J. CLEARY RUBINOS
Philadelphia, PA • 310.903.7137
ClearyRubinos@Gmail.com
Operations leader with 10+ years driving organizational efficiency across nonprofit, media, and creative industries. Track record of reducing costs, standardizing workflows, and managing cross-functional delivery in resource-constrained environments. Combines hands-on technical operations—IT security, vendor management, benefits administration—with strategic planning and budget oversight. Active photographer and experiential theatre artist with deep fluency in creative production, bringing practitioner-level understanding to operations in arts and cultural organizations.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Operational Strategy & Process Design • Budget Management & Cost Reduction • IT Operations & Security • Contract Negotiation • Cross-Functional Project Delivery • Benefits & HR Administration • Vendor & Stakeholder Management • SOP Development
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Associate Director of Operations | Monument Lab, Philadelphia, PA
August 2023 – February 2026
• Standardized operational workflows and SOPs across departments, reducing project onboarding time by 30% and improving cross-team delivery predictability.
• Led IT security initiatives including MFA implementation, device lifecycle policy, and vendor consolidation, cutting annual equipment costs by 18% while strengthening security posture.
• Managed $85K annual technology and subscription budgets with monthly reconciliation, maintaining zero variance from established budgets.
• Negotiated multi-year lease commitments and specialized venue agreements, ensuring fiscal alignment and long-term operational stability.
• Built end-to-end staff onboarding program covering account access, equipment provisioning, and permissions management.
• Coordinated logistics for high-profile public installations including procurement, site strategy, ADA compliance, and timeline management.
Operations Manager | Monument Lab, Philadelphia, PA
March 2022 – August 2023
• Administered all employee benefits during the organization’s transition to independent nonprofit status, migrating plans to Gusto and managing open enrollment for medical, dental, and vision.
• Developed and processed comprehensive contracts for employment, vendor relations, leases, and insurance, ensuring organizational compliance.
• Designed and implemented organizational policies including travel regulations and health and safety protocols.
• Directed adherence to insurance, grant, and contractual requirements across all operational functions.
Project & Technical Support Specialist | Monument Lab, Philadelphia, PA
October 2020 – March 2022 (Freelance)
• Managed nonprofit establishment documentation and IRS 990 filings.
• Assumed COO leadership responsibilities during parental leave, maintaining operational continuity.
Production Manager | Klip Collective, Philadelphia, PA
August 2018 – March 2020
• Managed end-to-end project logistics and budgets for large-scale artistic installations, coordinating equipment procurement, crew, and domestic/international suppliers.
• Developed budget proposals for new business inquiries and supported financial development of contracted projects.
• Collaborated with hardware designers and executive producers on technical stress-testing and creative output finalization.
Associate Producer, Commonspace | WHYY, Philadelphia, PA
August 2016 – August 2018 (Contract)
• Directed post-production for weekly audio content including interviews and first-person narratives, ensuring quality and deadline adherence.
• Managed studio logistics, remote recording coordination (ISDN/tape sync), and on-site field production.
Production Manager | First Person Arts, Philadelphia, PA
October 2011 – August 2018
• Progressively advanced over seven years from photography and graphic design into theatre direction and production management.
• Managed production for 14 monthly shows reaching 70,000 annual viewers, with budgets ranging from $2K to $60K per show.
• Exceeded FY17 revenue goals by $19,000 through innovative marketing strategies.
• Led stakeholder engagement and professional storytelling workshops for clients including Dow Chemical, McKinsey & Co., and the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health.
TOOLS & PLATFORMS
Financial & Operations: Ramp, Bill.com, Divvy, Melio, QuickBooks, Xero
Project Management: Asana, Airtable, Trello, Miro
Productivity & Collaboration: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Zoom, Dropbox
Marketing & Commerce: MailerLite, Mailchimp, Shopify, Eventbrite
Creative & Production: Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Bridge, Premiere; Audacity
CERTIFICATIONS
Foundations of Project Management — Google (2021)
The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking — Google (2021)
Technical Support Fundamentals — Google (2020)
EDUCATION
Radio, Television, and Digital Communications, Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie (1997–1999)
Communications and Media Studies, Marist University, Poughkeepsie (1995–1997)
VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP
Host, Creative Mornings, Philadelphia (2023–2024)
Advisory Board Member, Power Street Theatre, Philadelphia (2019–2022)
Governing Board Member, Philadelphia Scenic Works (2020–2021)