Founding Operations Leader

Mindspan Institute; Cambridge, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 220,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, vision,

Retirement matching

Competitive salary and benefits

Job summary

Mindspan Institute is seeking a founding operations leader to build the financial, legal, HR, procurement, and compliance scaffolding for a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary science operation. You will own end-to-end operations, working with external partners and internal staff, and gradually build an internal team as we scale.

Responsibilities include coordinating monthly close, onboarding and payroll, vendor management, contracts, grants, and compliance with public-charity rules.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive operations leadership, preferably in biotech nonprofit or life-science context.
• Experience with 501(c)(3) governance and public-charity compliance.
• Track record of turning broad goals into scalable operating structures.
• Ability to manage external partners and build internal teams over time.

Responsibilities

• Set up monthly close processes and financial controls.
• Oversee payroll, onboarding, and vendor payments.
• Manage accounts payable, procurement platforms, and budget tracking.
• Coordinate contracts, grants, and compliance with governance standards.
• Build and lead a small operations team as Mindspan grows.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory compliance

Contract management

People management

Budgeting

Procurement

HR operations

Governance

Tools

Procurement platforms

PEO/payroll systems

CFO advisory coordination

Contracts management software

Job description

Mindspan Institute is seeking a founding operations leader to build the financial, legal, HR, procurement, and compliance scaffolding for a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary science operation. You will own end-to-end operations, working with external partners and internal staff, and gradually build an internal team as we scale.

Responsibilities include coordinating monthly close, onboarding and payroll, vendor management, contracts, grants, and compliance with public-charity rules.