Director – Transformation and Operations

Braven

Director of Transformation and Operations in Braven, a nonprofit empowering college graduates. Leading strategic initiatives for organizational growth and innovation.

Posted 5/12/2026full-timeChicago • Illinois, New Jersey, New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $87,200 - $126,400 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Create strategic plans that translate vision into execution for special initiatives owned by the Transformation team (inclusive of multi-year roadmaps, short-term project plans, stakeholder communications maps, risk mitigation strategies, learnings from market intelligence, etc.)
Synthesize insights and recommendations for senior leaders to guide ongoing strategy
Manage the execution of a wide variety of teammates towards success, adapting strategies and frameworks as needed
Initial projects within your scope will include ensuring we have enterprise-wide quality systems as we scale, and strong execution and enablement of our holistic approach to AI
Build internal buy-in with evolving and cross-cutting projects, meeting people where they are, and making the unfamiliar feel approachable, for any special initiatives
Serve as an internal resource for "what's possible" — translating data and ideas into practical, mission-aligned use cases we can actually act on
Embrace the reality that we're figuring this out as we go — and help the team feel steady while we do
Lead and influence cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment (i.e., teams will not directly report into this role) to bring initiatives to life, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation
Create and own the project plans behind our transformation initiatives while building timelines, setting milestones, tracking dependencies, and keeping cross-functional work moving forward
Turn big-picture organizational priorities into specific, sequenced actions with real owners and real deadlines, and follow up on them without oversight from your manager
Build and improve our team’s operating infrastructures while increasing process efficiency, developing new processes, and training others in these areas
Create lightweight but durable operating systems: the trackers, templates, and check-in rhythms that give a small team visibility into a lot of moving parts
Ensure these integrate with and streamline/simplify organizational processes, vs. create additional complexity
Flag risks and potential blockers early; bring proposed solutions, not just problems
Coordinate internal teammates and external collaborators toward shared goals — without relying on formal authority to get things done
Develop high-quality memos, briefings, and presentation materials to support executive-level decision-making and external stakeholder engagement
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to enhance our nimbleness as we grow and ensure alignment with broader organizational strategic objectives
Develop and maintain systems for gathering and organizing strategic market intelligence so findings are accurate, accessible, and updated regularly
Ensure a variety of voices/stakeholders internally and externally, especially ones that might be overlooked or seemingly irrelevant, are incorporated
Monitor and analyze trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements across sectors, including workforce development, AI in higher education, and employer expectations, to identify positioning opportunities and threats for Braven
Track what peer organizations, edtech organizations, university career centers, and employers are doing; codify what that means for our work, and identify white space where we can lead
Synthesize findings from articles, podcasts, research, newsletters, conferences, and partner conversations into crisp, actionable briefings for leadership and staff
Connect macro trends — including AI in recruiting, shifting employer expectations, and changing student needs — to near-term decisions Braven can make today
Lead efforts to identify, evaluate, and integrate AI tools and partnerships from a market intelligence and positioning lens, in coordination with Systems and Product
Translate complex data into clear strategic insights with actionable recommendations for senior leadership; deliver concise, impactful reports/presentations to key stakeholders
Serve as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders on competitive positioning, offering recommendations grounded in evidence
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
5+ years of strategic operations experience with the proven ability of managing complex projects and lead others to outcomes
Exceptional ability to collaborate and work in cross-functional teams, ideally in a matrixed, cross-functional environment or scaling consulting or mission-driven organization
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, audience-appropriate communications quickly and with minimal direction
Exceptional ability to synthesize information, identify the most important thread, and move forward without needing every detail resolved
Experience in the education or nonprofit sector, or in consulting
Comfort and fluency with AI tools (e.g., Claude) and a curiosity about how technology can drive mission-aligned work; ability to navigate myriad tech systems (e.g., Asana/Trello, Salesforce, Zoom)
Track record of operating in ambiguous environments and creating structure where little exists
Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others
Exemplification of Braven’s core values
Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population
Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Newark (NJ), or New York City (NYC)
Travel 15-20% of the time
Authorized to work in the U.S.
Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Benefits

Comp & perks

Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
12 weeks of paid parental leave
A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

strategic operationsproject managementdata analysismarket intelligenceAI toolsprocess efficiencyrisk mitigationstakeholder engagementreportingpresentation skills

Soft Skills

collaborationcommunicationsynthesis of informationleadershipadaptabilityproblem-solvingcultural developmentinfluenceteamworkorganizational skills

Certifications

Bachelor’s Degree