Director of R&D Operations

About Kindsight:
Kindsight delivers what has never been possible in the nonprofit world: A fundraising platform that incorporates big data, AI, and automation to power modern fundraising. Kindsight combines a CRM (Ascend) tailored for vertical specific nonprofits like universities, healthcare and art institutions with the most comprehensive real time donor intelligence (iWave) and AI-assisted automations. Kindsight empowers nonprofit, education, and healthcare organizations to maximize their impact, driving productivity and effectiveness to have the right conversation with the right donor, at the right time—every time. 
As we look to the future, the size of our roadmap and development requirements will grow and having consistent oversight across all product teams will be key to our growth and success. We are a mission driven company that is passionate about helping nonprofits change the world by driving high impact innovation in a space that’s ready for transformation.
Position Summary:
As Director of R&D Ops, will play a critical leadership role in driving operational excellence across a multi-product research and development organization. This individual will partner with product line leaders, program managers, and functional heads to optimize R&D processes, enable cross-functional collaboration, and ensure timely, high-quality delivery of new products and innovations. The Director will oversee R&D portfolio planning, resource allocation, budget management, and operational governance to support the company’s strategic growth initiatives.
What You’ll Do:
Strategic Planning & Execution

• Partner with R&D leadership to define and execute the operational strategy that aligns with the company’s multi-product roadmap
• Lead portfolio planning, prioritization, and project governance to ensure resources are allocated effectively across product lines
• Drive process standardization and best practices across global R&D teams.

Operational Leadership

• Establish and manage R&D operating mechanisms (e.g., reviews, dashboards, KPIs) for visibility and accountability
• Implement project management methodologies to ensure timely product delivery, risk management, and issue escalation.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across the R&D lifecycle.
• Champion the configuration and adoption of our tech stack: Jira, ProductBoard, Gainsight PX, etc. 

Resource & Budget Management

• Oversee R&D operating budgets, forecasts, and long-range planning.
• Manage headcount planning and support talent training for R&D team
• Partner with Finance and HR to optimize workforce planning.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the operational bridge between Product Management, Engineering, Product Marketing, Sales and other supporting go-to-market functions. 
• Enable communication and alignment between product lines to maximize synergies and reduce duplication

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing R&D Operations team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and innovation.
• Develop organizational capabilities to scale as the company expands its product portfolio.

About You - Skills and Qualifications:

• Proven R&D Ops Leader: 8+ years experience in portfolio management, resource planning, and operational governance and continuous improvement mindset in a multi-product company
• Strong PDLC Acumen: Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle (concept through launch) 
• Excellent Driver for Collaboration: Ability to motivate teams successful launch, with speed, agility and quality
• Execution-Oriented: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed environment with competing priorities
• Strategic thinker: Financial understanding of resources, capacity and outsourcing while being budget conscious and driven

Bonus Points:

• Familiarity with CRMs, ERPs, or launching products on Salesforce.
• Familiarity with Jira, Gainsight CS and PX and ProductBoard

Compensation Range: $125,000-175,000CAD OTE annually, based on experience, market benchmarks and role complexity. We aim to offer fair, competitive pay that reflects your skills and the market.
This advertised position is for an existing vacancy at Kindsight. At Kindsight, we’re proud to be a place where everyone belongs and has an equal opportunity to contribute, thrive and grow. We hire based on skills, potential, and impact, and we believe our differences fuel innovation. We welcome all individuals and do not discriminate on the basis of gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, colour, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, sex, citizenship, education, languages spoken or veteran status. We’re building a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to do meaningful work and make a difference.