Application Guide

How to Apply for Financial and Operations Manager

at National Council for Occupational Safety and Health

🏢 About National Council for Occupational Safety and Health

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) is unique as a national non-profit that builds power for Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-wage workers through grassroots organizing. Working here means joining a network of 25 local worker organizations dedicated to fighting exploitation and creating safe, healthy workplaces. This is an opportunity to support frontline worker advocacy at a national scale while working remotely.

About This Role

This Financial and Operations Manager role serves as the strategic financial partner to leadership while managing complex multi-grant budgets and ensuring compliance across diverse funding streams. The position is impactful because it directly enables National COSH's mission by providing financial stability, strong internal controls, and operational support for worker organizing campaigns and national convenings. You'll bridge finance, operations, and HR in a mission-driven environment.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing budget variances across multiple grants, coordinating with external financial support, preparing financial insights for leadership meetings, and handling HR operations like payroll coordination. You could be developing project-based budgets for worker safety campaigns while ensuring compliance documentation is complete, then shifting to planning operational logistics for a national virtual convening of worker organizations.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who National Council for Occupational Safety and Health Is Looking For

  • Has 5+ years of nonprofit financial management experience specifically with restricted grants, multi-fund budgets, and compliance in labor or social justice organizations
  • Demonstrates experience as a strategic partner to executive leadership and boards, providing actionable financial insights for decision-making
  • Possesses hands-on experience with staff onboarding, payroll coordination, and benefits administration in a mission-driven context
  • Understands the unique financial challenges of grassroots organizations with multiple funding streams and can implement strong internal controls

📝 Tips for Applying to National Council for Occupational Safety and Health

1

Highlight specific experience with restricted grants and compliance in nonprofit or labor contexts—quantify budget sizes and grant types you've managed

2

Demonstrate understanding of National COSH's worker-centered mission by connecting your financial/operations experience to supporting marginalized communities

3

Showcase your experience as a strategic partner to leadership with examples of how you've flagged risks and opportunities in previous roles

4

Emphasize remote operations experience, particularly supporting distributed teams and virtual convenings

5

Tailor your resume to show progressive responsibility in nonprofit financial management, not just generic finance experience

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your experience managing complex, multi-fund budgets in nonprofit/labor contexts and how it prepares you for National COSH's funding structure", 'Examples of serving as a strategic financial partner to leadership, providing insights that influenced organizational decisions', "Your understanding of National COSH's mission and how your financial/operations skills can support worker organizing and safety advocacy", 'Experience with both financial management and HR/operations functions in a mission-driven organization']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → National COSH's current campaigns and worker organizing priorities (check their website and recent press)
  • → The organization's funding structure—research their major grants and funding partners through public 990 forms or annual reports
  • → Their network of 25 grassroots worker organizations to understand the operational complexity you'd be supporting
  • → Recent National COSH convenings or board activities to understand the operational support needed
Visit National Council for Occupational Safety and Health's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you manage compliance across multiple restricted grants while maintaining flexibility for grassroots organizing needs?
2 Describe your experience providing financial insights to executive leadership/boards in a nonprofit context—what metrics would you prioritize for National COSH?
3 How have you implemented strong internal controls in a resource-constrained nonprofit environment?
4 What operational support have you provided for virtual/hybrid meetings and convenings, and how would you adapt for National COSH's national network?
5 How do you balance being a strategic partner to leadership with hands-on financial and HR management responsibilities?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on corporate finance experience without connecting it to nonprofit constraints and mission-driven work
  • Failing to demonstrate understanding of restricted grants and compliance requirements specific to nonprofit funding
  • Presenting as purely transactional rather than showing strategic partnership experience with leadership

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to National Council for Occupational Safety and Health!

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