Operations Associate

We seek someone who applies an anti-racist lens to their work as an administrative professional and who is responsive, detail-oriented, and able to skillfully accomplish a multitude of different tasks. The Operations Associate is a full-time position reporting to the Director of Finance & People Operations. This position will be based in Missoula and requires an in-person presence on a routine, weekly basis.

We recognize that potential candidates with identities that have been historically excluded or marginalized may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. If you believe that you could excel in this role despite not meeting all the qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

ABOUT THE ACLU OF MONTANA

The ACLU of Montana (founded in 1972) is an affiliate of the national ACLU (founded in 1920) and operates as a private, independent, non-profit organization. We are the state’s largest and most influential civil rights organization. Our current top priorities are Indigenous Justice, criminal legal reform, 2S-LGBTQIA rights, and voting rights. We work on a range of additional issues including reproductive justice, immigrants’ rights, freedom of speech and religion, and informational and digital privacy. The ACLU of Montana envisions a fair, equitable, and free Montana that welcomes and celebrates diversity of all kinds. In our Montana, everybody is treated with dignity and respect, and has equal access to rights and freedoms.

The ACLU of Montana has a current staff of nine and an office located in Missoula. We aspire to a friendly work environment, with flexibility and consideration of personal needs and circumstances. To learn more about the work of the ACLU of Montana, please visit https://www.aclumontana.org.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

ACLU of Montana is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We believe that having a board, staff, and volunteer base with diverse personal and professional backgrounds enhances our ability to meet our mission and creates an environment where all members of our community can thrive.

The ACLU of Montana does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, faith, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, tribal affiliation, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or record of arrest or conviction. We are committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment and one that honors and promotes a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We are engaging in ongoing internal racial equity work, with an emphasis in anti-racism and anti-colonialism.

We strongly encourage applications from Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other People of Color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, bi- or multi-lingual (including Indigenous languages) speakers, bicultural individuals, 2S-LGBTQIA individuals, those who have been formerly incarcerated or are currently under supervision, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We seek to build a team reflective of our diverse communities. All qualified applicants who share this vision and who have a desire to contribute to our mission are encouraged to apply.

We commit to developing and collaborating on thoughtful training programs and onboarding processes with the Operations Associate that identify an individual’s growth areas, in relation to the job description, and empowers their existing knowledge and skills.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations

• Support all administrative aspects of a growing organization including, but not limited to the list below.
• Manage internal meeting logistics including scheduling, agendas, presentation equipment and set-up as needed.
• Maintain vendor relationships, inventory, resupply, purchasing, and updates of office equipment, technology and supplies.
• Serve as point person for technology vendors and affiliate security efforts.
• Oversee general organizational correspondence, physical mail, including post office pick-up, e-mail and phone communication.
• Plan occasional events with varied audiences, goals, frequency, and size.
• Maintain, update, and secure hard copies and electronic filing systems and implement efficient and effective filing procedures observing all confidentiality restrictions.
• Assist in special projects and other duties as assigned within the scope of these responsibilities.

Board & Executive

• Provide administrative support for the Board of Directors, including maintenance of a software platform, committee rosters, new member orientation, meeting schedules, venue identification, preparing meeting material, attending after-hours board meetings on nights and occasional weekends, taking minutes and entering action items into workflows, and disseminating board minutes.
• Work with Executive Director and Board Members to foster a supportive and welcoming environment where board member volunteers feel comfortable asking for help with tasks related to their board duty functions.
• Manage Executive Director’s travel and assist with scheduling internal & external meetings.

People & HR

• Perform administrative Human Resource (HR) tasks including assisting with hiring committee management, benefit management, personnel file management and policy, procedure and guide updates.
• Support with recruitment and hiring, including working with hiring managers to develop and implement hiring plans that maximize recruiting.
• Support administration of the onboarding process to ensure each new staff member is welcomed, set up for success from the outset, and able to integrate into the organization.

Finance & Compliance

• Bridge the gap between HR tasks and finance to confirm employees compensation matches their enrollment decisions by working in partnership with finance staff to build and follow systems and communication commitments.
• Conduct and support various compliance processes and tasks.

Staff Teamwork & Collaboration

• Collaborate with other departments of the ACLU of Montana, as necessary, to support legal, advocacy, policy and organizing work, communications and storytelling, grant proposals and funding opportunities, and other related work.
• Support all team members with completion of administrative tasks in a timely and accurate manner, including, but not limited to travel and other expense reimbursements, timesheets, and other related financial and personnel documents.
• Actively engage with the ACLU of Montana team through regular staff meetings, continuing racial equity and inclusion work with a focus on anti-racism and anti-colonialist learning, professional development opportunities, occasional retreats, and periodic committees.
• Attend certain ACLU functions.

Competency & Commitment to Racial Equity 

The ACLU of Montana is committed to, and engaging in, ongoing racial equity work with an emphasis on anti-racism and anti-colonialism. As a staff member, you will be asked to commit, contribute, and engage in the following ways:

• Demonstrate commitment to building or deepening understanding of equity, in which racial equity and anti-racism and anti-colonialism are centered.
• Engage with the issues of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Embrace self-learning and reflection through optional racial caucus group conversations, activities, and support.
• Within the scope of the position, understand, explore, and utilize concepts such as structural racism, settler colonialism, anti-Blackness, Indigeneity, restorative justice, whiteness, and other related topics
  • To confront how race impacts supervisory relationships, team dynamics, organizational culture and how biases impact our individual and/or team work.
  • To engage in honest, thoughtful conversations about racial equity through a restorative justice approach that accepts feedback openly, non-defensively, emphasizing learning and healing, while balancing accountability.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following experiences are integral to meeting the job responsibilities. Please be sure to identify these in your application and throughout the hiring process. Relevant experience may be through lived, and/or professional or volunteer experiences, or coursework.

• Solid computer and digital literacy skills, including demonstrated ability to quickly learn and utilize online applications or portals.
• Reliability, discretion, and reputation for maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to work independently and keep organized, manage several projects simultaneously, be in regular contact with coworkers while working outside of the office, and adjust plans when needed.
• Strong verbal, written, and listening communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex processes in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work inclusively across lines of difference in a variety of settings.
• Evening (approximately four times per month) and weekend (quarterly) availability to support meetings of our board and board committees.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time. Occasionally moves items weighing up to 50 pounds for various needs.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging with anti-racist and anti-colonialist understandings of and respect for differences of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance and class.
• Commitment to building or deepening understanding of equity, in which an anti-racism and anti-colonialism lens are centered. 
• Understanding and willingness to engage with the issues of institutional and structural racism and bias, and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following experiences are particularly valuable - please be sure to address these in your resume or cover letter. We encourage you to apply even if you do not have these qualifications:

• Strong commitment to and understanding of the mission of the ACLU-MT.
• Experience training and supporting staff and/or board members with a variety of skillsets and comfort levels.
• Experience with HR concepts, especially benefit management and managing hiring efforts.
• Experience with event planning.
• Comfort trouble-shooting technology issues remotely or in-person.
• Experience managing travel, calendars, and a range of logistics for others.
• Experience with Asana, Expensify, OnBoard or similar software platforms.
• Experience working in places where diversity and equity initiatives are forefront.
• Lived experiences including, but not limited to:
  • Being directly impacted by the social and civil rights issues addressed by ACLU of Montana.
  • Living or working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • A history of personal work on issues of equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging, particularly on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is full-time, exempt, and will pay an annual salary of $54,600 - $59,799, depending on experience. Excellent benefits offered, including health, vision and dental insurance, short and long-term disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan and employer matching, and generous vacation, holiday, sabbatical, and family and medical leave policies. Relocation reimbursements for actual moving expenses available up to $4,000, depending on distance and number of family members, contingent on two year’s employment. A monthly reimbursement for personal mobile phone and utilities (including internet) is offered to all ACLU employees working remotely during the pandemic.

The Operations Associate will be based in Missoula, Montana. If the finalist is not a Montana resident yet, we will discuss with the finalist a timeline for moving to MT within the first months of the start date. Remote work is an option for this position, although in-person presence in Missoula is required on a routine, weekly basis.  Many of our staff currently work remotely with occasional in-office work. The position will require occasional travel including quarterly two-day all staff meetings (travel expenses paid for by the ACLU of Montana).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

All applications are treated confidentially. Please submit (in pdf format if possible):

1. A letter (of no more than one page) describing your interest in the position and the ways in which you satisfy the qualifications specified above. Please indicate in your letter where you learned of this position.
2. Resume.

Email your application to jobs[at]aclumontana.org or mail it to:

ACLU of Montana, Attn: Hiring

P.O. Box 1968, Missoula, MT 59806

Please put “Operations Associate” in the subject line of your email / envelope.

Applicants with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing to jobs[at]aclumontana.org to request reasonable accommodation at the time of application.

PROCESS

Application review will start May 22, 2024. Applications after that date are encouraged and will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is removed from the ACLU-MT Job Openings page. We are aiming for a start date in July 2024.

Our hiring process is managed by a dedicated hiring committee. The steps for finalist selection include a screening call by HR staff, a videoconferencing interview with the hiring committee, an assessment/work sample exercise, a final interview (via videoconferencing), reference calls for the selected finalist, decision and making a job offer to the finalist candidate. We commit to regular communication with all applicants throughout the process, will apprise candidates of next steps as appropriate, and will promptly communicate any change in timeline above.

To learn more about the work of the ACLU-MT, please visit www.aclumontana.org.