Director - Operations (Business Processes) at CIRCULAR ACTION ALLIANCE

, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

11 Sep, 26

Salary

200000.0

Posted On

13 Jun, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Business Operations, Process Design, Cross-functional Coordination, Portfolio Management, Strategic Planning, KPI Development, Risk Management, Change Management, Team Leadership, Operational Reporting, Workflow Optimization, Resource Planning

Industry

Non-profit Organizations

Description

Vision The leading Producer Responsibility Organization implementing the circular economy through paper and packaging. Mission Circular Action Alliance (CAA) helps producers comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, delivers harmonized best-in-class services, and works with governments, businesses, and communities to reduce waste and increase recycling. Role Overview The California Director of Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for building and managing the operational backbone needed to successfully deliver California’s SB 54 program effectively and at scale. This role oversees business operations and execution strategy, and owns the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of core operational processes that enable consistent, scalable execution. This role leads cross-functional operational alignment with HR, Finance, Producer Services, and IT to ensure California priorities are executed efficiently and dependencies are managed proactively. In partnership with the Project Management Office, the Director of Operations will create structure across a fast-moving portfolio of work by establishing clear workflows, governance, resource planning practices, reporting mechanisms, and decision-support tools that enable the California team to deliver against strategic priorities. Reporting to the California Executive Director, this individual will work closely with the California team and national leadership to ensure operational alignment, strengthen internal coordination, improve visibility into progress and risk, and support the successful execution of California’s program goals. The ideal candidate is a highly organized and systems-oriented leader who can manage people, design and implement processes, and lead cross-functional efforts in a complex, dynamic and evolving environment. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership & Operational Management * Build and lead a business operations team, ensuring strong execution and consistency in both day-to-day operations and long-term operational success. * Set team operating rhythms that strengthen coordination, drive follow-through, and improve visibility across California priorities. * Establish expectations, roles, and escalation pathways across the business operations function to support effective execution at scale. * Foster a high-performance team culture grounded in accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and organizational impact. Process Design, Governance & Continuous Improvement * Own the design, documentation, implementation, and improvement of core operational processes that support California program delivery. * Standardize workflows, tools, templates, and decision-making processes to improve efficiency, consistency, and transparency across the team. * Develop and maintain operational systems for planning, intake, prioritization, issue tracking, risk management, and status reporting. * Identify process bottlenecks, duplication, or operational gaps, and implement practical solutions that improve team effectiveness. * Ensure operational practices are scalable and aligned with both California-specific needs and broader statewide harmonization efforts. Cross-Functional Coordination & Internal Liaison * Serve as the California team’s primary point of contact for HR, Finance, Producer Services, Project Management Office and IT on operational matters. * Coordinate with HR on onboarding, offboarding, organizational planning, role transitions, and team support needs. * Partner with Finance on budget coordination, procurement, forecasting inputs, invoice/process alignment, and operational planning needs. * Work closely with Producer Services to ensure California operational requirements, producer-facing workflows, and internal handoffs are aligned. * Partner with IT and systems-related teams to identify technology needs, support implementation of new tools or processes, and improve system usability for the California team. * Act as a central connector across functions to ensure dependencies are managed, communication is streamlined, and critical issues are escalated appropriately Operations Planning, Reporting & Decision Support * Establish operational metrics and KPIs for California operations. * Oversee planning and tracking for California priorities, ensuring timelines, ownership, milestones, and interdependencies are clearly defined. * Provide operational reporting, dashboards, and status updates that support leadership visibility and informed decision-making. * Enable leadership decision-making through planning materials, workflow recommendations, and operational analysis. * Monitor operational risks, capacity constraints, and resource needs, and recommend mitigation strategies or adjustments as needed. * Translate strategic priorities into executable work plans, coordinated timelines, and measurable operational outcomes. Program Enablement & Organizational Effectiveness * Strengthen day-to-day execution by ensuring teams have the structure, tools, and processes needed to deliver high-quality work efficiently. * Support change management efforts tied to new systems, evolving business needs, or organizational growth. * Improve internal collaboration and information flow within the California team and between California and national functions. * Promote disciplined documentation and knowledge-sharing practices that reduce dependency on informal processes. * Perform other related duties as assigned. Skills & Competencies * Strong ability to leverage tools and technology to automate and streamline operational processes to maximize efficiency and minimize manual tasks and communication. * Experience with developing and optimizing cross-functional operations. * Strong project or portfolio management experience in a complex, fast-paced environment. * Experience with reporting, planning, and operational decision support for leadership preferred. * Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Qualifications * Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, or a related field, or equivalent experience. Advanced degree (e.g., MBA) is a plus. * Minimum 10+ years of experience in operations, program management, business operations, or a related leadership role. * Minimum 5+ years of experience leading and developing operations teams. Demonstrated experience designing and improving operational processes, workflows, and team systems. * Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Driver's License with clean driving history. Compensation & Other Information * Location: Remote in California, USA * Pay Rate: Based on a variety of factors in accordance with applicable law including the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, knowledge, and experience. * Reports To: Executive Director, CA Circular Action Alliance is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you require accommodation as part of the application process, please contact careers@circularaction.org [careers@circularaction.org].

Responsibilities

Lead the operational backbone for California's SB 54 program by designing and implementing scalable business processes and governance. Coordinate cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and IT to ensure efficient execution of strategic priorities and operational alignment.