Operations Coordinator
Sage Bionetworks · Seattle, Washington, United States · onsite
About Us
Sage Bionetworks uses open science and collaboration to improve human health. We bring together scientific, technical, and operational expertise to advance biomedical research through responsible data sharing, strong governance, and innovative approaches to research and technology. Our work is complex, interdisciplinary, and mission-driven. We value curiosity, diverse perspectives, experimentation, accountability, and radical collaboration.
The Opportunity
Sage Bionetworks is seeking a Seattle-based Operations Coordinator to serve as a flexible, cross-functional resource for our Business Operations team.
Reporting to the Associate Director of People Operations, you will support work across grants and contracts, people operations, leadership administration, and our downtown Seattle office. As a small organization of just over 100 people, we rely on team members who can move between priorities, step in where support is needed most, and help us continuously improve how we work.
You will keep critical processes moving: proposals submitted on time, agreements filed and renewed, new hires welcomed, leaders' calendars managed, and the office running smoothly. As you learn the work, you will also help us find better ways to organize information and use new tools, including AI.
This is an opportunity for an organized, reliable professional who takes ownership, follows things through to completion, and wants to build broad business operations experience in the nonprofit life sciences sector. The role is designed to grow with the organization.
You'll know you're succeeding when:
- Colleagues across Operations see you as a reliable, service-minded partner who closes the loop without repeated reminders.
- New hires have a smooth, well-organized onboarding and orientation experience.
- Our shared files and processes are more organized and consistent than when you started.
- The Seattle office and on-site events run smoothly.
- Grant proposals, awards, and reporting deadlines are tracked accurately and nothing slips through the cracks.
- Contracts are renewed on time because owners hear about expirations well in advance.
- Award subrecipient documents, executed agreements, and reports are complete and filed where the team can find them.
- Leadership Team members have well-managed calendars, travel, and expenses, and can focus their time on the highest priorities.
Note: Please do not upload your resume as your cover letter (required)
Key Responsibilities
- Provide Cross-Functional Operations Support (~10%):
- Utility Support: Take on projects and tasks across Operations as priorities shift.
- Coverage & Backup: Support Operations team members during peak periods, absences, or transitions.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify ways to streamline administrative processes, documentation, and shared systems, including through new tools and AI.
- Special Projects: Take on additional responsibilities as directed by the Director of People Operations.
- Support People Operations (~35%):
- Onboarding & Orientation: Coordinate the full onboarding and offboarding process, including new hire paperwork, system access requests with IT, equipment and keycard setup, and orientation sessions.
- Recruiting Coordination: Schedule interviews and coordinate logistics with hiring managers and candidates.
- Benefits Administration Support: Coordinate annual open enrollment, including employee communications, information sessions, election tracking, and deadline reminders. Answer routine benefits questions, support qualifying life-event changes, and escalate complex issues to the People Operations team.
- Training & Compliance Tracking: Track completion of required training (such as harassment prevention, security awareness, and data privacy), send reminders, and report on completion status and gaps.
- HR Compliance Support: Help maintain compliance with employment requirements, including I-9 verification, required workplace postings, and leave documentation, under the direction of People Operations.
- Employee Records & HRIS: Maintain accurate employee records in the HRIS, process routine data changes, and keep personnel files organized, complete, and confidential.
- People Operations Projects: Support other People Operations processes and projects as needed.
- Support Grants & Contracts (~35%):
- Proposal Coordination: Enter internal submission deadlines into our systems once an opportunity is approved by the Leadership Team. Set up the proposal Slack channel, add the right team members, and let them know it's ready.
- Subrecipient Documents: Coordinate with subrecipient awardees and ensure compliance. Collect contacts, send the standard list of requirements, track what's received, and follow up on outstanding items.
- Grants System Records: After submission, update the opportunity status in EUNA and record submission details. At award, follow the award checklist to confirm required information is complete, and add the program code once Finance assigns it.
- Contracts & Agreements: Route documents for signature, file executed agreements using established naming conventions, and track expiration dates in the Contract Management System, contacting contract owners 60 days before expiration about renewal.
- Reporting: Track reporting requirements, follow up with program teams on upcoming deadlines, and confirm reports are submitted on time and filed.
- Records & Organization: Review the Grants & Contracts Drive folders and recommend ways to improve organization and consistency.
- Manage Office & Facilities (~10%):
- On-Site Logistics: Oversee the downtown Seattle office, including twice-monthly All Staff meetings and related lunch and grocery orders.
- Facilities Assets: Manage keycard and other facilities asset assignments for employees.
- Events: Serve on the Home Week organizing committee for our twice-yearly on-site event.
- Building Management: Act as the main contact with building management for facilities requests.
- Support the Leadership Team (~10%):
- Administrative Support: Provide routine and ad-hoc support to multiple Leadership Team members, managing and prioritizing competing requests.
- Calendar Management: Proactively manage several complex calendars, balancing competing priorities and communicating with internal and external collaborators to make the most of leaders' time.
- Travel & Expenses: Book travel and process expense reimbursements accurately and on time.
Percentages are approximate. This role is designed to evolve with the needs of the organization, and responsibilities may shift over time.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Communications, a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience
- 3+ years of experience as an administrative assistant, executive assistant, operations or project coordinator, or in a comparable role.
- A track record of juggling competing priorities for multiple stakeholders with little supervision.
- Experience managing several complex calendars, booking travel, and processing expense reimbursements.
- Strong attention to detail, with a habit of checking your work for accuracy and completeness.
- Demonstrated ability to manage deadlines, follow up, and close the loop without repeated reminders.
- Strong planning, organizational, and time-management skills, and the judgment to flag issues early.
- Ability to handle confidential matters, including employee and contract information, with sensitivity and professionalism.
- Strong written and verbal communication with internal staff, external partners, and vendors.
- Curiosity, a willingness to ask questions, and comfort asking for help when needed.
- Proficiency in Google Workspace or equivalent tools (such as Microsoft Office), and comfort learning new systems, technology, and AI tools.
Location
- Ability to work on-site at our downtown Seattle office o