Operations Associate

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is looking for a talented Operations Associate to support our global operations 4 days a week (0.8 FTE). This individual will help our Operations Team strategically advance our mission, leveraging our resources and networks to ultimately help transform food systems towards greater sustainability, security, and equity. This is a remote, freelance contract opportunity [not restricted by country of residence] for 1 year, with strong potential to extend the contract or transition to a full-time position.

**Scope of Work**

**Organization**:Global Alliance for the Future of Food

**Fiscal sponsor**:Meridian Institute

**Time requirements**:0.8 FTE

**Contract position**: Operations Associate

Compensation for this contract opportunity will be equivalent to $300 USD per day, at approximately 192 days per year.

**About Us**:
The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is a strategic alliance of philanthropic foundations working together and with others to transform global food systems now and for future generations. We believe our unique contribution is threefold:

- Forge new insights and strengthen evidence for global systems change
- Convene key food-systems actors, facilitate meaningful dialogue, and strengthen interconnections
- Stimulate local and global action and interaction for transformational change in collaboration with other committed stakeholders

The Global Alliance is a project of the Meridian Institute, our fiscal sponsor. Our work is guided by a set of seven shared principles: renewability, resilience, equity, diversity, healthfulness, inclusion, and interconnectedness. These principles shape our vision of the future of food, express our values, and encompass the change we want to make.

**Your Impact**:
Reporting to our Operations Lead and working closely with our Operations Director and Executive Director, you will play a pivotal role in streamlining our core processes, enhancing our organizational efficiency. This 1-year contract position (at least to start) is a terrific stepping-stone toward a full-time Operations role. The majority of our team has stayed for years and we hope that will be the case with you too. Compensation for this contract opportunity will be equivalent to $300 USD per day, at approximately 192 days per year.

**Your Role**:
**Network Contacts and Databases Management**
- Provide support on platforms and systems to ensure optimal use for our remote team
- Enter and update contact information in our CRM database (Zoho) and maintain membership status, renewal dates and grant history
- Generate contact lists, perform data cleanup for batch imports into our CRM and conduct regular data cleanup, troubleshooting, and categorization to maintain database integrity
- Manage uploads and updates in the Members’ Hub on Howspace
- Maintain Google Drive files and folders, including labels and tagging for easy access
- Act as main point of contact for general inbox inquiries
- Maintain a thorough understanding of GDPR requirements, and best practices and monitor the GA’s GDPR compliance

**Project and Meeting Support**
- Support collaborative planning, coherent workflow, and timeline coordination across the Secretariat Team and member working groups
- Track and coordinate project deliverables and milestones including proposal requirements, submission and reporting deadlines
- Facilitate open communication and collaborative tools, such as updates, shared project dashboards/platforms, to ensure transparency and accountability across teams
- Maintain an organized and up-to-date calendar and Google contact lists for the team
- Provide general support to the Secretariat Team, Steering Committee and Working Groups including note-taking, Zoom links, recordings and breakout rooms, and agenda preparation

**Support to Executive Director (25%)**
- Provide general administrative support to the Executive Director (PST time zone), including scheduling, travel and itinerary development, expenses, meeting coordination and follow up

**Requirements**:
**What You’ll Bring**:

- At least 1-2 years of professional experience in a food systems or global movements, nonprofit, or philanthropic setting
- Excellent project coordination and organizational skills
- At least 1 year of experience managing databases and CRM systems, as well as proficiency in Google Workspace, Zoom, and Slack
- A keen eye for detail and accuracy, especially in data management, document preparation, and calendar management
- Alignment with Global Alliance’s principles of renewability, resilience, equity, diversity, healthfulness, inclusion, and interconnectedness
- Practice of, and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice
- Strong communications skills; fluent (written and spoken) English is required; second language an asset
- Comfort working in a rapid, complex environment and ability to take initiative in solving problems proactively
- Periodically conduc