ECMC Foundation is a nationally focused foundation whose mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments to remove barriers to postsecondary completion; build the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems; and transform the postsecondary ecosystem using a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to support both nonprofit and for-profit ventures.
Job Summary
The Foundation Senior Operations Partner is a senior-level operational professional accountable for shaping and advancing the infrastructure, governance, and business practices that enable the Foundation to achieve its mission and strategic priorities. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this role manages a broad portfolio spanning financial operations, contracting, risk and compliance, systems, vendor management, and organizational planning. This role serves as a trusted advisor to Foundation leadership, translates strategy into scalable operating models, leads complex cross-functional initiatives, and uses data and operational insight to improve decision quality, efficiency, transparency, and organizational resilience. The position exercises significant independent judgment and partners across Foundation teams, ECMC Group Shared Services, and external organizations to deliver sustainable solutions and measurable operational impact.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Operational strategy and portfolio ownership: Manages the design, execution, and continuous evolution of the Foundation’s operating model, systems, controls, and workflows; establishes multiyear roadmaps and priorities aligned with organizational strategy, growth, and capacity.
Strategic partnership and decision support: Advises the Director of Operations and Foundation leadership on operational implications, tradeoffs, risks, resource needs, and opportunities; translates strategic direction into actionable plans, governance, milestones, and measures of success.
Cross-functional leadership: Manages complex, high-impact initiatives across Foundation teams, ECMC Group Shared Services, and external partners, clarifying decision rights, aligning stakeholders, resolving dependencies, and driving work through implementation and adoption.
Financial stewardship: Leads Foundation budget administration, forecasting, expense monitoring, reconciliations, and management reporting; identifies trends and variances, improves controls, and provides analysis that informs resource allocation and leadership decisions.
Contracting, procurement, and vendor governance: Manages the operational lifecycle for Foundation contracts and vendor relationships, including intake, coordination, performance monitoring, renewals, issue escalation, and partnership with legal, procurement, finance, and business owners.
Risk, compliance, and internal controls: Establishes and maintains operational controls, policies, and governance practices that support compliance, sound stewardship, audit readiness, business continuity, and timely mitigation of operational risk.
Systems and data leadership: Defines business requirements and leads improvements to financial and related systems; promotes data integrity, effective adoption, reporting discipline, and scalable technology-enabled processes.
Performance and continuous improvement: Establishes service levels, key performance indicators, and feedback mechanisms; analyzes operational data and stakeholder needs to prioritize and implement improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and user experience.
Policy and knowledge management: Sets standards for and oversees the development, maintenance, and communication of operational procedures, grantmaking policies, and documentation to support organizational record that includes…