Manager of Operations

Position Summary

The Director of Operations is a full-time, salaried leadership position responsible for overseeing Black Lives Matter Paterson’s operational, staffing, and outreach responsibilities as a procurement contract awardee under the Paterson Community-Based Crisis Response Team (CBCRT) project led by Reimagining Justice Inc./Paterson Healing Collective (RJI/PHC).

This role ensures BLM Paterson’s harm-reduction and community-based crisis response functions are implemented effectively, in compliance with project agreements, and in close coordination with RJI/PHC’s behavioral health and mental health response teams. The Director of Operations plays a central role in planning, pilot implementation, staff supervision, training coordination, and documentation for the crisis response initiative.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Program Operations & Implementation

• Lead day-to-day operations for BLM Paterson related to the CBCRT project.
  
  
• Ensure BLM Paterson meets all deliverables, timelines, and obligations outlined in the procurement contract with RJI/PHC.
  
  
• Develop and manage internal workflows to support crisis response readiness and pilot implementation.
  
  
• Support planning-phase activities and pilot launch milestones.
  
  

2. Harm Reduction & Community-Based Crisis Response

• Lead BLM Paterson’s harm-reduction and community-based response strategies within the crisis response model.
  
  
• Ensure outreach and crisis response practices align with:
  
  
  • Non-carceral principles
    
    
  • Trauma-informed approaches
    
    
  • Community trust-building frameworks
    
    
• Coordinate harm-reduction–led responses in accordance with agreed-upon call typologies and response protocols.
  
  

3. Cross-Organizational Coordination

• Serve as BLM Paterson’s primary operational liaison to RJI/PHC for the CBCRT project.
  
  
• Participate in joint planning meetings with RJI/PHC and project partners.
  
  
• Collaborate with RJI/PHC to co-develop:
  
  
  • Crisis response workflows and procedures
    
    
  • Clear role delineation between harm reduction and behavioral health teams
    
    
  • Call categorization (BLM-led, RJI-led, joint response)
    
    
  • Referral and escalation pathways
    
    

4. Staff Supervision & Management

• Supervise and support BLM Paterson outreach staff assigned to the CBCRT project.
  
  
• Conduct regular check-ins, performance monitoring, and coaching.
  
  
• Ensure staff understand roles, boundaries, and safety protocols during crisis response.
  
  
• Promote staff wellness, accountability, and professional development.
  
  

5. Training & Workforce Development

• Coordinate BLM Paterson staff participation in required trainings, including:
  
  
  • Crisis de-escalation
    
    
  • Safety and scene management
    
    
  • Joint trainings with behavioral and mental health teams
    
    
• Support cross-training to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.
  
  
• Identify training gaps and work with leadership to address capacity needs.
  
  

6. Documentation, Data & Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely completion of all required documentation.
  
  
• Oversee use of shared documentation and reporting tools developed for the CBCRT project.
  
  
• Maintain compliance with:
  
  
  • Grant and procurement requirements
    
    
  • Confidentiality and HIPAA standards
    
    
  • Data-sharing and communication protocols
    
    
• Support preparation and submission of required reports to RJI/PHC.
  
  

7. Pilot Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor pilot implementation and identify operational challenges or risks.
  
  
• Elevate issues to BLM Paterson leadership and RJI/PHC in a timely manner.
  
  
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts based on pilot learnings and community feedback.
  
  

Authority & Boundaries

• Supervises BLM Paterson staff only.
  
  
• Does not supervise RJI/PH
  
  
• Does not provide clinical, behavioral health, or mental health services.
  
  
• External communications related to the project must follow approved communication protocols.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent lived and professional experience.
  
  
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in operations, community outreach, harm reduction, or crisis response.
  
  
• Demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience.
  
  
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed and non-carceral approaches.
  
  
• Excellent organizational, communication, and documentation skills.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing grant-funded or publicly funded programs.
  
  
• Familiarity with crisis intervention or public-health approaches to safety.
  
  
• Experience working in Paterson or similar communities.
  
  
• Experience collaborating with behavioral health or mental health partners.
  
  

Work Environment & Schedule

• Full-time, salaried position.
  
  
• Combination of office-based, community-based, and meeting-based work.
  
  
• Flexible schedule to support planning, training, and crisis response needs.
  
  

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience and funding availability.
  
  
• Benefits package per BLM Paterson policies.