Operations Coordinator Position

Table of Contents

The Operations Coordinator (formerly Internship Coordinator & Office Manager) is responsible for the healthy, safe, and productive functioning of the Iowa Office; the primary purpose of this office is to house our Research operation, which is powered in part by our Internship program. This dual role also is responsible for the recruitment, logistics, and success of the Internship.

Important Logins

  1. Wiki.votesmart.org
    1. Keep the Phone List updated, as well as:
    2. Refer to the Operations Department Wiki for questions you may have and update if you make changes to the operations process.
    3. Keep the policies and documents current and accurate in the All Staff and Interns section.
    Tip: Learn how to Edit the Wiki
  2. Mantis.votesmart.org
    1. Request a new intern/staff account
    2. Create IT requests for network issues you may experience with the network, django, logins, website, etc.
  3. Skittles.votesmart.org/admin
    1. Manage API subscriptions (currently handled by Development)
    2. Update the staff page here
  4. Clipperz - password and account management
    1. Financial Clipperz: for logins that include sensitive financial information
      • Login information for all accounts is stored in the safe
      • Anytime a password/username is updated or a new online account is created, save it in Clipperz
    2. Purchasing/Services (Office Manager) Clipperz: for logins that don't include sensitive financial information
      • Also, those accounts the National Director is less likely to use
    3. Social Media Clipperz: Development and Communications manages this account, thought it can be shared with others in the organization
  5. DropBox - secure file communication
    1. In lieu of faxes
    2. Accountants have access to "PBS Scans" folder
    3. Login info in Clipperz

Email Management

  1. Personal, intern@votesmart.org
    • All intern@ emails will go directly to your personal Vote Smart email address.
    • Categorize your emails with labels.
      1. Administrative Assistance
      2. Interns
        1. Intern Recruitment
          • University Contacts
          • University Posting
          • one for each semester
        2. Intern Management
        3. - one for each semester
      3. Office Management
        1. Insurance
        2. Payroll
        3. HR
      4. Other
    • Each Thursday of a payroll week, you will receive payroll stubs from the National Director/President. Paystubs should be printed and distributed to staff and filed on the network drive: hr/3-HUMAN RESOURCES/PAYROLL
    Tip: The “ network drives” are the folders you see on your computer desktop. Learn how to manage them: ManagingInformation
  2. officemgr@votesmart.org, jobs@, purchasing@
1) jobs@ and purchasing@ forward automatically to officemgr@
  1. Login information is in Clipperz
    1. Types of officemgr@ emails and how to address them:
      1. API Subscription Management
        1. Procedure is to pass API requests on to memberhip@ if about a subscription, research@ if about data, and webmaster@ if an IT issue.
        2. How to respond to API emails
        Tip: Many people use our data, which is accessible via our Application Program Interface (API). You do not have to know everything about our data to manage subscriptions. The most important thing is to be very familiar with our subscription prices. It is your job to guide communications to the right place (see above). Direct all upper level subscribers to the National Director for assessment.
      2. Hiring Staff
        • Forward applications to directors
        • Directors will let you know if they are passing on the candidate. If they are interviewing them, directors will email candidate directly.
        • See Staff Hiring Template Responses).
      3. Print out any email receipts for purchases or subscription payments and file where appropriate.
      4. Wells Fargo emails
      5. Forward anything tax-related to the accountants (pbs@peak.org)

File Management

See the Administration section of the wiki & Memorize it!
See the Bookkeeping section of the wiki & Memorize it!
Tip: This position requires the filing and management of both “live” and “archived” files. Understand where your files are: (in HR drive hr/1-OFFICE MGMT AND ADMINISTRATION/Records Management)
  1. Priority Files
    1. Internship applicants (Can live on Google Drive or Network Drive)
      • Applicants potential/in progress
      • Applicants accepted/to make files
    2. Staff applicants (Lives on Google Drive)
      • Applicants potential/in progress
      • Applicants accepted/to make files
    3. Bills to Pay
    4. Reimbursements
    5. To Send to Accountants
Tip: The “ network drives” are the folders you see on your computer desktop. Learn how to manage them: ManagingInformation
  1. Active Files & Contracts
    1. File Cabinet 6 and 7 (in National Director's Office)
      • Top Drawer (6-1): paid invoices and current admin files.
      • 6-2: current partnerships/contracts (When they become un-current, file them in Cabinet #5 where appropriate) and credit card statements
      • 6-3: Current payroll files
        • Filed annually in banker's box.
      • Bottom Drawer (7): Current Employee Files & Applicants files
        • When they depart, file in Cabinet #4 where appropriate. Make sure they are added to master alumni list. Keep Applicant files for 1 year.
    Tip: In HR drive hr>OFFICE MGMT &ADMINISTRATION>Records Management>Administrative Filing Schemes>2018 Administrative Filing Cabinet Contents
    1. Current Intern Files
        • File away annually in banker box. Dispose of intern records > 7 years old. Make sure they are added to master alumni list.
    Tip: In HR drive hr>OFFICE MGMT &ADMINISTRATION>Records Management>2016 Administrative Files
  2. Archived Files & Records
    1. File Cabinet 1-5
      • Less used than active files, but still needed and must be updated occasionally
      • File Cabinet 4 is where you file departed employee files and where to go for reference checks
    Tip: In HR drive hr>OFFICE MGMT & ADMINISTRATION>Records Management
    • Past intern files are in boxes, not cabinets. Keep most recent near you and file others in the archives.
    IMPORTANT: We operate on a fiscal year that is different from a calendar year. Our Fiscal year ends in March/begins in April of each year. Make life easy for yourself and file records according to the fiscal year.
  3. Google Drive
    4. Tip: Google Drive v.s. PVS Drive -Think of your Google Drive as the place for spreadsheets, documents, etc., that are in need of frequent updating or sharing (live files). The PVS Drive is a more permanent record (digital archives) of these things.
    1. Must-Haves in Google Drive:
      1. Operations Folder
      2. Internship Program
        • Current Intern Recruitment
        • Current Intern Management
        • Share with Dept. Directors
      3. Master Alumni List
        • Update anytime a staff member/intern leaves
        • Refer to when forwarding past employee/intern mail
        • Use for Alumni outreach initiatives
      4. Intern Time/Eval Tracking
        • Share with Directors/Supervisors
        • Update when a new intern arrives
      5. Internship Postings
        • Update as postings become expired
        • Update links as needed
      6. University Contact Lists
        7. Tip: Periodically save these documents in their appropriate place in the PVS internship/hr drives.
  4. Incoming Mail: DevComm processes first
    1. Bills
      1. Standard Procedure:
        1. Review for correctness
        2. Code the expense & write check/pay by Visa
        3. Pass on to National Director
        4. Send to accountants if needed via DropBox
          • Anything Tax Related
          • Anything from Accident Fund (Workers Comp)
          • Any equipment purchase totalling more than $500
          • Any reimbursement to Walker, RK or AK.
          • Chase Visa Statements (once coded)
          • Any insurance related items (health or otherwise)
    2. Statements/Other Updates
      1. Determine if action is needed
      2. Give to National Director for Review
      3. Send to Accountants if needed
      4. File where appropriate (File Cabinet 6)
    3. Everything Else
      • Use your judgment
      • If you are unsure, ask the National Director

Staff Recruitment

  1. Posting Openings
    • Indeed
    • Idealist
    • Employment Crossing
    • Nonprofit Times
    • The Nonprofit Network
    • Roll Call (For National Director Search Only)
    • LinkedIn (For National Director Search Only)
    • StackOverflow (For IT positions only)
    • WorkingNotWorking (For Web Designer Only)
    • Local university boards
    Tip: In HR drive hr>Human Resources>New Hires>Job Descriptions
  2. Processing Applications, Interviewing, Onboarding, Management, Departures
    3. See the HR section of the wiki& Memorize it! And In HR PVS drive hr>Human Resources


Intern Recruitment

Tip: Gain access to the Internship Coordination Google Calendar
  1. Posting Openings
    1. Internship Postings (University Job Boards)
      • Update as postings become expired (As more colleges switch over to Handshake and similar college job posting conglomerates, be sure to keep these updated as a priority over individual hiring portals)
      • Update links as needed
    2. Mass Emails (Use iContact with DevComm help)
      3. Tip: See recruiting timeline in internship drive: /internship/Recruiting Timeline Guidance.jpg
    3. Outreach through universities (Critical at DrakeUniversity)
      1. Work with Drake Admissions to bring on scholarship interns for fall and spring semesters (approximately 30 annually).
      2. Work with professors to develop/support class credits that center around an internship with Vote Smart. Reach out to the professor facilitating this internship and begin onboarding process as normal once the class list becomes available.
        • As of 2019, there is a First-Year Seminar for students based around an internship with Vote Smart (120 hours/semester).
        • Other institutions looking at working with us: Simpson College, University of Iowa, Waukee Community Schools APEX program
  2. Scheduling Internship/Job Fairs
    1. Internship and Job fairs should be focused on recruiting for the upcoming term.
      • Before attending a career fair, plan to make the most of a trip by communicating with professors and advisers at the universities to schedule meetings or class presentations.
      • Inform these professors about your attendance at the fair and encourage them to direct students your way.
    2. Iowa State University has regular Career Fairs (People to People) each semester as well as an internship fair for the Greenlee School of Communication.
    3. Drake University has a spring career fair each semester.
      4. Tip: Internship descriptions in internship drive internship>National Internship Program>Intern Hiring & Recruitment
  3. Processing Applications, Interviewing, Onboarding, Management
    • See the Internship Coordination section of the wiki & Memorize it! Internship drive: internship> Iowa Internship Program

Annual To Dos

  1. HR - Create A New Admin Banker’s Box at end of calendar year
    2. Tip: Use the template labels found in hr drive hr>Office MGMT & Admin >Records Management> Administrative Filing Schemes
    1. Payroll Files
      1. File Away old
      2. Create New Pay Period & Check Date Sheet (refer Payroll-Related Postings in Payroll file of HR PVS drive)
      3. Create Physical folders that match the pay schedule sheet
      4. Create a new folder in the HR PVS drive and sub-folders that match the pay schedule sheet
    2. Administrative files: File at the end of the fiscal year (March 31)
  2. Audit, when necessary
    1. Your job is to pull all the files requested by our auditors.
    2. A complete record is one that has an invoice AND a payment record (receipt). Keep in mind how we pay for certain purchases. Ex: A reimbursement is done with a check (from Wells Fargo account). Pull all documentation of why we processed that reimbursement and the carbon copy of the check. Can’t find the carbon copy? Don’t panic! Log on to Wells Fargo, find the check and print.
    3. Keep these files pulled, even after the audit is complete, just in case. File them in the appropriate file box as a new folder “Audit materials”
  3. W2’s
    1. Compare contact info of employees sent by Practical Business Services with the Master Alumni List.
    2. Make corrections as needed & send back to accountants. Distribute to employees in office immediately when you receive the W2’s.
  4. File away Cabinet 6 (except active employee files) in appropriate banker box
    1. Top Drawer only: yearly paid invoices and admin files.
    2. Remember, by fiscal year!
  5. Destroy old files personnel files from safe
    1. Physical HR and health insurance documents with sensitive information are kept in the HR safe, including for departed employees. These files can be destroyed 3 years after departure.
    2. Check each year whether there are files here that can be destroyed.
  6. Intern Files (every semester)
    1. File away Annually in banker box
    2. MAKE SURE THEY ARE ADDED TO MASTER ALUMNI LIST
    3. Keep Alphabetical
    4. Dispose of intern records > 7 years old

Office Management

See the Office Management section of the wiki & Memorize it!
  1. Supplies List
    1. Your Best friend: http://wiki.votesmart.org/OfficeEquipment
      1. Login to Amazon (login info in Clipperz) and go to our past orders as a cheat sheet of what to buy and how much to buy.
      2. Do not be afraid to price items online to see if they can be found at a cheaper price.
      3. NEVER let the office run out of coffee. Never. Buy 4-5 containers of coffee at a time. Reorder when you’re on the last two containers.
      4. Periodically email the department directors and ask if they need anything.
      5. If DevComm asks you to order something for the postage machine, refer to here.
    2. For printers! If you need toner! Go here!
  2. The Phone System
    1. Checking Voicemails Daily
    2. Set up through MegaPath
      • Make sure a new employee has been assigned a phone
      • After a new employee has been trained on phones, a mantis ticket will be put in to assign them to the appropriate line(s)
  3. Assign Office Chores (weekly)
    • Can be managed by another staff member (delegation is your friend!)
    • Old Template, if you need.
  4. Office-wide Clean-ups (twice a year)
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