Tropical Adventures Foundation is in need of someone to assist with the management of their day-to-day operations.  The Operations Specialist Intern (OS) will be based out of the town of Hojancha in the Province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica, where our headquarters is located.

 

The OS will report to the Executive Director (ED) and will focus primarily on the organization's consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Assist the ED in basic organizational operations:  plan, staff and manage all activities necessary to deliver excellent service to our volunteers and tour-only clients, as well as our projects and communities.  These activities are to be conducted in a manner that assures consistent high quality service results, client satisfaction and on-target financial performance.

  • Plan and manage projects using effective project management techniques.

  • Expand volunteer projects.
  • Support and represent (when necessary) the ED  at board meetings, events, interviews, and other engagements.
  • Manage and resolve any issues which arise with clients and projects to satisfactory outcomes.
  • Improve the operational systems, processes and policies in support of the organization’s mission — specifically, support better management reporting, information flow and management, business processes and organizational planning.
  • Manage and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of support services (HR, IT and Finance), through improvements to each function, as well as coordination and communication between support and business functions.
  • Participate in long-term planning and development, including a focus toward overall operational excellence.
  • Oversee overall financial management, planning, systems and controls.
  • Manage the agency budget in coordination with the ED, including the development of individual program budgets.
  • Manage agency expenses, including payroll, check disbursement, and organization of fiscal documents.
  • Engage in regular meetings with ED around fiscal planning and operational management.
  • Supervise and coach the office manager on a weekly basis.

Responsibilities by Function

Financial Management

  • Assist the ED and Board in creating the annual organizational budget
  • Oversee monthly and quarterly assessments and forecasts of organization's financial performance against budget, financial and operational goals.
  • Oversee short and long-term financial and managerial reporting.
  • Manage day to day processing of accounts receivable and payable using QuickBooks, producing reports as requested.
  • Reconcile monthly financial activities, including generation of periodic and year-end reports and fulfillment of government related financial requirements.
  • Manage grantor contracts and reimbursement requests.
  • Administer payroll, employee benefits, and organizational insurance.
  • Ensure that Accounting Department requests are resolved and communicated in a timely manner to internal and external parties.
  • Develop long-range forecasts and maintain long-range financial plans.
  • Develop, maintain, and monitor all fundraising accounting systems and procedures, capturing all pledges, billings and receipts and for the recording of all revenue transactions.
  • Recommend and implement improvements to systems.
  • Prepare annual audit.

Organizational Effectiveness

  • Manage functions.
  • Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Support Services through improvements to each function (HR, IT, Finance) as well as coordination and communication between functions.
  • Drive initiatives in the management team and across the organization that contribute to long-term operational excellence.

Organizational Leadership

  • Contribute to short and long-term organizational planning and strategy as a member of the management team.

Risk Management

  • Serve as primary liaison to legal counsel in addressing legal issues (e.g. copyright, antitrust, governing instruments, partnerships, licensing etc.).
  • Oversee organizational insurance policies.

Qualifications

  • Experience in financial management, including budgeting and planning, bookkeeping, and financial oversight.  Knowledge of tax and other compliance implications of non-profit status is preferred.
  • Excellent computer skills and proficient in MS Office.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.  Must be fluent in Spanish, both written and verbal.
  • Experience in leadership and people management, open to direction and commitment to get the job done.  Delegate responsibilities effectively.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including a collaborative management style.
  • Experience in organizational effectiveness and operations management, including implementation of best practices.
  • Experience in program/project management and volunteer development.
  • Demonstrated skills in leadership in managing staff, groups, and major projects or initiatives.
  • Demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace.

 

 

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your cover letter and resume to us by clicking here.