Director of Operations at The Abigail Adams Institute

The Abigail Adams Institute (AAI) is seeking a Director of Operations (DO) to manage the operations and finances of the not-for-profit institute, located in Cambridge, MA. 

AAI is an independent scholarly enterprise dedicated to reviving traditional liberal arts education at Harvard and other Boston based universities. Throughout the year, we provide a range of programming, including reading and discussion groups, workshops, lectures, conversations with faculty, intellectual retreats, and mentoring. The name of the Institute honors the Massachusetts native Abigail Adams, whose capacious learning, judicious insight, and wise counsel shaped the founding and early development of the American nation.

DO drives the mission of the Institute forward through management of the daily operations of the institute & its programs, including finances, bookkeeping, compliance, and program logistics. The ideal candidate for this position is highly organized, self-disciplined, enthusiastic about liberal arts education, and has a strong desire to serve the intellectual community of Harvard and Greater Boston. This role offers a humanities or social sciences major the opportunity to learn the “hard” skills of nonprofit administration. DO also receives continued intellectual formation via our regular programming, most of which is open to staff, fellows, and students alike. For more information on our offerings over the years, please consult www.AAICambridge.org. 

Please note that this is a full-time, work-in-the-office position.

Key Responsibilities 

Accounting & Bookkeeping:

  • Handles the bookkeeping of the organization, working as needed with an external accountant.

  • Provides financial reporting for grants.

  • Maintains the annual budget, and the finances for all affiliate programs and serves as point person for each affiliate program for best practices. 

  • Coordinates the annual audit, providing the accountant with necessary documentation. 

Grant Management: 

  • Overseeing the administration of grants. Records the grants in the CRM (customer relations management) software, and works to maintain updated donor information in a timely manner.

  • Assists with grant applications, including new grants, and narrative reporting. 

Human Resources:

  • Approves time cards for part-time employees, runs payroll, and records payroll allocations.  

  • Promotes, structures and co-leads the AAI Summer Internship Program. 

  • Onboards research assistants, interns and other new employees.

  • Oversees compliance. 

  • Manages benefits programs, including the health insurance plan. 

General Administration:

  • Manages utilities, and other accounts payable, negotiating contracts with the companies, such as contracts for Wi-Fi, telephone, and works with the team to manage the office space. 

  • Works with the Director to optimize all data collection and management.

  • Works with the Director specifically on donor relations and database administration. 

  • Other responsibilities and tasks as the Institute grows. 

Role Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree

  • Understanding and commitment to the mission of the Institute.

  • Experience with Excel and willingness and ability to learn new “platforms” quickly.

  • Strong communication skills and attention to detail. 

  • Self-starter, demonstrated ability to work independently. and handle multiple projects. 

  • Able to take direction and feedback, and ability to communicate feedback to others. 

  • Desire to learn best practices for nonprofit management. 

  • Familiarity with Quickbooks or other accounting softwares is a plus. 

  • Strong sense of internal controls and understanding of GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) is a plus, but not a requirement. 

  • Flexibility to work evening events as well as occasional weekends is a must. 

1-2 years of experience bookkeeping and/or grant management is preferred, but candidates without will be considered. 1-2 years of experience with event planning and management is preferred. 

Benefits:

Starting salary for this position is commensurate with skills and experience. 

AAI offers paid time off in addition to the standard holidays. 

AAI Employees are eligible for health insurance on the first day of employment, and eligible for the retirement plan benefits after one year of employment. 

Application:

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter addressing your candidacy and how it would further AAI’s mission, and the names and contact info of three references. Please put all the information in a single pdf file and address it to Emma Towne, Director of Operations, at emmatowne@AAICambridge.org.