Operations Assistant

EduDream is seeking a part-time Operations Assistant (OA) to support day-to-day administrative and operational work contributing to EduDream’s advancement of educational equity. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, enjoy analyzing and improving systems and processes, have an interest in developing project management and administrative experience to support the organization, and value working in a highly collaborative, woman-led, culturally responsive workplace. The successful candidate will bring (2) years of administrative experience (preferably in non-profits, educational institutions, or the public sector) to advance our mission.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Administrative Support (60%)

• Provide scheduling and calendar management support for EduDream’s leadership team (two co-founders), including the efficient scheduling of internal and external meetings (often involving multiple stakeholders with limited availability), proactively identifying and resolving conflicts, managing up and tracking and monitoring next steps
• Complete registration, travel, and lodging arrangements for team members to support their participation in off-site conferences, professional development, and client work
• Order items to be shipped to team members for quarterly celebrations, employee anniversaries, etc.
• Support the Operations Manager in planning and executing up to two in-person team retreats per year (e.g., coordinating lodging, catering, meeting spaces, and transportation for team members)

General Operations Support (40%)

• Maintain organizational operations documents, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), templates, forms, and trackers, and ensure quality control
• Order and distribute research participant incentives in partnership with the service delivery team (Research and Evaluation Associates)
• Provide administrative and operations support to the organization’s internal projects (e.g., updating work plans and maintaining timelines in Asana)
• Support the Operations Manager in maintaining up-to-date contact and outreach information in the customer relationship management (CRM) system
• Support the work of the Operations Manager, Co-Founders, and other team members as capacity allows
• Advise, consult, and collaborate with team on expanding current projects and developing new work

About EduDream

EduDream is a Latina-founded, woman-owned, education research consulting firm inspiring transformation within education by bringing community voice and rigorous research together. EduDream was founded in 2016 by culturally responsive and experienced researchers, Michelle Oliva and Monica Martinez. We partner with nonprofits, foundations, and education institutions to provide community-centered research and strategy. We’ve worked with leading philanthropic and education organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, College Advising Corps, The Aspen Institute, and Illinois Action for Children. Our team of experts provides rigorous and evidence-based inquiry, and a strong focus on community collaboration. Through our work, we’re redefining the potential of research while shifting the education system towards an equitable and just future. 

Our Values

1. Equity + Justice: We are committed to furthering equity and justice for all students through CREE-informed phases of work and partnerships, centering the assets and voices of those most impacted by structures of oppression.
2. Results + Impact: We deliver actionable data, innovative solutions and practical tools that impact policies, teaching, and learning so that every student is supported, actively engaged, and prepared to learn to their full potential.
3. Hope + Opportunity: We believe in leveraging hope in our work against inequity, focusing our efforts on imagining possibilities and creating opportunities for long-term, systemic change that benefit all students.
4. Human-Centered Intentionality: We respect our shared and individual lived experiences, resisting dominant and oppressive ways of working by prioritizing emotional intelligence, reflective collaboration with partners, intentional relationships across communities, and mindful timelines that disrupt notions of urgency.
5. Collaborative Leadership: We value thought-partnership and collaboration with advocates, community members, students, and families as a leading organization in equity-centered research and strategy.

Our Workplace Culture

At EduDream, we believe that a great workplace is one where you are inspired by your colleagues and deeply engaged in your work every day. We believe in mutual respect and trust, and value diversity in informing our views and work. We move nimbly, iterating quickly to improve, and collaborating constantly to deliver useful solutions that advance educational equity.

This position may be an excellent fit if:

• You are committed to continuous learning and growth
• You want to co-create and be a part of a high-functioning team
• You can engage others in pursuit of our mission to advance educational equity
• You thrive in an entrepreneurial, remote environment
• You approach work as a dedicated and self-driven professional

Experience & Education

• Associate’s degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 2 years of demonstrated, applied professional experience in an administrative or operations support role, preferably in or with nonprofits, philanthropy, higher education, or the public sector 
• Comfort with common project management platforms and tools, preferably Google Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Dropbox, Calendly, and/or Asana
• Demonstrated ability to use or learn new programs and software with accuracy
• Demonstrated ability to support event-planning and day-of coordination
• Ability to prioritize work, effectively manage and prioritize several issues/tasks concurrently, meet deadlines and maintain regular communication with supervisor regarding work plans, and proactively seek guidance regarding priorities and timelines.
• Must be currently eligible to work in the United States without a requirement of visa sponsorship, with no foreseeable changes in eligibility within the next 24 months

Skills and Abilities

Interested applicants should possess many of the following transferrable skills and abilities: 

• Ability to work productively in an entrepreneurial, web-based environment, both independently and in teams
• Flexibility to handle multiple, simultaneous priorities under deadline pressure
• Demonstrated passion and commitment to educational equity for racially and economically diverse students and families
• Accuracy with work, strong organizational skills, and attention to detail
• Strong communicator who is responsive to feedback, collaborative, and a team player
• Ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with others
• Effective time management skills
• A sense of initiative and willingness to ask questions and self-advocate in the work environment 
• Ability to represent, effectively and professionally, the organization to a wide variety of audiences.
• Willingness to learn and expand administrative and operational skills

Our Work Schedule and Environment

This is a remote, part-time hourly position with the potential to become full-time dependent on the candidate, workload, and resourcing. Candidates must be located within the United States; candidates located in California are not eligible to apply at this time. 

The Operations Assistant will be expected to work 15-20 hours per week within a set schedule determined in partnership with the Operations Manager. To support remote team success, we use tools like Zoom, Slack, Asana, and Google Workspace to collaborate with our clients, and with one another.

EduDream will remain a hybrid (though mostly remote) organization. The full team meets in-person at least once per year, and regional teams meet in-person semi-annually. The Chicago-based team typically works together twice per month in a shared coworking office location. As needed, our team travels to conduct data collection and client work in-person. The ideal candidate for this role thrives in a primarily virtual work environment and appreciates in-person community-building. 

Compensation

The compensation for a part-time position is $20-$25/hour depending on experience and qualifications. Benefits include:

• Professional development funding
• Paid wellness week during the last week of December
• Equipment and technology stipend for virtual home office

Equal Employment Opportunity

EduDream is an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants must be currently eligible to work in the United States without a requirement of visa sponsorship, with no foreseeable changes in eligibility within the next 24 months. 

Application Process

In lieu of a cover letter, please send the following information to info@edudream.org. In the email subject line, include: First and Last Name followed by “Operations Assistant”

1. Resume
2. Contact information for (2) references who can speak to the experience, skills and abilities listed above
3. Brief responses to each of the following prompts. Each response should be approximately 300 words in length:
   1. What motivates you to apply for this role with EduDream?
   2. From the duties and responsibilities described above, what would you feel confident supporting from day one? What would be an area of growth for you? 
   3. Describe your experiences and approach to balancing multiple, simultaneous projects and priorities.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.