Senior Director, Enterprise Operations & Risk

Position Description

Senior Director, Enterprise Operations & Risk

Job Title: Senior Director, Enterprise Operations & Risk

Reports to: Chief Operations Officer

Status: Full-Time Exempt, Permanent

Salary: $120,000 - $150,000 Annually

Location: Remote

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Enterprise Operations and Risk is responsible for facilitating and ensuring the operational and enterprise risk management excellence of the organization. This role manages program and business operations to achieve process optimization and alignment to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness across the organization. The position is also responsible for overseeing agreements and contracts, field safety and risk, facilities, vendors, insurance, and enterprise risk management. The Senior Director of Enterprise Operations and Risk will implement feedback loops to continually learn from and improve SCA’s program and business operations, field safety, and enterprise risk management policies and practices.

This position will lead cross-functional initiatives to improve efficiency, scalability, and the overall effectiveness of SCA’s programs and operations. The Senior Director may be called upon to represent SCA on the Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) Steering Committee as part of the WRMC leadership group. The Senior Director of Enterprise Operations will also be a critical partner in driving operational strategies that align with SCA’s long term strategy and its JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) goals.

Job Responsibilities

Program Operations

• Oversee operations of the Program department of SCA. Develop and implement standard operating procedures for field services, training, evaluation and performance reporting, and lead/support cross-departmental efforts to structure and improve the efficient operation of programs.
• Oversee Field Services, including the central warehouse facilities, uniform distribution, fleet management, and other centralized processes in support of the Programs department.
• Manage the Evaluation and Reporting team, ensuring accurate data for programmatic outputs and outcomes.
• Oversee AmeriCorps administration, ensuring submission of grant applications, continuations and recompetes; accurate and complete performance measure reporting; and compliance with national and State Commission rules and regulations.
• Support Program strategy development and lead strategy planning, implementation, and evaluation in collaboration with the Program Leadership Team.
• Lead/support Program department efforts to develop new program design in conjunction with other SCA departments.
• Support the development of the annual budget for Programs and track budget outcomes throughout the year, ensuring that program leaders and budget managers have the training and technical support they need to develop and manage their budgets.
• Direct strategies for using quantitative and qualitative metrics to evaluate and improve program effectiveness, quality, and outcomes.
• Present on SCA programs at regional and national conferences.
• Identify patterns, problem areas, and best practices, and implement effective solutions to maximize efficiency.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators for periodic review and evaluation of SCA’s portfolio of service and learning opportunities.
• Report on completed on-budget and on-time projects and project outcomes.

Agreements and Contracts

• Provide operational oversight of federal agreements and contracts, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations, award terms, reporting requirements, and organizational policies.
• Partner cross-functionally with program, finance, and partnership to monitor contract performance, deliverables, renewals, and compliance obligations.
• Establish and maintain internal controls and contract management processes to ensure accurate documentation, timely reporting, and mitigation of financial and operational risk.
• Advise senior leadership on contractual, compliance, and operational implications associated with federal awards, procurement activities, and key vendor relationships.

Operational Excellence

• Work closely with the COO and other senior leaders to align enterprise operations with organizational strategy.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to support organizational goals and objectives.
• Lead/support the design and optimization of systems, processes, and infrastructure to drive operational efficiency across departments.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements to enhance operational ease and organizational capacity.
• Collaborate with program, technology, and business operations teams to integrate solutions that drive efficiency and scalability.
• Act as a liaison between program and operations teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and resource alignment.
• Provide strategic and operational guidance and support to departmental leaders to ensure strategic alignment and operational consistency across the organization.
• Engage external stakeholders and vendors as needed to support operational priorities and initiatives.

Field Risk and Safety Management

• Oversee the Field Risk and Safety group within Business Operations. Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for risk and safety-related tasks and functions.
• Oversee the evaluation of proposed SCA engagements for risk and safety concerns and ensure that internal programs review standards and assessments are designed and maintained appropriately.
• Oversee the compilation of the annual Risk and Safety Management Report, including the safety culture survey results to outline patterns and new trends in incident data and tracking, and program observations, identify emerging risks, and draft recommendations for organizational improvement. Present the report and findings to SCA executives and the Board of Directors.
• Oversee and direct incident response and reporting, serving as the Risk Owner for Safety Risk and coordinating efforts with the Incident Commander, and all key internal and external stakeholders.

Enterprise and Operational Risk Management

• Serve as enterprise risk management coordinator across the organization, including identification, assessment, management, reporting, and governance activities related to enterprise risk management.
• Implement and maintain the SCA’s enterprise risk management and incident response framework, including related processes and thresholds for notification and escalation of management throughout the organization.
• Present results to the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board.
• Lead/support specific operational risk management functions. This may include, but is not limited to facilities, insurance, registrations and filings, etc.
• Lead/support cross-functional Business Operations projects, as needed.

Facilities Management

• Ensure all SCA facilities, including offices, warehouses, and field locations, are being optimized, are well-maintained, and meet operational needs.
• Complete a periodic business needs assessment and make recommendations regarding facilities and warehouses, i.e., opening new locations, closing or downsizing existing locations, centralized vs decentralized cache operations, etc.
• Lead/support planning and execution of facilities-related initiatives.
• Maintain inventory and management of physical assets, including tools, vehicles, and equipment.
• Oversee storage and distribution of supplies for field operations.
• Source, negotiate, and manage contracts for facility-related services (e.g., maintenance, repairs, security, etc.)

Vendor and Contractor Management

• Oversee SCA’s key vendors and contactors to ensure SCA’s programmatic and operational needs are being met.
• Develop standard operating procedures for vendor selection, monitoring, and evaluation, including due diligence, background checks, insurance requirements, and operational continuity.
• Monitor compliance with SCA’s procurement policy to ensure transparency and cost effectiveness. Ensure alignment of vendor selection with SCA’s mission, values, and JEDI principles.
• Monitor and oversee vendor performance, quality assurance, and compliance.
  

Training and Education

• Oversee the design and maintenance of SCA’s field guide and training resources and guidance related to safety, including policy/procedure, incident response and management, and member engagement.
• Determine training and professional development priorities for SCA staff and leaders. Promote inclusion of risk management related roles, responsibilities, and evaluations, accordingly.

Department Leadership and Management

• Lead the drafting, implementation, and review of the department’s annual strategic plan.
• Develop and manage the Enterprise Operations department budget.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators for Enterprise Operations. Regularly assess the effectiveness of operations strategies, making data-driven adjustments as necessary.
• Develop and present reports to senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and the Audit & Risk Committee.
• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing operations team and provide opportunities for growth and professional development.
• Recruit and manage a network of formal and informal risk management advisors, including for medical direction, mental health guidance, risk management, safety culture, and member engagement.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive culture that aligns with SCA’s values and priorities.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management, risk management, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in enterprise operations, business management and/or in the risk and safety management field. Non-profit industry experience, a plus.
• Experience working with youth and young adults from racially and socioeconomically diverse perspectives desired.
• “Train the trainer” experience with demonstrated strong facilitation and educational skills is desired.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of operational best practices, systems, and process optimization.
• Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, with a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and delivery results in a dynamic environment.
• Proficiency in project management and enterprise systems.
• Proven experience with strong, proactive, and inclusive communication skills required. Ability to communicate clearly in both writing and verbally. Ability to compile and write written reports; ability to design and deliver effective presentations and trainings.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills and with exceptional attention to detail. Highly resourceful with a demonstrated ability to effectively work independently, as needed.
• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, and delegating to teams.
• Experience with software including, Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Visio, and Salesforce. Willingness and ability to learn new software.
• Has a collaborative approach to risk management work, driven by compassion, empathy, humility, and the desire to support others.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
• Committed to professional development. Growth oriented, has the desire and motivation to seek development opportunities, feedback, and apply learnings.

Benefits:  

• Employer-Paid Life Insurance, AD&D Insurance, and Short-Term Disability 

• Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurances, Pet Insurance, and more 

• Free confidential therapy, Teladoc, and financial planning services 

• Generous PTO policy (starting at 22 days a year) 

• 12 Paid Federal Holidays and Floating Holiday, Community Service, and Education hours 

• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match 

• Paid Parental Leave (up to 4 weeks) 

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.  

Equal Opportunity Statement  

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.