracts, purchasing, and procurement processes, with attention to cost effectiveness and accountability.
• Partnering with finance leadership on annual budgeting, expense monitoring, operational forecasts, internal controls, and financial reporting processes.
• Overseeing organizational technology operations in coordination with internal staff and external IT providers, including cybersecurity practices, access management, and technology planning.
• Collaborating with leadership on human resources operations, including onboarding and offboarding processes, employee policies, benefits administration coordination, and staff support.
• Supervising and developing assigned operations and administrative personnel, including setting priorities, providing coaching, and conducting performance management.
• Improving cross-departmental workflows, records management, document retention, data practices, and administrative tools to strengthen consistency and service quality.
• Supporting compliance and risk management with applicable employment, workplace, contractual, insurance, and grant-related operational requirements in coordination with appropriate internal and external experts.
• Coordinating operational planning for organizational events, meetings, audits, and strategic initiatives.
• Identifying operational risks, developing practical solutions, and providing regular updates and recommendations to the CEO/Executive Director.
• Support development and implementation of the strategic plan.

Skills

Budget management

Vendor management

Contract management

Process improvement

Communication

Discretion & judgment

Nonprofit experience

HR administration familiarity

Bilingual (preferred)

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Founded in 1981, The Public Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free legal services to low-income residents and other nonprofits in Orange County. Last year, Public Law Center staff and volunteers provided over 65,000 hours of free legal services in handling over 4,500 cases benefiting low-income children, adults and seniors. The estimated value of this work is roughly $60 million in just the past three years. Our services include counseling, individual representation, community education and strategic policy advocacy and impact litigation to challenge societal injustices.

About the role

The Director of Operations is a senior leadership position responsible for the effective, efficient, and equitable operation of Public Law Center. Reporting to the CEO/Executive Director, the Director oversees core administrative systems, risk management including liability insurance, facilities, technology, vendor relationships, and organizational processes, and collaborates across departments to support PLC’s legal services and mission. Specific direct reports will be determined based on organizational structure.

What you'll do

The Director will be charged with:

• Leading day-to-day organizational operations and developing systems, policies, and procedures that support effective service delivery and organizational growth.
• Overseeing office administration, reception, facilities, equipment, space planning, workplace safety, and business continuity planning.
• Managing vendor relationships, contracts, purchasing, and procurement processes, with attention to cost effectiveness and accountability.
• Partnering with finance leadership on annual budgeting, expense monitoring, operational forecasts, internal controls, and financial reporting processes.
• Overseeing organizational technology operations in coordination with internal staff and external IT providers, including cybersecurity practices, access management, and technology planning.
• Collaborating with leadership on human resources operations, including onboarding and offboarding processes, employee policies, benefits administration coordination, and staff support.
• Supervising and developing assigned operations and administrative personnel, including setting priorities, providing coaching, and conducting performance management.
• Improving cross-departmental workflows, records management, document retention, data practices, and administrative tools to strengthen consistency and service quality.
• Supporting compliance and risk management with applicable employment, workplace, contractual, insurance, and grant-related operational requirements in coordination with appropriate internal and external experts.
• Coordinating operational planning for organizational events, meetings, audits, and strategic initiatives.
• Identifying operational risks, developing practical solutions, and providing regular updates and recommendations to the CEO/Executive Director.
• Support development and implementation of the strategic plan.

Qualifications

• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in operations, administration, or organizational management, including supervisory experience, required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, vendors, contracts, projects, and competing organizational priorities required.
• Experience improving processes and implementing operational systems across teams required.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills required.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and exercise sound judgment required.
• Experience in a nonprofit, legal services, or mission-driven organization preferred.
• Familiarity with HR administration, facilities, IT coordination, compliance, and organizational risk management preferred.
• Must be able to work from the office four to five days a week. Some hybrid work permitted if able to work from home in a distraction-free and confidential environment. Must have ability to work at the organization’s offices in Santa Ana, CA, and travel to work siteslocatedthroughout Orange County, CA.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends, required.
• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish or English/Vietnamese preferred.

Salary & Benefits

• Compensation dependent on experience; salary range $115,000 to $150,000.
• Competitive benefits provided, and for this position include:
• Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance (100% of employee premium costs for most plans paid by PLC, and 50% of dependent health insurance premium costs paid by PLC)
• Flexible Spending Account Program to help pay for medical expenses and childcare costs
• 18-20 paid holidays including the office shutdown between December 24 and early January
• 21 paid sick/wellness days per year to promote mental wellness and general wellbeing
• 15 paid vacation days per year (with more added for each year at PLC)
• Birthday paid time off (2 hours of paid time off during birthday month)
• 403b retirement plan (after 6 months of employment PLC provides a matching contribution equaling 100% of salary deferral up to a maximum of 3-4%, depending on length of employment)
• Monthly stipend to offset Wi-Fi and cell phone costs
• Monthly Bilingual Pay Premium upon scoring a sufficiently high level of an oral and/or written test ($50 for oral premium and $50 for written premium)
• Opportunities for growth and advancement

Public Law Center is dedicated to building a diverse team and fostering a fair and welcoming work environment. To view our complete DEI statement, please click .

Public Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please contact Public Law Center.

PLC will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

PLC regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas or consider individuals on time-limited Visa status for this position.