Director of Operations
OPB
Portland
,
OR
Application Deadline: Friday, Jan 30, 2026
Description
Director of Operations
Application instructions for this and all current OPB employment opportunities are available at OPB’s careers page.
Job Description
About OPB
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is an independent, nonprofit media organization serving communities across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Powered by the generous support of members, sponsors, and foundations, OPB connects people through trusted journalism that is freely accessible to everyone. Guided by public service, we deliver in-depth, fact-driven coverage of politics, science and the environment, arts and culture, education and more. OPB shares stories and programs wherever people seek them: on opb.org, OPB Radio and TV, the OPB News app, social media, streaming video, podcasts, KMHD Jazz Without Boundaries, or our daily “First Look” and other email newsletters.
The Opportunity: Architect the “How” Behind Our Mission
OPB has a unique opportunity to expand the depth and reach of our journalism. To do so, we are building an operational infrastructure that supports our original storytelling and dynamic news ecosystems.
This role will give you the chance to be the operational engine behind OPB’s transformation. As the Director of Operations, you will report to the Chief Operating Officer and serve as the functional integrator of the COO’s vision, architecting and implementing operational initiatives.
You will join OPB at a pivotal moment. Collaborating as a thought partner with the COO as they develop the tone and direction of our operations and work culture, you will collaborate on the tactics, the tracking, and the execution of projects and priorities. You will serve as the calm amid the storm, stepping into ambiguous situations to create structure where none exists—and you will bring the right people together to see it through. If you bring a focus on efficiency, progress, and operational excellence, and you derive energy from the “messy middle” of implementation, we want to hear from you.
What You Will Do: Key Responsibilities
The Director of Operations will serve as a cross-functional leader, partnering closely with the COO and senior leads to develop goals and tactical plans, delineate responsibilities, and drive initiatives to the finish line. Key responsibilities include:
Operational Implementation & Execution:
- Translate Vision to Action: Take high-level concepts and ideas from the COO and translate them into concrete requirements, execution plans, and timelines.
- Accountability Tracking: Facilitate and run the organization’s annual and quarterly planning process (we recently implemented Objectives & Key Results, OKRs).
- Project Stewardship: Work with functional leaders to define owners, assist with the implementation phase of new initiatives, and drive transformational change. You will gather inputs, perform background research, track progress, maintain the KPIs, and ensure follow-ups happen, documenting decisions and closing open feedback and communication loops.
- Communicate Data & Narrative: Produce first drafts and outlines for critical presentations and data visualizations. You will act as a thought partner, roughing out the narrative and structure for the COO to refine.
- Change Management: Develop an understanding of historical and cultural context for the organization’s operating environment, using this knowledge to develop an empathetic and thoughtful approach to transformational change. Collaborate with senior leaders and end users to develop trainings, communications, and timelines that maximize the adoption and successful implementation of new processes and tooling.
Operational Agility & Process Design:
- Provide Structure: Step into loosely defined or ambiguous project requirements and structure them without needing a rigid, formal project management framework. Bring an intentional test-and-learn mentality to organizational initiatives.
- Navigate the Requirements: Serve as the COO’s primary facilitator for internal administrative processes. You will be responsible for gathering and reviewing documentation, ensuring compliance, and moving approvals through the system so the executive team can focus on the mission. Along the way, you will identify opportunities for smoother collaboration and unlock greater efficiencies in our progress and innovation.
- Resource Stewardship: Coordinate and facilitate the “finding of funds” and tracking of budgets for special projects. You will partner with the CFO to handle the financial logistics that support operational initiatives.
- Process Improvement: Using the insights you gain from your process ownership and navigation, propose and implement simplified and improved processes across our operations to build better ways of working.
Vendor & Stakeholder Management:
- Consultant Liaison: Oversee relevant external consultant and vendor engagements to ensure they deliver quality work and stay invested in our success. When managing these relationships, you ensure OPB receives the best solution, not just a “checked box.”
- Cross-Functional Facilitator: Act as a connector between Finance, People & Culture, Technology, and Legal (the Operations teams), and the broader organization, ensuring that operational silos are bridged and communication flows freely.
Working Conditions
- Working conditions are generally within the typical office environment, with occasional opportunity for hybrid work.
- Occasionally, may require working evenings, weekends, holidays, and some travel.
Reports to: SVP & Chief Operating Officer.
What We’re Looking For: The Ideal Candidate Profile
We are looking for a leader who is as passionate about our public service mission as they are about operational excellence. We need a “Swiss Army Knife”—someone energized by doing both high-level operational planning and necessary administrative tasks.
While no candidate will have every single qualification, the ideal profile includes:
- Experience: 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in Operations, Management Consulting, Program Management, or a Chief of Staff capacity.
- A Demonstrable Track Record: Experience driving multiple complex projects and change initiatives to completion.
- Ambiguity Tolerance: A high “figuring it out” quotient. You are comfortable when the path isn’t clear—working from vague goals, you can form hypotheses, bring together cross-functional teams, and create comprehensive project plans.
- Tenacity: You are bothered by unfinished business, and solve roadblocks and challenges with a proactive, collaborative, and positive approach.
- Low Ego / Service Mindset: You’re willing to do the routine, administrative work (scheduling, forms, logistics, room setup) because you know it enables the mission and supports the team. No task is too small, no person left behind.
- Exceptional Communication Skills: The ability to distill complex updates into clear, concise summaries for stakeholders, decision meetings, and executive leadership. Demonstrable clarity of thought is not optional.
- Industry-Agnostic Intellectual Curiosity: Experience in complex nonprofits, government, or regulated environments is preferred, but we value the generalist mindset of figuring things out over specific industry tenure.
- Credentials: A bachelor’s degree, ideally in business, operations, finance, social sciences, or a related field (or completion of university-level coursework in these subjects); an MBA or equivalent training and experience in solving complex business problems.
Additional Information
- This position reports to the SVP & Chief Operating Officer and is benefits-eligible.
- The probable hiring range for this exempt position is between $125,000 and $140,000 annually, depending on qualifications.
- This position has access to highly sensitive data and therefore must pass a background check.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Your application materials are due by 8:59 PM Pacific Time on January 30th, 2026.
OPB is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds, especially those from historically underrepresented groups.