Director of Operations

Seeking an exceptional operations leader to shape the strategic direction of a non-profit while driving operational excellence to make a meaningful impact on the lives of Michiganders!

About Us

Michigan Founders Fund is the leading statewide network for high-growth founders and investors. We are composed of more than 150 founder and investor members who commit 1% equity or carry to a philanthropic fund that supports Michigan’s social sector. Focused on building a thriving and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, members represent a wide range of demographics and regions across the state. To support our mission, we design and implement founder-first programming to further relationship-building, startup advancement, and community impact, while coordinating statewide initiatives in talent development and ecosystem-building. 

We operate as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a start-up culture, and we are excited to be growing quickly. We are a committed team united by a passion for uplifting high-growth startup founders that represent the state’s demographics as well as giving back to our local communities. 

To learn more please visit www.michiganfoundersfund.org or find us on LinkedIn.

About the Role

The Operations Director will work closely with the Executive Director and Membership team and is responsible for operational leadership, people and contractor management, major event support, and managing organizational data and communications for both internal and external audiences. This position will provide overall leadership, supervision, and direction on strategic initiatives and operating standards to further our mission.

Responsibilities:

• Build and manage scalable, day-to-day operations and processes to lead internal teams and information management and communication systems.
• Develop and document Standard Operating Procedures and project manage overall team deliverables and team accountability.
• Craft people management strategy and build organizational and program-level KPIs, metrics, and shareable reports.
• Manage and collaborate with external partners including Finance & Accounting, HR/Recruiting, and Legal teams. Source RFPs/contractors.
• Support team on developing fundraising strategies and implementation, as well as communicating donor and external messages through reporting and mixed media.
• Build, monitor, and track stakeholder lists as well as document actionable internal insights and analytics in the CRM system.
• Maintain, update, and improve organizational processes, file management, and tech stack (including G Suite, HubSpot, Notion, others).
• Support management of major events, marketing, and special projects.

About You:

• Prior operations experience in a nonprofit, philanthropic, or membership organization is highly desired.
• Prior people management experience is highly desired.
• Strong technical aptitude or interest to incorporate technology such as AI for building and improving processes is desired.
• Proven project management and CRM experience. 
• High attention to detail and continual process improvements.
• Startup or membership-based organizational experience is a plus.
• Experience with fundraising, major events, and/or strategic communications is a plus.
• Demonstrated management experience in diverse environments, with a track record of developing culture and implementing strategic vision.

Work Environment & Travel

This position occasionally requires work beyond typical business hours when necessary to participate in events or meet deadlines.

This new director role is estimated to begin by early summer of 2025. This is a full-time position and is hybrid/remote-based (within the state of MI) with the requirement to travel to work with team members in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and other regions of MI as needed. 

This position is salaried with health insurance benefits, 401(k), annual travel and professional development stipend, and generous PTO. Annual salary is based on experience. 

Michigan Founders Fund is committed to building a diverse workforce with an inclusive work environment, encompassing every level of the organization. MFF is an equal opportunity employer regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental ability, race, region, sexual orientation, or veteran status.