New York, USA
Director of operations
at SO – IL
SO–IL is seeking a director of operations to join its team in New York City.
SO – IL, an architectural design firm based in Brooklyn, New York, is seeking a motivated operations professional with at least three years’ of experience. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience managing the day-to-day needs of a 25-person office. This role will interact with all levels of the organization, interface with clients and industry partners, and coordinate externally with operations-leading professionals including accountants, lawyers, and insurance companies. The position requires working closely with the Principals and Senior Associates at the office on a daily basis.
In addition to a highly organized and self-directed individual, the person in this role should have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. Alongside managing the office’s administrative needs, the director of operations works to maintain a positive office culture, assisting the management team in balancing the office’s larger goals with the individual needs and experience of its employees. This position also acts as a first point of contact for many interactions from outside the office, and as such must strive to establish and maintain positive and communicative relationships.
As SO–IL enters an exciting moment of rapid growth and expansion, we are seeking an individual with a desire to grow alongside the firm. This position presents a unique opportunity to play an integral role in ushering an internationally recognized design firm into its next iteration.
Position description:
- general office administration, including ordering supplies, basic IT troubleshooting, and ensuring the proper maintenance of office facilities
- administration of general HR (benefits, time off, etc.) via Justworks
- coordination of active schedules across the organization
- acting as a main point of contact for the office, maintaining open lines of communication with clients, institutional partners, and industry contacts
- coordination of weekly meetings with senior staff and Principals to ensure that projects are properly resourced, schedules are maintained, and internal strategic projects are moving forward
- overseeing the recruitment process for all levels of the organization, including coordination of interview process, onboarding and offboarding, contract negotiation and visa paperwork
- tracking of ongoing project budgets with project managers
- coordination of monthly invoicing, liaising between project managers and accounting team
- management of contracts workflow, liaising with outside lawyer, project managers, and insurance provider to ensure that scope of work, fee proposals, schedules, and insurance coverages are satisfied
- office event planning (occasional skill sharing events, happy hours, annual holiday party, etc.)
Skills:
- ability to work flexibly in a demanding environment
- confidence to manage uncertainty and prioritize competing deadline
- a flexible and proactive approach
- demonstrated experience ‘managing up’
- excellent communication skills, with an ability to adapt communication styles based upon audience and circumstance
- the ideal candidate is outgoing and personable, this being an incredibly forward-facing role
- experience with HR compliance and regulations, especially with regards to visa programs (J1 and F1 in particular) is beneficial
- some experience with contract administration and finance, with the ability to communicate with professionals outside of the office, is beneficial
- experience working with the Adobe design programs, particularly InDesign, is beneficial
- a background or interest in architecture/the arts is beneficial but not required
Prerequisites
Prior demonstrable experience in a similar role is necessary. While there is the opportunity to learn and grow with the organization, this is a dynamic position within a fast-paced office.
To apply
To be considered for the position please include the following documents:
- CV/resume
- A cover letter containing the following: an introduction of yourself, why you would be a good fit for this position and your preferred start date
- three professional references
Submit the above via the apply for job button below quoting ‘your name_director of operations’.
Unfortunately due to the volume of applications we are not able to reach out to every inquiry. We will follow-up with qualified candidates via email to schedule interviews. Please no phone calls or unscheduled office visits.