Vice President of Operations
2 days ago
Denver
Job DescriptionSalary: $110,000 About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) & CED Law Our Mission We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive. Our Organization The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is a Colorado-based nonprofit. Launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, our organization was formed to keep our neighbors housed during the pandemic. Working with clients, we built a deeply integrative approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed. Our team now serves more than 1,000 people per month, bringing together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to serve our clients. We have served more than 68,000 low-income Coloradans across 54 counties, distributing more than $280 million in emergency assistance.We have also contributed to the passage of major legislation to prevent eviction, stop economic abuse, and make credit and life-saving medication cheaper. CEDPs model has been cited as a best practice by the White House and HUD in 2022-2023, think tanks like the Urban Institute, and in the media. Building on our work to stop evictions, CEDP has further expanded its integrated services model to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access & navigation, long-term rental assistance, and homelessness response. Similar to CEDPs work on rental housing, these efforts offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy. More about the Vice President of Operations Role: Reporting to the Chief People & Operations Officer, the Vice President of Operations will play a critical role in helping CEDP achieve its vision to provide efficiency. As the VP of Operations you will be responsible for a variety of significant activities including internal operations, office management & efficiency, and vendor management. You will be instrumental in ensuring consistent and effective internal processes and communications in order to strengthen CEDPs programs and position the organization for continued success. You will lead and develop others to foster accountability and ensure operational outcomes support both sustainability and impact. In this role you will: • Develop and implement operational strategies that support CEDPs mission, growth, and long-term sustainability., • Build, refine, and oversee systems that ensure effective day-to-day operations across the organization., • Translate organizational priorities into clear operational plans, processes, and performance expectations., • Oversee all office operations, ensuring efficient workflows, strong internal coordination, and a well-functioning physical and administrative environment., • Ensure staff have the tools, systems, and resources needed to perform their roles effectively., • Lead organizational safety strategy, including protocols, training, and compliance practices that protect staff and clients., • Anticipate, assess, and mitigate operational risks across service environments., • Create and maintain systems to support staff working with clients experiencing trauma, including safety planning and escalation protocols., • Lead and develop an operations-focused team, including managers responsible for office operations and support functions., • Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and operational excellence., • Coach leaders to effectively manage workflows, address challenges, and maintain high standards of service delivery., • Partner with program and senior leaders to align operations with service delivery needs., • Support implementation of new initiatives, ensuring operational readiness and sustainability., • Serve as a trusted advisor and problem solver on complex operational and organizational challenges., • Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, streamline processes, and strengthen organizational performance., • Lead continuous improvement efforts across systems, workflows, and service delivery models., • Use data and operational insights to inform decision-making and drive results., • Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation related to operations., • Oversee operational aspects of vendor management, contracts, and administrative systems., • Ensure alignment between operational needs and financial planning., • Operate as both a strategic leader and a hands-on contributor, stepping in as needed to support daily operations., • Maintain close visibility into frontline challenges and ensure solutions are practical and responsive. Position Requirements: • At least 10 years of professional experience in a general management role, ideally in a rapidly evolving institution, • Highly organized and ability to wear multiple hats in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment; a driving force who manages toward clarity and solutions, • A consummate team player with a flexible and creative approach, • Excellent communication and coalition building skills with an ability to balance, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders; high level of knowledge and understanding, especially as it relates to program replication, connecting programs to funding, creatively generating other resources, and building strategic partnerships, • Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to CEDPs mission Additional Details: • Candidates must reside in Colorado, ideally within the greater Denver Metro area. The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401(k)., • A competitive salary of $110,000, plus a $1,000 per year hybrid employee salary adjustment, • All employees receive a technology stipend of $720 per year, • Employees who utilize two languages or more at work are eligible for a $2,000 salary differential per year added to the salary grade listed above. Language assessment will be conducted by the organization as a requirement to receive the differential, • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by April 22, 2026, • The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by May 1, 2026, • As in-person work is required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations., • CEDP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.