Program and Operations Assistant

Job Title: Program and Operations Assistant

Department: Program: Campaign Strategy

Location: Remote or Sierra Club Office

Reports To: Associate Director, Campaign Operations

Context:  At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: The Program and Operations Assistant performs a broad range of administrative functions that enhance the efficiency and advance the mission of the Campaign Strategy Department. Primary responsibilities of this role include providing detail-oriented administrative support to Chief Program Officer and senior Campaign Strategy leadership, as well as providing operational support duties for the campaign and its staff. The Program and Operations Assistant is a collaborative and equity-driven individual who is committed to modeling and centering organizational belonging in their work.

• Executive Support: Provides exceptional, detail-oriented administrative support to the Chief Program Officer and assigned Campaign Strategy senior leadership.  Demonstrates professionalism and discretion managing sensitive or confidential information, including handling information related to personnel actions, union bargaining minutes, grievance information, and budgeting.  Successfully operates in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment, working collaboratively to ensure administrative needs are adequately met and problem-solves, as needed.  This may include maintaining robust and complex schedules, managing meeting arrangements, arranging travel, assisting with hiring processes, and supporting timekeeping and expense submissions. Makes strategic prioritization decisions and exercises sound judgment when faced with competing requests.  Tracks outstanding tasks and projects for senior leadership, including urgent and high priority requests. 
• Campaign Finance Support: Supports campaign leadership to ensure clear and effective budget management and implementation for assigned Campaign Strategy portfolio. Performs a broad range of operational functions including processing and tracking campaign expenses, reimbursements, invoices, external re-grants, contract agreements, and Chapter-National agreements  for assigned Campaign Strategy portfolio.  
• Campaign Operations Support:  Utilizing a solutions-orientation approach, applies Sierra Club’s standard operating procedures to individualized needs of individuals, teams, and departments.  Acts as a liaison between the campaigns and Operations and Finance Departments, supporting staff to navigate operational policies, procedures, and deadlines, and rolls out organizational policy changes to campaign staff.  Ensures vendors and other third parties follow Sierra Club established policies, procedures and contracting requirements. Supports the planning and execution of in-person and virtual departmental events and meetings, including volunteer fly-ins and mobilizations, in compliance with relevant organizational policies.  
• Project Management: Collaborates on Campaign Strategy project management efforts in with Campaign leadership to strengthen campaign and cross-departmental cohesiveness, efficiency, and advancement of campaign goals, either assigned by leadership or independently identified.  Supports campaign hiring processes with campaign directors, and supports onboarding and orientation for new staff. Supports tracking of organizational and departmental planning and reporting needs.
• Information Management and Communications: Organizes and manages Campaign Strategy information and resources for assigned portfolio including organizational charts, staff directories, google groups, listservs, and shared drives, and maintains records. Plans and runs webinars in partnership with campaign leadership. Develops, plans, and distributes departmental communications on behalf of campaign leadership. Demonstrates exceptional professionalism while interfacing with colleagues and external stakeholders.

• Overtime and work outside normal hours:
• The standard Sierra Club work week is 37.5 hours. This job requires occasional overtime or evening/weekend hours due to special deadlines, projects, other staff absences, or emergencies.   
• This position may require out-of-town travel up to 4 times a year. 

• Administrative Support experience. You have two to three years of demonstrated experience providing administrative or executive support to senior leadership in organizations.  You are comfortable and successful in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. 
• Confidentiality and discretion. You have demonstrated the ability to handle confidential matters, including those pertaining to personnel and budget decisions, with appropriate care, diplomacy, and integrity.  
• Highly organized and detail-oriented. You successfully manage competing priorities, and stay on track independently to meet deadlines. You have excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Excellent communication skills.  You interact cooperatively and effectively with a wide range of constituents including staff, volunteers, and external partners, and demonstrate exceptional professionalism. You are comfortable using Google Suite and Microsoft Office tools.
• Resourceful problem solver. You bring a solutions-oriented approach to your work, and you regularly take initiative to solve problems.  You creatively solve problems, and you proactively ask for help from your colleagues.  
• Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.

• Event planning experience. You have experience successfully planning and running virtual and in-person meetings and events, including logistical planning, budget tracking, and collaborating with a larger planning team. 
• Project Management Experience.  You have demonstrated success leading projects that require cross-functional collaboration inside organizations, campaigns, or teams.  You proactively make recommendations to improve systems and workflow.

To Apply

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.

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