Operations Coordinator

understandingwar; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Understandingwar is seeking an Operations Coordinator to support its operations in Washington, DC. This full-time position involves office management, tech support, and logistics coordination, with a focus on supporting the mission of the Institute for the Study of War.

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years of professional experience, demonstrating excellent organizational and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; experience in a business setting preferred.
• Interest in national security and ISW’s mission.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain office cleanliness and organization.
• Manage calendar and assist with tech support.
• Coordinate travel and accommodations for staff.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Operations Coordinator – Institute for the Study of War

As the world continues towitnessthe devastating impact of armed conflict, the need for objective, real-time, unbiased analysis has never been greater. When decision-makers need information—from policymakers to humanitarian aid organizations to military leaders on the ground—time and time again, they turn to the Institute for the Study of War.

ISW has a unique, dual mission: to provide real-time intelligence to help leaders make informed decisions in conflict zones around the world and educate the next generation of national security leaders. This work is carried out through the General Jack Keane Center for National Security and the General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders.

Position Overview

The Operations Coordinator is a full-time position that requires an organized and collaborative professional to support ISW’s operations. The position reports to the Director of Accounting, and the ideal candidate will have 1-2 years of professional or equivalent experience. Role responsibilities will focus on office management and administration, information technology management, travel and logistics coordination, events logistics, and organizational project support as needed. This role will also be cross‑trained on development procedures to provide continuity of operations within ISW’s Development team.

Responsibilities

Office Management and Administration (70%)

• Maintain office spaces, conference rooms, closets, and AV room’s cleanliness and organization.
• Maintain ISW office calendar to ensure successful execution of events and meetings and deconflict use‑of‑space requests as needed.
• Manage main ISW phone line and assist with management of the main ISW email inbox and tech support email inbox.
• Collect and distribute mail 2-3x a week.
• Order and manage inventory of basic office and kitchen supplies, including paper, coffee, and light snacks.
• Order and maintain a record of office stationery and business cards.
• Support the execution of all in‑person external events and meetings, including escorting and hosting ISW guests and visitors, event space set‑up and breakdown.
• Order and manage external printing vendors or commercial printers for products.
• Provide administrative support across the organization, such as assisting with the printing and collation of documents as necessary.
• Facilitate staff and intern access to necessary subscriptions and monitor subscription use.
• Assist in operational credit card expenses reporting and receipt submission in coordination with the accounting team.
• Organize, maintain, and update ISW’s guest reception area.
• Coordinate, and book travel and accommodations for ISW staff as needed.
• Coordinate with ISW vendors as needed.
• Create, update and maintain operations standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Fulfill other operations tasks and responsibilities as required.

Tech/IT Management (25%)

• Maintain IT inventory, including tracking and updating equipment and ensuring proper.
• Perform basic light tech/IT troubleshooting of identified routine challenges and elevate as necessary.
• Assist with technical onboarding and offboarding of new staff and interns.

Development (5%)

• Provide administrative support to Development team as needed, including gift entry, processing of acknowledgements, and organizing donor materials.
• Provide events support as needed.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required; 1-2 years of professional experience in a business setting or equivalent is preferred.
• An interest in national security and a desire to advance ISW’s mission and research through an operational lens.
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented.
• Takes initiative and is excited by the opportunity to grow with ISW.
• Displays excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Is a team player and wants to be part of a growing team.
• Possesses strong time management skills and the ability to multi‑task competing projects with adaptability to shifting priorities and deadlines.
• Has high ethical standards and demonstrates ability to protect sensitive donor and organizational data.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn other software platforms as needed.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is illustrative and is not an exhaustive listing of activities, duties and responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Additional duties, responsibilities, and activities may be assigned by the supervisor.