Operations Professionals Network

This network brings together operations managers from international philanthropy organisations to learn from one another through working groups, benchmarking and knowledge exchange. Network members strengthen their practice in finance, IT, HR, legal and grants management ‒ building agile, future-ready operational processes and the collective insights that inform strategic decisions across the sector.

Vision

A collaborative ecosystem driving operational excellence among philanthropy professionals, enabling foundations to turn big ideas into real-world impact.

Areas of practice in focus

Peer-led working groups focused on COOs, Finance, Grants Management, HR, IT and Legal
Innovative models from leading organisations inside the sector and beyond
Practical tools and frameworks that members can apply immediately
Collectively building operational practices that are not only efficient but mission-aligned and impact-driven

Activities

Through benchmarking, shared learning and knowledge exchange, members compare their practices with those of their peers, identify gaps and adopt proven approaches.
Two annual in-person gatherings and an active online community provide space for members to co-create solutions, share lessons learned and tackle emerging operational challenges together.

How to engage

Join the community

This closed community is for operational professionals in Philea member foundations that meet specific criteria. Full members are organisations with dedicated in-house teams for key operational functions such as finance, HR, IT, legal and grants management. These members enjoy full access to all network activities, including:

In-person meetings
Online exchanges
The opportunity to shape the community’s work plan
Benchmarking, knowledge sharing and collaboration with peers across the sector

The community is not actively recruiting new members at this time. However, Philea members interested in joining can express their interest and will be contacted when new places become available.

Participation in selected activities

While membership of the community is limited, some Philea members who are not part of OPN may be invited to participate in selected activities, such as workshops or webinars, when their expertise or perspective is relevant to the topic.