Workplace Operations Specialist

Accion is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a fair and inclusive economy for the nearly two billion people who are failed by the global financial system. We develop and scale responsible digital financial solutions for small business owners, smallholder farmers, and women, so they can make informed decisions and improve their lives. Through targeted investment strategies, advisory solutions, and expert thought leadership, we work with local partners to develop and scale cheaper, more accessible, and customer-friendly financial solutions. Since 1961, Accion has helped build 267 financial service providers serving low-income clients in 75 countries, reaching 440 million people. More at https://www.accion.org.

The Workplace Operations Specialist leads day-to-day workplace operations for Accion’s Washington, DC headquarters and helps strengthen facilities practices and employee experience across global hub offices. As the primary on-site contact in DC, this role partners with People & Culture, Communications, Global Operations, Global Technology, and the Executive and Leadership Teams to maintain a safe, efficient, connected, and welcoming workplace. The Specialist is an autonomous, critical thinker who anticipates needs, resolves operational issues, and brings structure to complex work, from planning and delivering office and company events to pitching in on the everyday tasks that keep the office running. The role also provides executive administrative support and reports to the Chief Operating Officer. 

This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The Specialist is expected to work in the office Monday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Fridays. 

Success in this role requires balancing responsive, hands-on service in the DC office with proactive coordination, sound judgment, and consistent execution across Accion’s global workplace operations.

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Washington, DC office, ensuring a safe, functional, and welcoming environment for staff, visitors, and clients, including hands-on upkeep of shared spaces such as kitchens and common areas. 
• Serve as the primary contact for building management and facilities vendors, monitoring service quality, processing invoices, and managing contract renewals in partnership with the COO. 
• Oversee domestic and international postal and shipping needs, and manage office supplies within budget. 
• Serve as the DC Emergency Response Plan Coordinator and first point of contact during emergencies, applying Accion’s Global Safety and Security Manual and regional security plans. 
• Administer office access, badge, and visitor management processes, as well as workspace and conference room reservations (Kastle, Maptician, and Outlook), in partnership with Global Technology, identifying and implementing improvements. 
• Exercise sound judgment to resolve office and facilities issues independently, escalating complex or high-impact issues to the COO. 

• Support consistent facilities standards across hub offices by documenting DC processes, identifying opportunities to standardize, sharing best practices, and coordinating with facilities contacts in other hub locations. 
• Maintain the internal events calendar and office-related intranet pages, keeping information on events, procedures, facilities updates, and safety resources accurate in coordination with Communications and local office leads. 

• Lead the planning and execution of DC office and org-wide events, including managing logistics, vendors, budgets, and timelines in collaboration with People & Culture. 
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding logistics with People & Culture and Global Technology, including equipment, security access, and mailing list updates. 

• Provide administrative support to the Chief Operating Officer, including calendar management, meeting coordination, travel planning (domestic and international), and expense reporting in NetSuite. 
• Coordinate logistics for Global Operations and Leadership Team meetings and offsites, tracking action items through completion. 
• Partner with other Executive Assistants to coordinate travel, lodging, and meeting arrangements for leadership visits and group convenings in the DC area.

• 3-5 years of relevant experience in facilities administration, workplace operations, office management, hospitality, or a related field. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Experience planning and executing projects and events from start to finish, including events, with the ability to work independently and see tasks through to completion. 
• Experience managing day-to-day vendor relationships, contracts, and budgets, including processing invoices, tracking expenses, and coordinating service delivery. 
• Experience supporting operations across one or more offices or locations; exposure to a global or matrixed organization is a plus. 
• Strong organizational and planning skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities while supporting staff, executives, and cross-functional teams. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to interact professionally with colleagues at all levels, including senior leaders and executives. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint), and the ability to use online vendor platforms, office management applications, videoconferencing and audiovisual systems, and other workplace technology. 
• Critical thinker with sound judgment who works independently, anticipates needs, solves problems proactively, and knows when to escalate.  
• Demonstrated discretion and professionalism when handling confidential information, including executive and leadership communications. 
• Interested in our mission and working globally.
• Willingness to embody our values of excellence, respect and passion for social change.

Occasional travel may be required to support in-person events, facilities assessments, onboarding activities, or team engagements (estimated up to 10–15%).