Director of Business Operations
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Job Location:
Berkeley, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
7 days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
KEY FACTS
For excellent operators this is a rare opportunity to apply excellent execution and judgment to an existentially important problem one with global scale real influence and serious backing. The work sits at the intersection of research industry and policy and directly supports the experts and organizations that are shaping the future of how frontier AI systems are developed evaluated deployed and governed.
ROLE DETAILS
Title: Director of Business Operations
Reports to: President
Location: SF Bay Area (Berkeley CA)
MISSION
To build the ecosystem that helps humanity safely navigate transformative AI
LEADERSHIP TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EMPLOYEES
30 employees (projected growth to 40-50 in the coming year); Network size: 600
FUNDING
Constellation is a 501c3 non-profit with an annual budget of $20M. It is funded by Coefficient Giving (the philanthropic foundation of Dustin Moskovitz Co-Founder Facebook and Asana)
WHY CONSTELLATION WHY NOW
Frontier AI companies are developing advanced AI at an unprecedented the coming years these AI systems could either be set up to drive unprecedented benefit to humanity or cause widespread upheaval disempowerment or irreversible risk and harm.
There is widespread agreement from experts to the public that we must safely navigate the development of AI. Yet today efforts to make AI safe and secure face widespread limitations: in some areas ideas and projects are lacking; in others existing work struggles to scale or gain adoption. Such widespread limitations point to a deeper issue: a systemic shortfall in capacity capability and cooperation across the AI safety field.
Constellation exists to address this by building the ecosystem needed to safely navigate transformative AI: one that enables the generation operationalization and adoption of the most impactful AI safety ideas. It does this by:
Empowering individuals to generate or contribute to high-leverage ideas and projects
Helping new or early-stage efforts scale through strategic and operational support
Fostering coordination and collaboration across the field and accelerating the uptake of safety advances in frontier AI companies and governance institutions
More than a physical space Constellation is a dense network of over 600 researchers safety teams policymakers and funders who regularly exchange ideas challenge assumptions and collaborate across organizational boundaries. The value of the institute comes not just from who is present but from the ongoing mindshare and trust built through repeated in-person interaction.
The organization is now entering a new phase of growth with an expanding team a growing budget and increasing operational complexity. This role is an opportunity to help scale the systems and structure that support this unique ecosystem - ensuring Constellation continues to operate with clarity credibility and effectiveness as the stakes increase and its impact must grow.
WHAT
The Director of Business Operations will own Constellations core finance legal and compliance functions while partnering closely with the President and senior leadership. The role combines operational ownership with strategic decision support as the organization continues to scale.
Scope includes:
Strategic finance
Legal and non-profit compliance
Audit oversight and reputational risk management
Real estate and facilities economics
Oversight of a small internal team and key external partner
Financial and operational modeling to support complex non-standard decisions
WHO
The ideal candidate is a thoughtful highly capable operator with strong financial and operational foundations and a genuine interest in building durable systems. This role is well suited for someone who enjoys creating structure in evolving environments brings sound judgment to complex decisions and is comfortable working across finance legal and operations in service of a mission-driven organization.
Experience & Background
Experience across finance business operations or adjacent leadership roles with evidence of end-to-end ownership and system building in environments with ambiguity
Strong analytical foundation with the ability to use financial and operational data to support decision-making
Exposure to nonprofit philanthropic or otherwise regulated environments or clear ability to adapt to them quickly
Experience managing external partners such as accountants legal counsel auditors or other service providers
Comfort owning multiple operational areas without a large established team
Nice to Haves
Broad operator background (e.g. business operations Chief of Staff or other leadership roles in organizations of comparable or larger size and complexity)
Experience building or maturing foundational systems in startups scale-ups or mission-driven organizations
Familiarity with real estate facilities or other asset-intensive operations
Interest in growing into broader operational leadership as the organization continues to scale
Attributes & Trajectory
Builder mindset with a bias toward ownership follow-through and continuous improvement
Practical balanced approach to risk that supports execution while maintaining trust and credibility
Collaborative low-ego partner who earns confidence across technical research and operational teams
Motivation to work on long-horizon high-impact challenges alongside a community of deeply committed peers
This role is expected to grow in scope as Constellation evolves offering the opportunity to take on broader operational leadership over time.
SALARY & BENEFITS
Constellation offers competitive cash compensation with a base salary of $200000 depending on experience. This is a full-time role based onsite in Downtown Berkeley CA.
Required Experience:
Director
About Company
Constellation is a research center dedicated to safely navigating the development of transformative AI. Constellation lists past and current programs.
