Business Manager – Sightline Institute – Seattle, WA

Think Tank in Search of Business Manager
January 2016

Business Manager
Sightline Institute, the Northwest’s leading public policy think tank on sustainability issues, is seeking a full-time staff member for a new internally-focused position of business manager.

What is Sightline?
Founded in 1993, Sightline Institute is committed to making the Northwest a global model of sustainability—with strong communities, a green economy, and a healthy environment. We promote smart policy and monitor the region’s progress. We believe sustainability lies at the intersection of environmental health and social justice, and we strive to identify injustice and work to dismantle the systems that perpetuate it. Find out more about Sightline at http://www.sightline.org/about/

Job Description:
Sightline is looking for a multi-talented person to oversee Sightline’s finance portfolio, including bookkeeping, investment, and budgeting and to support our programs and administrative operations. This person will work closely with our finance manager, research and communications teams, and development staff, as well as our board of directors’ Finance and Audit Committee.

This full‐time position is located in Seattle and will report to the executive director.

Key responsibilities include:

• Finance: 20%
o Supervise Sightline’s finance manager and finance portfolio; serve as an engaged supervisor in managing Sightline’s finances and investments
o Manage our annual budgeting process (organizational and project-specific) in collaboration with the executive director
o Meet quarterly with the Board of Directors’ Finance & Audit Committee

• Program / Research: 40%
o Coordinate annual work planning process
o Work with the management team to coordinate all deliverable timetables and project budgets
o Lead ongoing program evaluation for internal and external reporting of Sightline’s accomplishments and growth areas
o Conduct research related to practical opportunities for, and challenges to, developing new program areas, as directed by executive director and senior program staff

• Operations Support: 20%
o Participate with office administrator in hiring and human resources functions
o Support office operations, such as lease negotiations and office equipment purchases
o Coordinate, negotiate, and manage contracts with independent contractors

• Development Support: 20%
o Support the grant writing and reporting efforts of the development team, with special emphasis on developing proposals for new programs and projects and on proposing and reporting on accomplishments, metrics, and budgets

Preferred Qualifications / Experience
For this position, the best candidates will provide references who can speak in detail to their abilities and past performance. Finalists for the position may be asked to demonstrate their facility with financial management, work planning and evaluation, and scoping and planning for new-program development.

The most promising applicants will have:
• Minimum of 2 years of management experience at a nonprofit organization
• Prior experience in financial management, including performance or oversight of bookkeeping and accounting and, in particular, advanced skills in Excel and familiarity with accounting systems such as QuickBooks
• Exacting attention to detail
• The ability to write clearly and succinctly
• Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize work
• Problem-solving skills
• Effective communication skills: inclusive, intuitive, and diplomatic
• A track record of building good working relationships with colleagues
• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other basic software applications
• A bachelor’s degree, at least

Salary: To fit into Sightline’s pay scale, we expect starting salary to be between $55,000 and $60,000. Sightline offers a robust package of benefits including a supplemental retirement contribution of 10 percent of salary; medical and dental insurance; four weeks paid vacation, two weeks paid sick/safe leave, and three months paid sabbatical leave every seventh year. Sightline’s staff members work very hard but enjoy balanced lives and a collegial atmosphere at the center of a community of thousands of
supporters and readers across the Northwest.

How to apply

To apply:
Sightline Institute values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage candidates from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds to apply.

Please send the following, addressed to Kristin Gilkerson, at KristinG@sightline.org:
• Cover letter (see below)
• Resume
• Optional Example of Work (see below)
• Contact information for at least three professional references

Please assemble your complete application into a single PDF. The file name of the PDF should include your name and the name of the position. Please include “Business Manager” in the subject line of your email. We will consider applications as they arrive.

Cover letter: In addition to your core qualifications for the position, please include personal or professional experience you have working in a context of diversity (socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and/or cultural).

Example of Work: Please feel free, but not obligated, to submit an example of your written work that demonstrates skills relevant to the performance of this job.

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