Deputy director of finance operations

Location

Berkeley, CA | United States

Job description

DEPUTY DIRECTOR / FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Organization: GRIP Training Institute:

Location, Hybrid: Berkeley, CA Headquarters and remote

Type: Full time, exempt

Position Overview: 

As the GRIP Training Institute sets out to scale its program and impact, the Deputy Director will lead the design and implementation of organization-wide systems capable of supporting GRIP’s scaling efforts, in line with GRIP’s culture/values. The organization is at a key inflection point, having grown from 3 full time staff in 2019 to 14 FT and 15 PT, currently. We anticipate continued growth as we refine and implement a 10-year scaling strategy.

GRIP is committed to building an organizational culture rooted in principles of restorative justice and the foundational GRIP value of “power with.” The Deputy Director role is an exciting opportunity for an innovative, operations and people person who thrives at leading through times of growth and change, and who is open to experimenting and learning alongside others.

This person, working hand-in-hand with the Executive Director, will be charged with leading the financial management and overseeing key internal functions (e.g., Operations, Technology, Data). Reporting directly to the ED, the Deputy Director will translate GRIP’s strategic vision for scaling and sustainability into annual operating goals, budgets, and work plans, and then guide a leadership team to achieve these goals successfully. A core part of the mission of the GRIP Training Institute is the leadership development of formerly incarcerated graduates of the GRIP program. The Deputy Director will have a key role in guiding the development of systems, practices and an organizational culture that helps the organization succeed in this mission. They will manage 2-5 direct reports and will coach and develop talent across the organization towards outcomes while building and maintaining a positive, productive and inclusive organizational culture grounded in restorative justice and love.

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership expertise in non-profit finance and operational systems for successful growth, and will also “be the glue” connecting these support functions to the broader organizational mission and program strategy. They will identify and address pain points, find or create tools to solve problems, and create efficiencies across the organization. The ideal person is a gifted manager who enjoys developing others and sees their own success through the accomplishments of their team.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT

• Oversee all aspects of financial management in the organization, ensuring effective procedures, accounting, reporting, budgeting, and audits.
• Manage the organization’s strategic finance processes in support of programs and operations, including organizational-wide budgeting, project budgeting for specific grants, and financial modeling to ensure sustainable growth. 
• Establish and manage inclusive, effective systems for budgeting and tracking financial objectives and key results; regularly evaluating and tracking progress to goal.
• Prepare, analyze and present regular financial reports and progress metrics for the Executive Director and Board.
• Streamline the financial processes to effectively track, manage and report out on all government and foundation grants. 
• Ensure the organization follows fiscal policies, and all funds are managed in compliance with GAAP.
• Oversee 990 and audit processes, ensuring effective internal controls and preparation, as well as managing the relationships with external auditors.
• Provide leadership, in collaboration with board treasurer, to manage cash reserves and investments in line with board policies.
• In collaboration with the ED, lead long-range financial planning, risk management, and plan for long-term sustainability of the GRIP Training Institute.

OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT

Leadership on capacity building & change management

• Plan and execute regular leadership team meetings and all-staff retreats ensuring timely project planning, organizational progress to goals and alignment with the overall strategic plan.
• Ensure teams have the resources and talent they need and are well positioned to deliver on their respective outcomes.
• In consultation with the ED and Operations Director, evaluate and refine the organizational structure to meet short- and long-term goals and priorities as GRIP scales its impact; this includes overseeing analysis on, and revisions to compensation and benefits for recruitment and retention of high performing talent.
• Guide processes to assess and refine current practices to reflect our transformative values of equity, transparency, and wellness. This includes employment policies, compensation and benefits, management practices, and organizational structure.
• Establish practices and systems that promote opportunity and professional growth at every level of the organization. This includes researching and experimenting with transformational structures and practices that promote equity and inclusion as we scale (eg., sociocracy; “reinventing organizations” practices).
• With a cross functional perspective, and an eye toward scaling and equity, seek ways to integrate and improve the organizational systems and processes to promote alignment with organizational values, culture and impact.
• Support effective implementation of a comprehensive data system integration initiative for purposes of program tracking and evaluation, public communications and fundraising.
• Support effective execution of a learning management system to improve current program implementation and the development of an e-learning delivery model acceptable within the state prison system.

Model transformative management and learning culture

• Support the leadership development of current and future members of the staff to achieve their vocational goals, both at GRIP and beyond. 
• Provide strong day-to-day management while cultivating shared purpose, building distributed leadership teams, and fostering interconnectedness throughout the organization’s culture and practices. 
• Promote and serve as a culture carrier for GRIP’s values with a deep commitment to practicing the teachings and tools of GRIP curriculum, and supporting others to do the same. 

Who Should Apply:

The ideal candidate has exceptional financial management experience,, who loves to develop people and systems and has intricate knowledge of all that is integral to successful scaling of programs. They have deep knowledge of and compassion for the real experiences of incarceration and the impact of trauma/violence in people’s lives. They have an unwavering belief that people are the core to any mission-driven organization and that strong operations foster the ability to manage through complex, challenging issues. They have a passion for building organizations with equity and wellness in mind, and are lifelong learners themselves.

The strongest candidates will have the following experience and qualities:

• 10+ years of work experience in leadership role in financial management and operations management, connecting these aspects with strategic considerations across the organization; 
• A proven track record of leading an organization through growth periods;
• Non-profit financial management expertise, with experience providing oversight of complex financial processes, as well as understanding of non-profit accounting principles, practices, and reporting. 
• Exceptional people management skills; ability to establish credibility and trust among staff and a wide array of stakeholders; has managed and developed teams to have shared ownership and deliver high-quality results; 
• High degree of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness to skillfully handle one’s own emotions and respond skillfully to others’.
• Understanding of HR processes and systems, including compensation and benefits.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to organize and interpret data, generate insights, and anticipate challenges and opportunities
• Experience operationalizing strategic growth plans into tactical implementation
• Deep commitment to the transformative and healing mission of GRIP
• Desired attributes: lived experience connected to incarceration and violence, and experience with restorative justice practices.

ABOUT THE GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE

The mission of GRIP is to create the personal and systemic change to turn violence and suffering into opportunities for learning and healing. The focus of our work is the prison system.

The Guiding Rage Into Power (GRIP) program is an evidence-based methodology developed over 24 years of work with thousands of incarcerated people and many victim/survivors. The program is a trauma-informed model that integrates neuroscientific research with therapeutic methodologies, and is rooted in principles of Restorative Justice. It offers students an in-depth journey that transforms violent behavior into an attitude of emotional intelligence that prevents re-victimization. The year-long program helps participants to comprehend the origins of their violence and develop the skills to track and manage strong impulses before they are acted out in destructive ways. 

GRIP’s perspective and the title of our 200-page coursebook is “Leaving Prison Before You Get Out.” ™ Together we learn that being free is not just about finding oneself on the other side of the prison gate; it’s not just a geographic fact. At the heart of being free is not where you are, but who you are. We believe that nobody was born armed and dangerous, that violence is learned and that it is a tragic expression of an unmet need. Therefore, it can also be unlearned. GRIP’s methodology facilitates unlearning violent behavior to replace it with an attitude of insight, compassion and service. 

Between 2012 and 2022, 1,283 people graduated from the GRIP program. Of these graduates, 674 have been released from prison, with a recidivism rate of 0.92%. GRIP functions as a peer education model where selected and trained graduates of the program co-facilitate the classes while mentoring new students. Since 2012, over 75 GRIP graduates have served as inside facilitators. GRIP’s impact continues beyond prison walls through our initiatives to support graduates of the GRIP program after their release. GRIP’s commitment to supporting graduates beyond prison walls is a testament to our belief in the power of restorative justice and the ability of individuals to transform their lives. 

The GRIP Training Institute is committed to building and nurturing an inclusive, equitable, respectful and accountable work environment. We welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life. What we ask of our students inside prison, we also ask of ourselves outside the walls -- to practice the GRIP tools of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, do-no-harm, and understanding the impact of our actions on others. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS  

The GRIP Training Institute offers its staff competitive benefits, including 100% paid health and dental/vision insurance, 401k plan, 15 days PTO, generous paid holidays and office closures during winter breaks, as well as professional development, self-care funds, and staff retreat days. 

Salary is competitive with other Bay Area nonprofits, and commensurate with experience: $120K-160K 

To apply, please send a resume and tailored cover letter describing your interest and experience that is relevant to this role to: hiring manager Veronica Balseiro at [email protected] . 

GRIP is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. We strongly encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented communities and people impacted by the criminal justice system.

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