Director of Operations

We offer a referral bonus of up to $2,500 for this position; see here for more details.

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  • Project/Division: Operations
  • Start date: As soon as possible
  • Status: Full-time SecureBio employee
  • Approximate compensation: $100,000 to $130,000; based on experience - we will consider higher for exceptional candidates
  • Visa sponsorship: Considered for exceptional candidates 
  • Work location: In-person in Cambridge, MA
  • Reports to: Ben Mueller, Executive Director
  • Application form: apply here. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

The role

SecureBio is a pioneering biosecurity nonprofit dedicated to protecting society from catastrophic biological risks. We collaborate with leading experts across academia, industry, and government to develop novel technologies and forward-thinking policy proposals to delay, detect, and defend against the most dangerous biological agents, both natural and engineered. Our key initiatives include the Nucleic Acid Observatory for early warning of catastrophic biothreats, the SecureDNA project for DNA synthesis screening software, and our AI and Biotechnology Risks effort.

We are seeking a strategic, highly-organized, and tech-savvy Director of Operations to oversee and optimize our day-to-day operations.  Depending on experience, you will either contribute to, or own outright, from among the following operational domains: finance, accounts/bookkeeping, payroll, HR, organization of board meetings, management of project delivery, external stakeholder management, fundraising, and office space oversight. 

Reporting directly to our Executive Director, you have the potential to grow into a leader overseeing nearly all of our operations.  There is flexibility to take on greater ownership across specific operational domains depending on your interests. 

We expect an excellent candidate to become a highly valuable long-term member of the SecureBio team.  You will be crucial in driving organizational growth, creating scalable processes, and ensuring efficient operations across all areas of our nonprofit.  You will significantly contribute to SecureBio’s overall effectiveness in preventing catastrophic biorisk.

Responsibilities

  • Identify and execute strategic operational priorities with the leadership team;
  • Partner closely with our Executive Director on fundraising efforts;
  • Own and optimize our operational processes across hiring, finance, software, executive email triage, comms, etc.;
  • Manage, oversee, and, where necessary, grow the operations team to meet our organizational needs;
  • Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders and vendors (e.g. bookkeepers, auditors, lawyers, and certain funders);
  • Prepare agenda and necessary documentation ahead of Board meetings;
  • Provide program management and other operational support (e.g. setting up an e-signature system) for specific project teams;
  • Expand our current office space into a thriving coworking space.

Competencies and qualifications

Required

  • Extensive experience in at least three of the operational domains below:

    • Finances (budgeting, bookkeeping, audit),

    • Fundraising and business development,

    • Program management,

    • People operations (payroll, hiring, visas, benefits),

    • Coordinating board meetings,

    • Internal systems (automations, software tools, hardware & data security);

  • Strong written and oral communication abilities;

  • Systems thinker with strong analytical capabilities who enjoys finding ways to optimize and improve processes to make organizational performance more efficient; 

  • Comfort with giving and receiving frank and honest feedback, including asking for help when needed and quickly raising and resolving interpersonal issues;

  • Discreet & trustworthy with confidential or sensitive information;

Preferred

  • At least 3 years of experience in operations roles, including one year of direct management experience;
  • Hands-on experience in designing & building automated solutions to tricky operational problems;
  • Experience building a new small non-profit or startup;
  • Enthusiasm about or experience in biosecurity, with the desire to learn fast and orient themselves quickly in a new context.

If you are unsure whether you are a good fit, we strongly recommend that you apply anyway.

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time, in-person role, reporting directly to the Executive Director of SecureBio, and is based in our office space in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Your starting salary range is $100,000 to $130,000 per annum, depending on prior experience. There may be flexibility in salary for exceptional candidates with significant relevant experience.

Our employee benefits reflect our belief in investing to build the strongest possible team, in which everyone receives the trust and support they need to excel. Our benefits package includes:

  • Comprehensive healthcare

    Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including health, dental & vision insurance, as well as a yearly mental health allowance for every employee.

  • Flexible work schedule

    Flexible work hours; unlimited paid time off (PTO) for all employees; and minimum 12 weeks fully-paid parental leave.

  • World-class office

    An exceptional working environment in our Kendall Square office, including high-quality ergonomic office equipment, snacks, and daily catered lunches.

  • Development opportunities

    Generous professional development opportunities, including fully-paid conference sponsorships and a yearly development allowance for every employee.

  • 401(k)

    Employer 401(k) match up to 4% of total salary.

  • Relocation & commuter support

    Free parking & commuter benefits, plus a generous relocation allowance for employees who move to the Boston area

About SecureBio

In joining SecureBio, you’ll be joining a motivated, mission-driven, and international team of professionals dedicated to protecting the world from biological threats. Through in-house research & development, as well as collaborations with experts in academia, industry & government, we are working to build the tools, technologies, and institutions the world needs to be secure against future biotechnology,

Major projects by the SecureBio team include the Nucleic Acid Observatory project for reliable pandemic detection; the SecureDNA initiative for fast, secure, and sensitive screening of DNA synthesis; and our work to understand and reduce biological risks from advanced artificial intelligence.

Application process

We will review applications on a rolling basis, and are looking for someone to start as soon as possible.

After considering your written application, we may invite you to a short screening interview. High-performing candidates may be invited to further interviews and/or paid trial tasks.

We’re committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, and we encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We especially encourage applications from women, gender minorities, and people of color who are excited about contributing to our mission, and are happy to consider applicants from overseas. We’re an equal opportunity employer.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, or have any other questions about applying, please contact [email protected].

Referral bonus

We offer a referral bonus of up to $2,500 to individuals who refer successful candidates for this position:

  • If you refer a candidate that we invite to a full structured interview or work trial, you will receive $250;

  • If the candidate receives a job offer from us, you will receive a further $750, for a total of $1,000;

  • If the candidate is still working with us after the initial three month contract, you will receive a further $1,500, for a total of $2,500.

To receive these bonuses, we must reasonably believe that you were responsible for referring the candidate to us (e.g. due to you introducing them to us when we didn’t previously know them, or them mentioning you on their application as the reason they heard about the position).