Transom Story Lab Operations and Development Director Woods Hole, MA · Remote · Full time Company website

Apply for Operations and Development Director

Transom Story Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to championing new voices in audio storytelling. Through workshops, public programs, editorial publishing, and the Transom Festival, we train, mentor, and publish a new generation of audio producers. In recent years, our work has expanded to include narrative training for scientists, community members, and other non-journalists who have a story to tell. Transom is headquartered in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Our team works remotely, and our Executive Director is based in Vermont. Learn more at transom.org.

The job at a glance

STATUS

Full-time, exempt (40 hrs/wk)

REPORTS TO

Executive Director

LOCATION

Remote within the US

SALARY

$70,000 – $90,000, determined by experience.

START

September 2026

Responsibilities

Financial systems & operations

• Liaison to bookkeeping/accounting partner — submit data, review reports, troubleshoot
• Oversee payroll processing (Gusto)
• Manage reimbursements and vendor payments
• Track budgets and prepare monthly/quarterly financial reports for ED and board
• Support preparation of annual tax filings (Form 990) and financial reviews

Grants management & reporting

• Maintain the grants calendar (deadlines, deliverables, renewals)
• Draft and support grant proposals and reports — full cycle
• Conduct prospect research on new foundation opportunities
• Coordinate with Programs Director and ED on programmatic content for proposals

Donor CRM & stewardship

• Maintain donor database (Little Green Light) — accuracy, segmentation, gift entry
• Build and run donor stewardship systems: acknowledgments, year-end reports, touchpoint cadence
• Support major-donor cultivation: track interactions, prepare meeting briefs
• Coordinate donor communications across channels

Sponsorship logistics

• Manage sponsorship pipeline for the Festival and other earned-revenue partnerships
• Coordinate sponsor deliverables (logo placement, recognition, benefits)
• Track sponsorship payments and renewals

Contracts, compliance & HR/admin

• Coordinate contracts and vendor agreements
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations and filings (IRS, multi-state)
• Manage organizational insurance policies
• Run HR admin: onboarding, benefits enrollment, PTO tracking, multi-state payroll registration
• Maintain organizational policies, handbook, and documentation

Board logistics

• Coordinate board meetings: scheduling, materials prep, minute-taking, follow-up tracking
• Maintain board records and committee documentation
• Support board-level reporting on financials and fundraising

Coordination, organization, and communications support

• Manage organizational software systems and subscriptions
• Maintain file organization and documentation systems (Drive / Notion)
• Support communications team on systems-side tasks (CRM data, audience lists, donor segments)
• General coordination across staff and contractors

Executive Director Support

• Help track organizational priorities, deadlines, and follow-up items across fundraising, programs, operations, and governance
• Prepare briefing materials, donor research, meeting notes, and follow-up communications as needed
• Coordinate logistics for fundraising campaigns, donor cultivation efforts, sponsorship outreach, and special projects
• Support project management for cross-organizational initiatives, ensuring work moves forward across staff, contractors, board members, and partners
• Assist with scheduling, travel planning, and administrative coordination for high-priority meetings and events
• Provide additional administrative and organizational support to the Executive Director as needed

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of nonprofit operations, development operations, or finance/admin leadership
• Working knowledge of nonprofit accounting and the Form 990 cycle
• Demonstrated grants management experience: drafting proposals, managing calendar, reporting
• Experience with donor CRM systems (Little Green Light, Salesforce NPSP, Bloomerang, or similar)
• Strong systems-thinking and process-design instincts; comfort building structure where there isn't any
• Excellent written communication — drafting grant proposals, donor acknowledgments, and board materials

Preferred

• Background in arts, journalism, or public-interest media
• Familiarity with QuickBooks Online, Gusto, and a bookkeeping/accounting partner
• Experience supporting capital campaigns or major-donor pipelines
• Multi-state payroll/HR compliance experience (Transom has staff in multiple states)

Benefits

• Health (QSEHRA): tax-free reimbursement up to $5,400/yr for individual health insurance (self-only); optional family-tier reimbursement up to $9,000/yr available
• Retirement: 401(k) plan with Guideline
• Parental leave: 14 weeks at 50% pay
• PTO: 4 weeks, time off between Christmas and New Years. Additional week of vacation after two years of service to the organization.
• Federal Holidays

Transom is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities, and candidates from communities historically underrepresented in audio and public media.