Operations Manager

Salary: $79,770.51- $86,313.58

Benefits: 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Unlimited vacation and sick days, 2-week winter break, and federal holidays
• Flexible work schedule
• Annual employee allowance and professional development stipend
• Employer 401(k) contribution matching up to 4%
• Local coworking space stipend for remote staff

Location: Chicago, IL or remote in the U.S. (Chicago-based preferred)

Start Date: November 2026

Start of application review: September 2026. We often close jobs early to be able to review the large number of applications.

Type: Full time

Travel: Up to 25%, dependent on need and public health considerations

About the Role

As the Operations Manager, you’ll play a key role in supporting the Operations department with overseeing the infrastructure that translates CTCL’s mission into tangible outcomes in the real world. That means keeping the trains on time so that we can continue to execute the critical work that impacts and champions election administrators and officials, and the millions of voters they serve. You will report to the Chief Operations Officer.

Responsibilities

• Operations & Office Management
• • Own general office management tasks, including administrative coordination and operational logistics
  • Responsible for checking and routing all organizational mail and incoming materials
  • Provide note-taking support for internal meetings and cross-functional working sessions
  • Support ad hoc operational needs across departments based on organizational priorities
  • Double-check work to maintain accuracy and efficiency
• Contracts & Compliance
• • Adhere to organizational policies, procedures, and applicable laws
  • Maintain accurate records of operations activities
  • Assist with coordination of contract and compliance-related workstreams
  • Draft and review contracts and related documentation under guidance
  • Coordinate with relevant staff members, legal counsel, and CTCL partners to:
  • • Complete review cycles
    • Collect approvals and any required signatures for contracts and service agreements
    • Employee handbook updates
    • Track deadlines and ensure follow-through on compliance-related deliverables
• 501(c)(3) Compliance Learning & Research
• • Conduct research related to 501(c)(3) compliance requirements and best practices
  • Maintain a list of priority compliance knowledge areas
  • Ensure current organizational practices align with best practices
• Staff Engagement 
• • Triage, route, and monitor staff questions to the appropriate Operations members
  • Coordinate with departments and follow up with individuals to ensure required tasks are completed on time
  • Provide staff with the resources and tools they need to do their best work
• Manage Grants & Finances
• • Maintain accurate financial records through monthly and annual reconciliation of all accounts
  • • Support the annual budgeting process, audits, tax filings, accounting, grantmaking, and revenue
  • Develop and maintain relationships with vendors and suppliers

• Program & Event Support
• • Own program-related administrative and coordination tasks
  • Manage planning and logistics for internal and external events
  • Provide cross-functional support to Operations and other teams as needed

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you would need some experience in all of these must-have areas:

• Detail-Oriented: You pay close attention to detail and ensure that any task or work product - big or small - is thorough and accurate. You are highly organized and thrive in a work environment with regular responsibilities that may be routine or repetitive.
• Inclusive Decision-Making: You have experience effectively soliciting feedback from stakeholders, working to understand their diverse needs and find comprehensive solutions. You are motivated to identify and remove barriers faced by others while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Integrity: You can be trusted with confidential organizational and staff information.
• Stay Grounded During Change: You can work through uncertainty, staying grounded in values while responding to a changing environment.
• Independent Time Management and Coordination: You are thoughtful with your time management, and this shows in the quality of work you produce. You have experience coordinating with others to plan and finish projects within a set amount of time. You can do all of this in a virtual work setting.
• Project Management: You have the ability to manage up and hold others accountable. You know project management best practices and tools. You ensure clear communication to make steady progress over short or long timelines.
• Mission Alignment: You are enthusiastic about supporting excellent election administration across jurisdictions and are motivated by work that strengthens the security and integrity of U.S. elections. You believe in democracy and care about voting.
• Risk Mitigation: You are ready to support organizational compliance, including IRS 501(c)(3) regulatory requirements. This includes learning about and supporting efforts related to reporting obligations, public benefit standards, restrictions on political activity, general nonprofit governance, and annual Form 990 filings.

Experience with financial best practices such as expense reconciliation, auditing, and payroll management are all plusses, but not requirements for the role.

To Apply

• Complete a short application form and upload your resume. (Only applications submitted through this form will be accepted; materials submitted via email will not be considered.)
• If you meet our desired criteria, you will have the opportunity to complete an online job simulation exercise to demonstrate your qualifications and also get a better idea of what the job will be like. The simulation will take approximately 1 hour to complete.
• Candidates with the strongest simulations will be invited to a video interview. We will then conduct reference checks for finalists, to determine who’s the best fit for the position.
• All applicants will be notified via email of the status of their application by October 2026.
  
  

This position must be performed within the United States. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. The Company does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

Employees and job applicants are protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. These protections apply to all employment decisions, including recruitment, hiring, performance evaluations, promotions, training, and career development. Additionally, CTCL provides to employees and applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities; for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

About Center For Tech and Civic Life
When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines. But behind the scenes are thousands of people in state and local governments who are working hard to make sure accurate election information is published, ballots are counted, and voices are heard.

The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) is a nonpartisan nonprofit that catalyzes excellent election administration across the United States. We do this by supporting election departments, field building, and conducting research to provide actionable insights.