Careers

Director of Operations

Beyond Carnism is seeking a highly experienced, mission-driven Director of Operations to join our team.

The Director of Operations will be a vital member of the Beyond Carnism team, joining the senior leadership staff and reporting to the President. The Director of Operations will be responsible for overseeing operational infrastructure, providing strong fiscal oversight, and leading operations and policy development for the organization, as well as managing select staff and handling basic administrative needs. For this role, we are seeking an experienced candidate who will oversee key areas of organizational management, including finance, reporting and compliance, business planning and budgeting, human resources, and administration. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, self-directed, aligned with Beyond Carnism’s values, and will have excellent English written and verbal communication skills along with keen attention to detail.

Who We Are 

Beyond Carnism is a US-based, international organization dedicated to exposing and transforming carnism, the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals. Inspired by the work of our founding president, Dr. Melanie Joy, we have created innovative programs and campaigns, which have had a significant global impact. Beyond Carnism is a small, vibrant organization with a startup feel and ambitious goals. Our strategic aims over the next three years include making carnism a mainstream term and significantly increasing the reach of our Center for Effective Vegan Advocacy (CEVA).

What You’ll Do

The director of operations will:

• Oversee the annual budgeting and planning process, administer and review all financial plans and budgets, monitor progress and changes, and keep the President and Board abreast of the organization’s financial status.
• Work with our accountant to analyze and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate financial statements; and oversee all financial, project/program, and grants accounting.
• Lead and coordinate the annual audit process, liaising with external auditors and the board of directors; assess any changes necessary and ensure financial and legal compliance.
• Manage organizational cash flow, prepare financial forecasts, and develop long-term finance plans to ensure organizational health and appropriate financial reserves.
• Ensure the organization adheres to all legal compliance requirements—including internationally, as we have employees in both the US and the UK.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of requirements related to day-to-day financial management, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Monitor and ensure Beyond Carnism’s compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and recommended best practices in the US and UK.
• Lead the planning and execution of Beyond Carnism’s human resource processes and programs, including: talent attraction, assessment, and placement; compensation, benefits, and leave; evaluation and professional development; disciplinary matters, disputes, and investigations; recognition and morale; and training and professional development.
• Further develop and implement policies, processes, training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization’s human resource compliance needs.
• Collaborate with the President to identify staffing needs, execute best practices for talent management, and ensure that hiring processes are consistent, unbiased, and streamlined.
• Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources while applying this knowledge to communicate changes in policy, practice, and resources to the President.
• Thoughtfully commit to and engage in Beyond Carnism’s equity work, building and maintaining internal systems, and deploying the organization’s resources to reflect a commitment to anti-racism, social justice, and the dismantlement of oppression.
• Complete administrative tasks as needed, such as ordering books, booking travel, planning for conferences, and organizing team retreats.

Who You Are

To be successful in this position, you will:

• Have a strong track record of excellence in operations and a strong understanding of US nonprofit finance and compliance: You have 5+ years of experience in a senior management position, such as Chief Operations Officer, Director of Operations, or similar. You have a demonstrated track record of successful management, including program and project development, implementation, and evaluation; short- and long-term strategic planning; and budgetary oversight. You are competent in managing accounting and budgeting, and have experience with annual 501c3 audits, state and federal charity and employment laws, and other matters of nonprofit compliance.

• Be a clear and effective communicator:  You have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written—familiarity with nonviolent communication is a plus. You have the strong interpersonal skills and proven emotional intelligence needed to effectively communicate with various constituents.

• Have a strategic, solution-oriented, and flexible mindset: You can consistently come up with insightful, pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable ways to overcome challenges and leverage resources to creatively solve problems. You can adapt to the evolving needs of the organization and think three (or 30) steps ahead to develop solutions. You are open to ongoing feedback, especially as you learn the Beyond Carnism brand. You are open to editorial guidance from Melanie Joy, whose materials and writing form the foundation of the organization’s work and who is the creative head of the organization. You are able to pivot and respond to the inevitable changes and challenges that can arise when campaigns and other activities don’t go as planned. You approach problems as inevitable rather than catastrophic, with a solution-oriented mindset. You are self-aware and able to identify and communicate your needs clearly and directly as they arise. 

• Be self-directed, highly organized, motivated, and detail-oriented: You are highly organized and have exceptional attention to detail. You triple-check your work, even in a crunch for time. You notice and fix errors that others might overlook, and you’re able to effectively plan and prioritize when faced with competing deadlines. You effectively manage high-stakes work and value quality over quantity.

• Be experienced in practicing effective staff management: You have a proven track record of effectively managing staff. You regularly solicit feedback from others in the decision-making process and you respond to communication from others in a timely fashion, so that people and projects aren’t left waiting. 

• Have knowledge of carnism and the animal advocacy movement: You demonstrate a good understanding of our work and of the animal advocacy space and are willing to quickly immerse yourself in our materials and internalize our content.
• Be committed to the values of Beyond Carnism: You are committed to our core values (strategic thinking, effective altruism, social justice, inclusivity, relational health, resilience, unconditional respect, open-mindedness, and integrity) and you demonstrate a high level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

What Else You Should Know

At Beyond Carnism, we are committed to equal opportunities and to creating a diverse and inclusive work culture. The commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity is one of our core values and is reflected in our internal and external communications. We especially encourage BIPOC, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities to apply. Furthermore, all employees are required to become literate around systems of oppression, and we will provide the information necessary to help staff develop this literacy.

The position is full-time and remote with occasional opportunities to travel to meet with the team. This position is open to candidates in the United States and the UK.* The salary ranges from $65,000 to $70,000. We also offer excellent benefits such as flexible working hours, 24 days of paid time off, pension contributions, health insurance coverage, and a home office equipment budget. 

Beyond Carnism requires all US employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two shots for Moderna/Pfizer; one shot for J&J; plus at least one booster). Beyond Carnism will consider requests for exemptions from this policy on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with applicable laws. If you are not fully vaccinated and would request an exemption if offered the position, please let us know in your application.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter (1–2 pages) by completing this form. 

Deadline: open until filled.

If you have any questions, please email jobs@carnism.org.

*As a small nonprofit registered in the US, we do not currently have the infrastructure (which includes a variety of accounting and compliance measures) necessary to hire internationally at this time, with the exception of in the UK. Thank you for understanding!