Open Philanthropy’s “Day in the Life” series showcases the wide-ranging work of our staff, spotlighting individual team members as they navigate a typical workday. We hope these posts provide an inside look into what working at Open Phil is really like. If you’re interested in joining our team, we encourage you to check out our open roles.
Nick Ravazzolo is a People Operations Associate at Open Philanthropy, where he coordinates HR processes, employee experience, and onboarding. Nick graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in Marketing and Italian. Previously, he managed large teams at a payroll software platform, focusing on process improvement initiatives and the small client experience. Fun fact: Nick collects wristwatches — his favorite is the Hamilton Boulton, which he has permanently “borrowed” from his mom (with her permission).
Day in the Life
One thing I love about Open Phil is our relationship to our operating values. It’s easy to be cynical about organizational values — too often they’re symbolic at best. But at Open Phil, our values are living principles that shape our daily work and decisions. This morning, I get to share my experience watching these values in action (and striving to embody them myself!) while welcoming our new Director of Partnerships, Liz Givens, with an orientation session.
While discussing Open Phil’s history and organizational culture, we explore concepts like ownership, which I’ve come to understand differently throughout my time at Open Phil. Before joining, my impression was that ownership meant giving 110% to every task. However, I now think that ownership also looks like having candid conversations about priorities and scope — asking questions like “How should I prioritize this project alongside my other responsibilities?” or “Should we aim for the best possible version or a minimally viable product?” I like that OP is comfortable making unconventional choices when it serves our mission better.
Next, I connect with our HR consultants to plan for the week ahead. I think of myself as “air traffic control” for our various HR initiatives, like administering and expanding our benefits line-up. We’re currently preparing for end-of-year performance reviews, which involves creating project timelines, drafting communications, selecting the right software tools, and reviewing opportunity areas from last year’s processes. Large-scale, open-ended projects energize me — it’s exciting to watch the whole organization move through a system I helped to create. This year, our team streamlined our org-wide performance review templates to minimize time investment for both managers and individual contributors. I’m looking forward to receiving feedback on our changes!
After lunch, I have a series of weekly one-on-ones. In my previous role, I managed a team of 30–40. In my current role, I have two direct reports. I’ve learned that managing fewer people with complex, varied responsibilities can actually be more challenging than overseeing larger teams with more standardized roles. But what I love most is the opportunity for collaborative problem-solving — working through challenges alongside my teammates. As a research and grantmaking organization focused on doing the most good, Open Phil is inherently non-competitive. When one person succeeds, we all move closer to our mission.
I wrap up my day helping Meiko Flynn-Do, a People Operations Coordinator, prepare to lead our upcoming All-Hands meeting. Each month, our entire staff meets virtually to receive updates from our Leadership team, ask questions about org-wide happenings, and watch staff present on topics ranging from international computer chip governance to “how to get better at Twitter.” Helping to organize events like the All-Hands, quarterly co-working weeks, and our annual retreat is deeply rewarding. There’s something special about seeing over 100 colleagues in one space, laughing, cracking jokes, and building connections. These moments make our culture tangible in a way that’s hard to capture in day-to-day operations.
Are you passionate about building strong organizational cultures and supporting teams to do their best work? Join us! Check out our open roles or submit an Expression of Interest.