Position Summary:

The Administrative Manager will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the operational and administrative functions of the American Ornithological Society (AOS), including streamlining management systems; developing, documenting, and monitoring operational processes; and managing some administrative and program staff.  This is a mid-level position that will help to streamline and coordinate the AOS’s operations within and across programs, coordinate between committees and staff, and manage some program staff.  This role requires an action-oriented “do-er” who can work with staff and volunteers to develop and document processes, track deadlines, evaluate systems and tools, and coordinate with contractors.  The Administrative Manager role sees the big picture and understands the details to help to make the AOS’s operations more effective and efficient.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Oversees and manages AOS’s internal systems

• Serves as primary AOS point of contact to external IT and HR contractors and helps to evaluate AOS’s IT and HR needs; 
• Maintains AOS’s files and records:  works to develop, document, and communicate a file organization system shared by staff and volunteers.  Manages file sharing and access and trains staff and volunteers in file management and sharing protocols.  Works with the AOS Secretary to archive information;
• Works with other staff to review and evaluate AOS’s systems, software, and program management procedures and tools, and develops and implements improvements to systems, software, tools, and procedures.  
• Oversees and improves the operational functions of AOS’s business office to maximize efficiency.  Develops, or works with program staff to develop, procedures for operational and program functions.  Catalogs and organizes procedures across programs. 
• Works with staff and volunteers to develop and maintain high-level organizational calendar for Committees, staff, and Council.
• Funnels appropriate information or requests to others, including representatives of AOS leadership, for reference or response. Represents the AOS’s administrative and business function in a highly professional manner. 

Provides program support and administrative guidance

• Provides operational support and guidance to Committees: collaborates with Executive Director and other staff to provide Committee orientation on AOS procedures and capabilities; collaborates with committees to document Committee procedures and policies; educates and supports Committees on requirements for Committee administration, including file sharing, reporting, budget requests, etc;
• Collaborates with Executive Director/CEO (ED) to serve as committee liaison, helping to evaluate committee needs, looks for opportunities to build consistent processes across committees, 
• Serves a volunteer coordination role, working with Committees and prospective volunteers to improve the AOS’s system to match volunteer interests with committee needs.
• Collaborates with other staff and Committees to develop meaningful metrics to evaluate Committee progress towards strategic plan goals. Works with program staff and volunteers to better collect and evaluate metrics, track programs and tasks, etc.
• Ensures that programs are running smoothly and on track; looking across different elements within and between programs to ensure they are coordinated, and that program goals and administrative requirements are aligned.
• Ensure that daily program operations align with AOS’s strategic goals and also run efficiently.

Supervision

• Supervises and supports program staff at a high level; looks for opportunities to align systems between programs and looks for and facilitates opportunities for collaboration between staff and between programs. 

Governance

• Provides administrative support in relation to ED’s role in planning and participation of society leadership, governance and program committees as required. Provides assistance with scheduling and technical support for leadership meetings. May work with the ED to identify and track action items from Council meetings.  May provide some support for the ED in moving forward decisions and discussions by Council.
• Supports the ED in building an annual organizational work plan; helps to track annual metrics and progress within work plan

Additional

• Assists in and manages special projects as assigned, and performs other related duties as requested. 

Specific Projects during the first year of employment will include*:

• Work with staff and volunteers to develop and maintain high-level calendar that syncs between AOS’s systems and can be shared with staff and volunteers
• Evaluate options for document management and sharing and potentially identify and implement an improved system for document sharing
• Work with staff and volunteers to continue to document processes for each program and for AOS operations and governance; track and organize this documentation
• Collaborate with Director of Finance and Executive Director to evaluate opportunities to improve and/or outsource grant administration, especially for international grants
• Evaluate opportunities to outsource HR functions and make recommendations to Executive Director

*Specific projects may be modified based on timing of hire

WORKING CONDITIONS, LOCATION, AND STATUS

• The Administrative Manager  is a full-time, exempt position. 
• The AOS is a fully virtual organization and we support remote work. Due to legal and registration requirements, we are unable to hire employees in California or New York.
• Occasional travel is required, including ~1 week onsite for Annual Meeting and 2–3 days for an annual staff retreat. 
• Occasional work during evenings and weekends
• Extensive computer use, including typing and Zoom

TO APPLY

Please submit an application, complete with resume and cover letter. Please include three references with contact information with your application. We will not contact references without notifying you first. We will begin to review applications in late May 2025 and will continue to review applications until the position is filled. We anticipate a start date in June or July 2025.

Position Requirements and Specifications:

• One of the following:
• Bachelor's Degree in Nonprofit Management or equivalent.
• Associate’s degree plus 5-8 years related experience.
• Other equivalent combinations of training and/or experience.
• Working with people in a leadership capacity: supervisory/management experience, or experience leading a project or team 

Other:

• Previous experience working with associations, and working with volunteers and/or with member services, is strongly preferred.
• Experience with administration and/or program management.
• Experience implementing a system:  evaluating the needs of different groups, identifying ways to meet those needs, and developing a system (e.g. process, tool, etc) that meets the needs of multiple users or user groups.
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft Office (Windows, Word, and Excel, PowerPoint) required. Experience with web-based database and file sharing applications preferred.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and prioritization skills required.
• Initiative and attention to detail when following-through on important priorities. 
• Able to overcome obstacles, work independently, solve problems, and manage multiple projects to completion.
• Strong interpersonal skills, tactfulness and demonstrated professionalism in the workplace.
• Strong writing/composition skills, strong verbal communication and listening skills. 
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality of highly privileged information.

Additional information:

This is a new role for the AOS, formed by splitting a previous Director of Operations and Administration position into two roles:  Director of Finance, and Administrative Manager. There will be an initial training and handoff period as the Administrative Manager learns about the AOS and its existing structure, systems, and procedures.  The impact and effectiveness of the Administrative Manager role will be evaluated after a three-year period to determine the future need for, and direction of, this role.  

This position requires an experienced, polished individual who is friendly, professional, energetic, hard-working, attentive to details, and both capable and committed to providing the necessary level of support for the Executive Director/CEO, other staff, volunteers, and the operations of the society. This person will serve key coordination functions within the AOS and must be a “doer,” able to identify tasks to be completed and move them forward without prompting.  This position will be highly collaborative and this person should have good coordination skills, with a strong ability to work closely with others and connect people.  Must be able to work under pressure and juggle multiple projects and people, and thus have a demonstrated track record of working effectively in a fast-paced environment with rapidly shifting priorities. Must be willing and able to travel at least twice a year for up to a week at a time. This individual will be required to gain a solid understanding of the AOS, its history, mission, values, and culture.  The Administrative Manager will interact with society leadership who represent academic institutions, public and private agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and other regions and, thus, must be able to develop excellent working relationships and rapport with these volunteers. 

This is a mid-level position with opportunities for growth; as this individual gets to know the AOS and builds relationships and trust within the Society, we anticipate opportunities for additional responsibilities and an expanded portfolio.

About American Ornithological Society

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is the world’s largest international member-based society for professionals who study birds and individuals whose work intersects with bird science. The AOS supports science that advances the understanding and conservation of birds, promotes broad access to ornithological science, supports ornithologists throughout their career paths, and fosters a welcoming, diverse, supportive, and dynamic ornithological community. AOS annually hosts one of the largest international ornithological conferences, often in collaboration with other ornithological or scientific societies. AOS publishes two international scientific journals—Ornithology and Ornithological Applications. AOS also provides a rich array of grants for students and early-career professionals to support scientific research and participation in AOS’s meeting. For more information, see www.americanornithology.org. The AOS is an equal opportunity employer. We seek and welcome a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Connections working at American Ornithological Society