Operations Associate

About the Position and/or Team and/or Department

Additional Information

Role-Specific:

• Time Zones and Working Hours: While we welcome applicants from all time zones in the US and UK, this role will likely be best suited for someone based in the UK or the US East Coast, as those time zones overlap most closely with the majority of our staff (UTC-8 to UTC+2). Applicants from the Central US or West Coast are also encouraged to apply, though please note this may require an earlier morning schedule to accommodate meetings. In all cases, you would not be expected to attend calls outside of reasonable waking hours.
• Travel: Please note that international travel, and at least for a length of one week for our annual organization-wide retreat, is an essential requirement for this position. We ask that you only apply if you are able to meet the travel requirements for this position. 
• Language: Professional level of English language is required for all roles at Rethink Priorities. 

Hiring Process-Specific:

• Application materials: All application materials must be submitted in English language; otherwise, we will not be able to evaluate your candidacy.
• Inclusivity and fairness:  RP is committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for you to thrive and do your best work. Please don’t hesitate to apply for a role regardless of your age, gender identity/expression, political identity, personal preferences, physical abilities, veteran status, neurodiversity or any other background. We provide reasonable accommodations and benefits, including, for example, flexible work schedules and locations, mental health coverage through medical benefits (as available), as well as  technology budgets and professional development time that can be used, for example, to purchase assistive technology or engage in job coaching. 
• Accessibility: We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible hiring process. We warmly invite you to reach out to [email protected] with any questions or accessibility requests such as chat box use during interviews.
• Hiring Software: We use Pinpoint for our recruitment and hiring processes and all of the email correspondence is done via Pinpoint. We encourage you to add Pinpoint domain (@pinpoint.email) to your trusted contacts and/or check your 'spam', 'promotions' and ‘updates’ folders, if you don’t hear from us within the expected timeframe.
• Other: Visit our Career webpage if you’d like to know more about our hiring process, culture, and what working at RP is like.
  
  

About Rethink Priorities

1. A consultancy doing commissioned work in response to demands from organizations doing high-impact work 
2. A research institute driven by research agendas we set according to our own priorities.
3. A think tank aiming to inform public policy to improve the world.
4. An accelerator, incubator, and base for priority projects.

• Bringing attention to neglected issues, such as lead exposure, fungal diseases, and shrimp welfare. 
• Increasing the collective impact of advocates across each field in which we work through strategic coordination.
• Investigating potential interventions and identifying the most cost-effective options. In 2025, our research influenced tens of millions of dollars in foundation grants. 
• Creating practical tools for philanthropists to compare resource allocations across different species and cause areas and to build giving portfolios despite uncertainties.
• Providing organizations with data to inform their decisions. For example, we have conducted surveys on perceptions of existential risks, AI, effective giving, and other topics. 
• Providing fiscal sponsorship and operational support to ensure that high-impact initiatives in areas like AI safety and animal welfare can launch and grow effectively.

1. Providing basic IT and technology support across the organization (e.g., troubleshooting tech issues, helping staff connect Slack with Asana, setting up automations, etc.). 
2. Managing organizational communication and scheduling including email accounts, a virtual mailbox, and coordinating meetings.
3. Maintaining and updating internal file systems and directories, including Google drives, Notion site, vendor files, our organization chart, and others as needed. 
4. Developing and documenting relevant processes and procedures, (e.g., SOP’s, policies), and maintaining accurate, up-to-date files, records, and other documentation. 
5. Managing technology subscriptions.
6. Reviewing and responding to staff questions and requests submitted through Wrangle (our internal ticketing system).
7. Actively participating in cross-functional projects and initiatives within the Operations Department, providing support for a range of project management tasks, from tracking progress to reporting on project status.

1. Managing vendor relationships and organization accounts (e.g., RP Zoom account, Claude subscription, Perk, etc.).
2. Managing communications around external payment requests (e.g., clarifying incorrect bank details).
3. Organizing and updating various RP directories, such as vendor files, org chart, staff list, etc.
4. Light bookkeeping, such as entering invoices and coding credit card transactions.
5. Organizing and project managing staff resources and various projects within platforms like Notion and Asana.
6. Organizing various Google drives, as directed.

1. Employee Lifecycle:
   1. Providing administrative support for hiring, onboarding and contractor management.
   2. Providing assistance and support during all stages of RP’s onboarding and offboarding processes, including:
      1. Coordinating communication between relevant internal and external parties (RP and candidates, or RP Operations team members and researchers etc.).
      2. Supporting contract and document management (e.g., drafting contracts related to employment changes, communicating to staff about contracts), with the goal of independently managing these processes over time.
2. Culture and Employee Experience:
   1. Coordinating, hosting, and leading staff events and meetings, as needed.
   2. Curating, sourcing, and purchasing a variety of items, including welcome gifts, event merchandise, and gifts to celebrate staff milestones or offer support as needed.
   3. Assisting with events planning and coordination, for both in-person and virtual events. Tasks and responsibilities for events include but are not limited to:
      1. Researching and coordinating with external vendors for events, including venues, lodging, caterers, etc.
      2. Participating in the development of event agendas, goals, and feedback forms.
      3. Providing onsite support for event attendees, as needed.
3. Hiring / Recruiting: 
   1. With oversight, leading hiring processes at RP, including, for example:
      1. Contributing to the development of RP’s recruiting and hiring infrastructure and other materials (e.g., developing relevant document templates, databases, interview guides, etc.).
      2. Coordinating recruiting efforts and hiring processes across teams.
      3. Helping with the management of hiring platforms / tools (e.g., Asana).
      4. Co-leading / leading hiring webinars and internal hiring meetings.
      5. Communicating with candidates and hiring managers, and other individuals interested in RP, as well as fostering relationships with other organizations to strengthen RP’s hiring efforts.
      6. Contribute to day-to-day tasks, like following up on candidates from active hiring rounds, answering questions and providing support throughout the process for staff involved in decision making, among others.
      7. Conducting initial screening of applications and assisting with interviews, skills assessments, and reference checks.
      8. Contributing to the development of recruiting and hiring processes, as well as the overall strategy.
4. Strategizing about how to improve RP’s overall hiring process (e.g., increase efficiency, diversify pool of applicants, implement new procedures that ensure and promote fairness, etc.).

Essential Skills:

• Initiative and Accountability: A self-starter who takes ownership of tasks, manages their workload effectively, meets deadlines, and proactively communicates needs and progress.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous and thorough when performing work, with a keen eye for detail.
• Time Management: Manages time effectively to complete tasks and projects.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Works collaboratively and proactively with others, adjusting actions and offering support to achieve shared goals.
• Interpersonal and Soft Skills: Develops and maintains cooperative and constructive working relationships, demonstrating strong communication, empathy, and social perceptiveness.
• Active Listening: Gives full attention to others, taking time to understand their perspectives and points.
• Cultural Mindfulness and Communication: Communicates clearly and effectively, both written and verbally. Approaches interactions with cultural sensitivity and an awareness of diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
• Emotional Intelligence and Professionalism: Handles sensitive and complex situations with empathy and discretion, maintaining strict confidentiality and a calm, professional demeanor.
• Adaptability and Problem-Solving: Open to new information, adjusts to changing priorities, and can recognize when a problem exists.
• Service Mindset: Committed to providing timely and effective support, always looking for ways to anticipate needs and resolve issues. 
• Action-Oriented: Takes initiative and focuses on delivering results. Acts decisively to move projects forward and overcome obstacles.
• Value Alignment: Aligned with the organization's core values and interested in working in support of its mission.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Strategic AI Application: Adept at using AI tools, including LLMs, to research and implement solutions that improve hiring practices, automate workflows, and enhance the overall employee lifecycle and experience.
• IT / Technology Support: Comfortable with tackling basic IT / technology tasks across the organization. 
• Project Management: Some experience with initiating, planning, executing, and monitoring projects, including setting goals and tracking progress.
• Event Coordination and Facilitation: Experience in planning and coordinating events, including running meetings, managing logistics, and public speaking.
• Operations and HR Knowledge: Experience conducting operations tasks (e.g., managing logistics and workflows) and basic knowledge of HR principles (e.g., recruitment, compensation, benefits).
• Technical Skills: Familiarity with core technology tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Slack) and/or specialized tools like Notion, Pinpoint, or Asana.
• Financial Literacy: Basic knowledge of financial principles, such as expense tracking.
• Data Analysis: Some experience or interest in performing basic data analysis using spreadsheet tools.
• US/UK Nonprofit Knowledge: Basic knowledge of the US or UK nonprofit sector, especially related to employment and compliance.

Compensation

• The annual salary for this position will be $55,000 USD pre-tax or equivalent in GBP.
• To ensure fairness across the entire organization, RP does not negotiate salaries.

Other Benefits

• Opportunity to contribute to a high-impact organization - our research is used by key decision makers who influence the distribution of hundreds of millions of charitable dollars.
• Flexible work hours and location.
• Comprehensive global benefits package (while this varies by country, we make every effort to ensure that our benefits package is equitable and high-quality for all staff). 
• Generous paid time off (PTO) leave and unpaid leave, including:
  • “Mandated” 3-week total mid- and end-year organization-wide break
  • Unlimited (within reason) personal and sick paid and unpaid leave
  • Parental leave - up to 4 months of paid and up to an additional 5 months unpaid parental leave that can be taken prior to and/or during the first 2 years after a child’s birth or adoption 
  • Other paid and unpaid leave (e.g., bereavement)
• A caring team that values respectful work relations and a healthy work-life balance.
• Opportunities to engage in professional development.
• Low administrative bureaucracy.
• We don’t provide snacks, but we could mail you a box of Oreos if you want!