Interim Operations Manager

This is an internal opening only. This is a temporary assignment projected to start 02/13/2023 and end 04/10/2023.

The Organization

The Florence Project (Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, or FIRRP) was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona, on any given day. The Florence Project is nationally known for its legal and social services that ensure that detained immigrants are empowered and have access to justice. The Florence Project provides high-quality legal services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy, and currently has 180 staff members and offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Florence, Arizona.

Primary Purpose of the Job:

The Interim Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring the operation systems (infrastructure of organization including mail process and onboarding needs of staff), technology (hardware, software, and technology communication), and working space of staff (building management and landlord relations and support for remote working). Responsible for supervising office administrative staff, managing front-end duties, performing a variety of back-end tasks and special projects, and providing excellent customer service, both internally and externally. This team will interact with the Office of People & Culture, Finance, and Legal and Social Service teams.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Front Desk Management & Office Coordination:

• Develop and maintain organization-wide systems to manage mail (incoming and outgoing), inbound phone calls, and receive clients and visitors. Regularly work across teams and with leadership to ensure teams needs from Operations are being met.

• Develop office to office procedures with Office Coordinators for office and/or facilities related maintenance, repairs, updates, and general announcements.

• Maintain vendors relations to ensure prompt and high quality customer service .

• Work with Office Coordinators to maintain inventory and track key equipment, furniture, historical and high dollar items.

• Manage monthly office supply inventory and purchasing including necessary PPE.

• Manage administrative staff schedules to ensure adequate coverage of the front desk at all times.

• Monitor front desk staff and ensure compliance with safety and security procedures for staff and clients/visitors.

• Address feedback, complaints, and requests from staff, clients, donors, and general public.

• Assist in planning events, meetings, luncheons, and staff team building activities or special projects as needed.

• Oversee and manage new hire onboarding/staff offboarding, as it relates to operational processes. For onboarding, setting up staff for success on their first day, and collecting FIRRP property and closing accounts on their last day. This includes regular participation in new hire orientation/training schedule, and updating inventory for returned items (e.g. equipment assessment, keys, access cards, badges, cell phones, etc).

Facility Management and Vendor Relations:

• Maintain security vendor relations and Develop safety protocols and manage security systems - work with Office Coordinators to train staff members in the systems.

• Maintain vendor and property management day to day communications to ensure quality of office space and needs are being met.

• Oversee in the offboarding process such as managing returned equipment, key, access cards, badges and other miscellaneous FIRRP materials.

• Oversee the off-site storage units.

• Assist with other special projects as needed.

Supervisory Leadership Responsibilities:

• This position manages the administrative personnel in each office (5-7).

• Lead weekly team meetings to discuss updates, address issues, maintain consistency in processes, and provide a space for team building and collaborative action.

• Attract, retain, lead, coach and develop an effective, diverse team, and provide a collegial, calm, and collaborative work environment that is client-centered and ego free.

• Develop, monitor, and evaluate staff goals and work plans. Ensure that established goals are achieved and that effective communication exists among the staff and the team, including establishing and maintaining regular team meetings. Provide team coordination and resource development for staff.

• Coach and support staff to ensure they have the necessary tools and resources needed to optimize performance and achieve established organization goals; provide ongoing support and coaching to all direct reports to ensure the program is operating effectively and efficiently.

Strategic Planning & Communication:

• Communicate effectively to staff throughout the organization on policies and practices of Operations. Attend team meetings and manager meetings to ensure issues and challenges are being addressed in a timely manner.

• Contribute to staff working groups and committees as needed.

• Participate in team meetings and management meetings.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

• Coordinate FIRRP’s General Liability insurance renewal procurement, monitoring, and renewal for General Liability.

Required Degrees, Certificates, Licenses, Registration, Experience, Skills, and Abilities:

• Supervisory experience preferred.

• Project Management experience preferred.

• Bachelor’s Degree or 3-5 years of equivalent experience.

• Commitment to the organizations mission.

• Highly organized, able to be an innovative thinker and work in high volume setting with limited resources.

• Outstanding customer service and resolution capability

• Aptitude for critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making.

• Strength of character, ethics, and commitment, and reliability.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills, is able to effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Ability to develop and implement processes for organizing and tracking records and other data as needed.

• A hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment. Can also work independently and is able to both set and meet deadlines and is adaptable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.

• Exhibits high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Must be able to pass basic background checks.

• Must have a valid driver license and reliable transportation.

• Proven computer and typing skills.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Operates in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling and pushing.
• Requires the ability to use standard office equipment such as, scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Requires the ability to lift up to ten pounds - accommodations may be available.
• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy.   To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021.  Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org.

Salary & Benefits:

This is a full-time, temporary assignment. The incumbent's annual base salary will be increased by $10,000 during the period of the interim managerial role.  This increase will take effect at the beginning and will cease at the end of the temporary assignment. We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff.

• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short-term disability insurance, with full premiums paid by the Florence Project, and partial health insurance premiums paid for dependents.
• Eligible employees are eligible for an employer matching retirement plan as soon as the employee contributes to their retirement plan.
• One personal day paid each month.
• Twenty-five days of vacation per year.
• Five days of sick/medical leave annually.
• Twelve weeks of paid parental leave.
• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires
• Bereavement leave.
• All federal holidays observed.
• After three years of employment, employees are eligible for an eight-week paid sabbatical.
• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.

Application Process:

This is an immediate opening. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities. We also recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at the Florence Project. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications, and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the position’s job functions.