Initiatives and Operations Manager

Stand Together; Grand Rapids (MI); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Stand Together is seeking an experienced operations leader to advance the Radius initiative in West Michigan. This role bridges strategy and execution, collaborating with community partners to translate vision into action while staying adaptable and results-focused.

The role requires strong judgment, relationship-building, and the ability to operate across internal teams and local stakeholders. It is based in Grand Rapids with a hybrid work model that includes remote work from home days.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in strategy, operations, philanthropy or related field.
• Experience vetting, analyzing, recommending, and stewarding investments (grants or similar).
• Strong project management skills across cross-functional efforts.
• Experience building or operationalizing measurement, evaluation, customer feedback, or learning systems.
• Proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and build trust.
• Strategic thinking with ability to execute and follow through on details.
• Exceptional communication skills; ability to clarify ambiguity and align others.
• Adaptive approach; comfortable in evolving, fast-paced environments.
• High degree of judgment, humility, and professionalism.
• Curiosity and a learning mindset.

Responsibilities

• Partner with nonprofit, civic, faith, business, and philanthropic leaders to shape and operationalize the West Michigan Radius strategy.
• Vet, evaluate, and steward grants, ensuring alignment with priorities and outcomes.
• Drive clarity in complex work by organizing people, priorities, and next steps across stakeholders.
• Develop and deliver clear stakeholder updates and reporting on progress and insights.
• Lead deployment of the Radius measurement platform (Thrive Lights and CFM) in Grand Rapids; support adoption and learning loops.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives from concept to execution, navigating ambiguity.
• Create lightweight systems and rhythms to improve coordination and accountability.
• Engage in continuous learning by applying insights to strengthen strategy.
• Represent the organization in the West Michigan community and deepen engagement.

Skills

Strategy

Operations

Philanthropy

Stakeholder management

Project management

Measurement platforms

Communication

Adaptability

Judgment & professionalism

Curiosity

Tools

Thrive Lights

CFM

Job description

Stand Together is a philanthropic community that helps America’s boldest changemakers tackle the root causes of our country’sbiggest problems, from education to the economy, broken communities, and toxic division, among dozens of other pressing issues. We provide our partners with access to resources including funding, thought leadership, a network of peers, and a playbook for applying proven principles to transform lives and society.

We are seeking an experienced operations leader to support and advance a place-based initiative (Radius) in West Michigan. This role will serve as a key partner to local and regional community leaders, helping translate vision into action in a dynamic, community-centered environment.

This is not a traditional operations role. The work is relational, evolving, and often ambiguous, requiring someone who can bring structure and clarity without over-engineering solutions. You will operate at the intersection of strategy, execution, and partnership, working across internal teams and community stakeholders to drive a regional strategy that is both adaptive and results-oriented.

This is a highly visible role that requires strong judgment, adaptability, and the ability to build trust quickly. Success will come from combining strategic thinking with hands‑on execution, while continuously learning and refining our approach in an experimental, “test and learn” environment.

This role is based in the Grand Rapid area where the team works from home.

How You Will Contribute

• Partner with nonprofit, civic, faith, business, and philanthropic leaders to shape and operationalize the West Michigan Radius strategy, translating priorities into clear plans and coordinated action
• Vet, evaluate, and steward grants, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and desired outcomes
• Drive clarity in complex and evolving work by organizing people, priorities, and next steps across multiple stakeholders and initiatives
• Develop and deliver clear, compelling stakeholder updates and reporting that communicate progress, insights, and opportunities
• Build and lead the local deployment of the Radius measurement platform in Grand Rapids (Kent and Ottawa counties), including Thrive Lights and Customer First Measurement (CFM), in partnership with internal teams and community stakeholders; support adoption, reporting, learning loops, and use of insights to strengthen strategy and execution
• Lead and support cross-functional initiatives from concept through execution, navigating ambiguity and adapting as conditions evolve
• Create lightweight but effective systems and rhythms that improve coordination, communication, and accountability without adding unnecessary rigidity
• Engage in continuous learning by evaluating what is working, what is not, and why—then applying those insights to strengthen strategy and execution
• Represent the organization in the West Michigan community, helping build credibility and deepen engagement with key stakeholders

What You Will Bring

• 7+ years of experience in strategy, operations, philanthropy, or a related field, with a track record of driving outcomes in complex, ambiguous environments
• Demonstrated experience vetting, analyzing, recommending, and stewarding investments (e.g., grants or similar resource allocation decisions)
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and drive progress across cross-functional efforts
• Experience building, implementing, or operationalizing measurement, evaluation, customer feedback, or learning systems that improve accountability, partner engagement, and decision-making
• Proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and build trust with diverse partners, both internally and externally
• Strong strategic thinking skills paired with the ability to execute and follow through on details
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to bring clarity to ambiguity and align others around a shared path forward
• A nimble, adaptive approach and comfort operating in evolving, fast‑paced environments
• High degree of judgment, humility, and professionalism when engaging with a wide range of partners
• Curiosity and a learning mindset, with a desire to understand what drives success and how to replicate it

Standout Candidates Will Bring

• Experience in place-based community strategies
• Background in building or scaling community-based initiatives or cross-sector partnerships

$125,000 - $150,000 a year

For this role, the anticipated base salary range is $125,000–$150,000 per year. This role may also be eligible for additional bonus compensation designed to align total compensation with an employee’s overall contribution to the organization.

Our Principles-Based Management™ (PBM) compensation philosophy is grounded in an individualized approach that rewards the long‑term value each person creates for the organization. Compensation decisions are informed by a variety of factors, including relevant experience, capabilities, demonstrated skills, role responsibilities, and expected contribution. Consistent with this approach, base salary may vary within or outside of the anticipated range based on these considerations.

Our Values:

Working for an organization within the Stand Together philanthropic community is different from many other places. The culture is deeply rooted in Principle Based Management® (PBM®), a framework guided by the principles that drive human progress, such as dignity, openness, and bottom‑up empowerment. PBM® empowers employees to be entrepreneurial, to innovate, and to continually drive transformation.

We believe diversity fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. That is why we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, and respect.