Strategic Operations Specialist

Title: Strategic Operations Specialist

Immediate Supervisor: Director of Strategic Engagement

Staff Supervised: N/A

Job Classification: Non-Exempt, Full Time

Organization Overview

United Way of Acadiana is committed to serving Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, and Vermilion parishes. United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. Our mission: to unite people and organizations with passion, expertise, and resources to create more opportunities for a better life. Our vision: an educated, prosperous, and safe Acadiana where all individuals and families are empowered to achieve their full potential.

Basic Job Summary

The Strategic Operations Specialist serves as a key strategic and operational partner to the Director of Strategic Engagement, helping translate departmental and organizational priorities into clear, measurable action. This position strengthens the effectiveness of the Strategic Engagement portfolio through project management, data analysis, performance measurement, process improvement, systems development, and coordination of key initiatives, including United Way of Acadiana’s ReEntry initiatives.

Working across multiple functions and priorities, the Strategic Operations Specialist provides the structure, analysis, and follow-through necessary to move initiatives from concept to implementation. The position develops systems that improve accountability, monitors performance against established goals, identifies opportunities for greater efficiency, and ensures the Director has timely and accurate information to support decision-making.

As part of the Strategic Engagement portfolio, the position provides operational coordination for ReEntry initiatives, including partner and resource coordination, participant and service tracking, outcome measurement, reporting, process development, and continuous improvement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Execution & Organizational Priorities

• Partner with the Director of Strategic Engagement to translate strategic priorities into actionable work plans, timelines, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Maintain visibility of key departmental and organizational priorities and provide regular updates regarding progress, challenges, deadlines, and outstanding decisions.
• Coordinate implementation of strategic plans and other leadership-level initiatives.
• Identify potential barriers to implementation and proactively recommend solutions.
• Ensure decisions and commitments made during meetings are documented, assigned, tracked, and completed.
• Assist the Director in prioritizing competing projects and organizational needs.
• Conduct research and analysis to support planning and decision-making.

Data, Measurement & Performance Management

• Develop and maintain dashboards, scorecards, and other tools for monitoring organizational and departmental performance.
• Work with staff to identify meaningful key performance indicators and measures of success.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data.
• Monitor trends and identify areas where performance is improving, declining, or requires additional attention.
• Translate data into clear reports and actionable insights for leadership, staff, boards, committees, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Assist with establishing baseline measures and tracking progress toward annual and long-term goals.
• Support systems that improve the consistency, accessibility, and accuracy of organizational data.

Process Improvement & Systems Development

• Evaluate existing workflows and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, accountability, and communication.
• Develop and document standard operating procedures, workflows, templates, checklists, and internal systems.
• Work collaboratively with staff to implement improved processes and monitor their effectiveness.
• Identify repetitive or inefficient administrative processes that can be streamlined, automated, consolidated, or eliminated.
• Maintain centralized systems for tracking projects, commitments, deadlines, and recurring responsibilities.
• Help ensure organizational processes are sustainable and not dependent on the knowledge of a single staff member.

Project Management

• Lead or coordinate special projects and cross-functional initiatives from planning through implementation and evaluation.
• Develop project scopes, timelines, responsibilities, deliverables, and success measures.
• Facilitate coordination among staff, departments, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor project progress and proactively address delays or barriers.
• Maintain clear project documentation and provide regular status reports to the Director of Strategic Engagement.
• Conduct post-project reviews when appropriate to identify lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.

ReEntry Initiative Coordination & Operations

• Serve as the primary operational coordination point for United Way of Acadiana’s ReEntry initiatives, supporting efforts to help justice-involved individuals successfully transition into employment, education, housing, financial stability, and community participation.
• Work with the Director of Strategic Engagement and program leadership to translate ReEntry priorities into actionable work plans, timelines, deliverables, and measurable outcomes.
• Coordinate ReEntry activities, community partnerships, referrals, resources, and follow-up to support continuity of services and achievement of participant goals.
• Develop and maintain systems for tracking participant engagement, services, referrals, partner involvement, milestones, outcomes, and follow-up activities in accordance with applicable confidentiality requirements.
• Monitor program performance, participant outcomes, service gaps, and barriers, using data and stakeholder feedback to recommend improvements.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with ReEntry partners, including workforce, housing, education, financial services, employers, justice-system partners, and community service providers.
• Prepare program reports and support grant reporting, funding requirements, budgets, documentation, and other compliance needs associated with ReEntry initiatives.
• Develop and maintain ReEntry procedures, workflows, referral protocols, resource directories, dashboards, and other tools necessary to support consistent and sustainable program operations.
• Support community outreach, stakeholder engagement, and efforts to identify partnership and funding opportunities that strengthen and expand ReEntry services.
• Protect the confidentiality and dignity of ReEntry participants and ensure participant information is handled in accordance with organizational policies and applicable requirements.

Executive & Departmental Coordination

• Serve as an operational partner to the Director of Strategic Engagement by helping manage priorities, commitments, follow-up items, and organizational deadlines.
• Prepare briefing materials, reports, presentations, talking points, meeting materials, and other leadership-level resources as needed.
• Support preparation for leadership, board, committee, partner, and strategic planning meetings.
• Develop meeting agendas and systems for documenting decisions, assignments, and next steps.
• Track leadership commitments and ensure appropriate follow-up occurs.
• Anticipate upcoming needs, deadlines, decisions, and potential challenges and bring them to the Director's attention.
• Coordinate information across departments and initiatives to provide the Director with a clear picture of activity and performance.

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, nonprofit management, public administration, organizational leadership, project management, data analytics, communications, or a related field; equivalent professional experience may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Experience working within a nonprofit, human services, community impact, philanthropic, or mission-driven organization.
• Experience supporting senior or executive leadership.
• Experience developing organizational dashboards and performance-management systems.
• Experience implementing or managing strategic plans.
• Familiarity with project-management and workflow-management platforms.
• Experience working with boards, committees, grants, community partnerships, or cross-functional teams.

Experiences

• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and database systems
  
  

Requirements Before Hire

• A Bachelor’s Degree program in a related field of study.
• Proof and maintenance of a valid driver’s license

• Proof and maintenance of Vehicle Insurance and reliable transportation