Operations Specialist

Internews Job Description Operations Specialist Job Title: Operations Specialist Department: Business Operations Job Family: Finance Location: Remote in United States Salary: $75,000 to $85,000 Status: Exempt Supervisor: Director of Finance

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Operations Specialist provides hands-on support for day-to-day organizational and programmatic operations. The position coordinates operational activities, manages procurement and contract administration processes, organizes logistics, maintains systems and documentation, and ensures that tasks and deliverables are completed accurately and on time. Working closely with program teams, Finance, HR, IT, Legal, and other colleagues, the Operations Specialist helps translate organizational priorities into actionable tasks, resolves routine operational issues, and improves workflows. The position requires a proactive, organized, and resourceful professional who can manage multiple priorities, work independently, and follow assignments through to completion. Reporting to the Director of Finance, the Operations Specialist is an individual contributor who coordinates across departments but does not supervise staff or assume the decision-making authority of other functional leaders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, with other duties upon request:

Program Operations

• Coordinate operational support for program activities, including procurement, contract administration, travel arrangements, events, training logistics, and other administrative requirements, in collaboration with program teams.
• Coordinate with program colleagues responsible for work plans, implementation schedules, and project trackers to identify and address operational needs, follow up on outstanding operational tasks, and support timely completion of required arrangements.
• Provide operational and administrative support for project startup, transitions, extensions, and closeout, including coordinating documentation, logistics, procurement, and other related requirements.
• Work with program teams to identify operational challenges, resolve routine administrative or logistical issues, and escalate matters requiring additional support or decision-making.
• Coordinate with Finance and other functional teams to facilitate required operational arrangements, documentation, and approvals in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

Procurement and Contract Administration

• Coordinate procurement activities in accordance with organizational policies, donor requirements, and established approval procedures.
• Gather specifications, obtain quotations or proposals, organize bid documentation, and maintain procurement records.
• Coordinate the preparation, review, routing, execution, and tracking of contracts and agreements in collaboration with Finance, Legal, program teams, and other relevant colleagues.
• Maintain contract and procurement trackers, including key dates, deliverables, approvals, renewals, and closeout requirements.
• Follow up on vendor and consultant/contractor deliverables, outstanding documentation, and administrative requirements.
• Ensure procurement and contract files are complete, organized, and readily available for internal review, audits, and donor compliance purposes.
• Refer exceptions, contractual concerns, and decisions requiring formal approval to the appropriate functional leader

Organizational Operations and Administration

• Coordinate day-to-day organizational operational needs, administrative activities, and cross-functional assignments to support efficient operations.
• Organize travel, meetings, events, training sessions, and other organizational activities.
• Coordinate with HR, IT, Legal, Finance, and other colleagues on operational requests, onboarding and offboarding logistics, equipment and access needs, office administration, and related activities, as assigned.
• Maintain administrative records, calendars, inventories, shared resources, and operational documentation.
• Track routine operational requests and follow through with the appropriate colleagues to ensure timely resolution.
• Identify recurring administrative or operational challenges and coordinate practical solutions within established policies and delegated authority.

Systems and Process Improvement

• Maintain operational trackers, shared files, databases, templates, and other tools used to coordinate work and monitor deliverables.
• Ensure operational records and documentation are accurate, current, consistently organized, and accessible to authorized colleagues.
• Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and duplication in operational processes and recommend practical improvements.
• Help document and implement standard operating procedures, workflows, checklists, and administrative guidance.
• Support the effective use of organizational systems and tools by coordinating information, maintaining data quality, and helping colleagues follow established processes.
• Monitor the status of assigned tasks and workflows, identify bottlenecks, and follow up to support timely completion.

Coordination, Compliance, and Reporting

• Coordinate with program teams, Finance, and other functional colleagues to follow up on operational requirements and ensure assigned tasks are completed on schedule.
• Maintain complete, organized procurement and contract files, including required approvals, quotations, agreements, amendments, and supporting documentation, to ensure records are readily available for review and audit.
• Support Finance and program teams in meeting donor-specific administrative and documentation requirements under grant agreements and contracts, including coordinating the collection and filing of required records.
• Compile operational documentation and provide status updates on procurement, contracts, outstanding documentation, and related administrative requirements to the Director of Finance and relevant colleagues.
• Support internal reviews, financial and donor audits, and monitoring activities by gathering records, checking files for completeness, and coordinating responses to documentation requests.
• Identify missing records, incomplete approvals, upcoming deadlines, and potential documentation or procedural gaps; follow up with responsible colleagues and escalate unresolved issues to the appropriate decision-maker.
• Communicate proactively with colleagues regarding documentation requirements, deadlines, outstanding actions, and changes affecting procurement, contracts, or operational processes.

In all duties, uphold Internews’ Core Values and demonstrate commitment to fostering a culture of Belonging, Dignity, and Justice.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 6+ years of relevant experience in operations, program coordination, procurement, contract administration, or administrative support; nonprofit or international development experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in hands-on operations, program coordination, procurement administration, contract administration, or administrative support.
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to carry assignments from initiation through completion with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, shared documents, collaboration platforms, and operational tracking systems.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, documentation, and follow-up skills.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, initiative, and a service-oriented approach.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, locations, and time zones.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS and WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met or may be encountered by an employee performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include normal color perception and close vision for use of computer terminal and reading printed and electronic materials. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to the risk of radiation from regular exposure to computer VDTs. Expected office hours are generally Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the associate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of their position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.