Operations Manager

Irrigation Association; Virginia, Fairfax (MN, VA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Operations Manager to enhance internal systems and support the association's mission. This hybrid role offers a unique opportunity to optimize operations, manage procurement, and coordinate HR processes. The ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative environment, driving efficiency and supporting cross-functional initiatives. With a focus on teamwork and communication, you'll play a key role in ensuring the association delivers value to its members. If you're a detail-oriented professional with a passion for operational excellence, this is the perfect opportunity for you to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations coordination or administrative management.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate operations functions and ensure compliance with internal processes.
• Support financial management, HR coordination, and IT infrastructure needs.

Skills

Operations Coordination

Administrative Management

Supply Chain Support

Project Management

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Attention to Detail

Problem-Solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

AMS/CRM

Procurement Systems

Project Management Platforms

Job description

ABOUT US

The Irrigation Association is the leading trade association for irrigation equipment and system manufacturers, dealers, distributors, designers, consultants, contractors, and end users. We are committed to ensuring the Irrigation Association remains a central point for collectively elevating our interests and a unifying voice on the value that irrigation brings to green spaces and the food, fuel, fiber and feed that our nation and globe need. As the Irrigation Association positions itself to meet the future demands of its stakeholders and capture growth opportunities, we are improving our efforts to listen to and learn from our members so that we can become more agile and responsive and lead with foresight.

We're driving innovation in sustainable irrigation practices while serving as the unified voice for our industry. As we evolve to meet future challenges and opportunities, we're seeking a tech-savvy, agile professional to join our dynamic team.

ABOUT YOU

The Operations Manager is a vital contributor to Irrigation Association’s growth and modernization. They will help optimize the internal systems that support the association’s mission, serving as a reliable, behind-the-scenes partner for smooth and compliant operations across the association. The manager’s work will help ensure the integrity and efficiency of internal services that enable IA to deliver measurable value to our members, customers and the irrigation industry.

The Operations Manager supports the core functions within the Operations Unit at the Irrigation Association (IA), including financial management support, information technology and infrastructure, administration and office management and supply chain activities. This role provides high-quality operational coordination and administrative support that contributes to the IA’s efficiency and internal alignment.

We operate within a matrixed environment that places a strong emphasis on collaboration and adherence to established norms and business rules. As part of our team, you will manage and execute work across multiple business units and cross-functional teams, requiring you to navigate and contribute within a dynamic organizational structure. Success in this role hinges on your ability to communicate effectively, work cooperatively with diverse teams, and drive projects forward in alignment with our shared goals. We highly value teamwork, the ability to build strong relationships and a commitment to upholding our business principles.

Core responsibilities of the Operations Manager will include:

Collaborator, Coordinator and Facilitator – within Operations and enterprise-wide

• Serve as a primary point of contact and administrative partner across IA’s operations functions, helping ensure smooth execution of tasks and internal coordination, with a focus on improving efficiency and operational effectiveness.
• Support cross-functional initiatives, acting as a facilitator for shared projects, tools and processes.

Operations, Administrative & Knowledge Management Stewardship

• Assist in coordination and maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), templates and policies across business functions.
• Maintain centralized documents such as contracts, policies, templates and board decisions in alignment with IA’s record retention protocols.
• Support internal workflow processes and project coordination as needed.
• Coordinate, tracking, finalizing and memorializing policies, SOPs and business rules enterprise-wide to support consistency and institutional knowledge.

Supply Chain Support & Procurement Management

• Coordinate day-to-day activities related to procurement, sourcing, fulfillment and distribution, ensuring compliance with supply chain and vendor management processes.
• Act as a liaison for vendors, suppliers, contractors and consultants for IA’s operations functions.
• Maintain centralized crosswalk of all contractors, consultants and suppliers, including status, documentation and key dates.
• Support vendor coordination (e.g., obtaining quotes, managing timelines, tracking renewals) for vendor negotiation and supporting contract management to ensure cost-effective procurement of goods and services.
• Implement basic inventory tracking systems and support restock/reorder processes in collaboration with appropriate business units.
• Facilitate fulfillment and distribution logistics in partnership with internal teams and third-party providers.
• Support monitoring of supply chain process performance; escalate issues and opportunities for cost savings and efficiency improvements to relevant leads.

Office & Facility Management

• Manage shared inboxes, general mail handling, calendar and space coordination and facilities/office access.
• Track equipment lifecycle and replacement timelines in partnership with IT service and office service providers.

Financial Management Coordination

• Provide financial management business operations support for general accounting, including processing accounts receivable, invoices, budget tracking and financial reporting.
• Provide transactional support for general accounting functions, including invoice routing, account coding, basic reporting and accounts receivable documentation working with accounting service provider and internal team members.
• Help ensure compliance with established financial policies and procedures (e.g., expense submission protocols, documentation standards).
• Serve as an internal coordinator of financial management activities.

HR Coordination

• Assist with execution of human resources processes, including recordkeeping, employee engagement, compliance tracking and onboarding/offboarding coordination.
• Support IA’s compliance with HR/labor policies and protocols by facilitating documentation, timelines and communication between employees and external vendor/service providers.
• Coordinate training and professional development logistics for IA employees.

Information Technology & Infrastructure Support

• Support IT-related needs, including user access coordination, equipment tracking, procurement requests and service ticketing in coordination with IT service providers.
• Maintain internal tools and access records for technology infrastructure; assist with software license renewals, office hardware and security protocols documentation tracking.
• Coordinate logistics for hardware/software setup for employees with IT service providers.

Process Improvement & Cross-Functional Support

• Participate in identifying and implementing internal process improvements that support greater efficiency across business functions.
• Assist with process mapping, workflow documentation and task tracking to standardize internal procedures.
• Provide operational coordination and administrative support for strategic or special as assigned.

Our Operations Manager will likely possess many of the following skills and traits, though we will evaluate each candidate on their individual merits in a holistic way:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Minimum of five years of experience in operations coordination, administrative management, supply chain support, project management or similar function.
• Experience supporting multiple operational functions (finance, HR, IT, procurement) in a collaborative or matrixed environment.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and stakeholders.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to follow through on complex tasks.
• High level of discretion and professionalism in managing sensitive information.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with tools/platforms such as AMS/CRM, procurement systems and project management platforms.
• Ability to learn and integrate new and emerging technologies to simplify and improve business operations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and proactively problem-solve in a dynamic, evolving environment.

This is a hybrid role. Occasional travel for meetings and events may be required.