Sample Position Description

Job title: Chief Operating Officer
Reports to: Executive Director

ABC Nonprofit seeks a mission-focused, strategic, and process-minded leader to join our team as Chief Operating Officer (COO). The COO will play a pivotal role in strengthening internal operations, empowering staff, and building the systems that enable us to expand our impact. We are looking for leaders who thrive in dynamic environments and bring both rigor and creativity to organizational growth. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the next chapter of ABC Nonprofit’s evolution.

Organization

Founded in [YYYY], ABC Nonprofit’s mission is...

We do this by...

For more information, please visit www.ABCnonprofit.org

Position

ABC Nonprofit has been growing steadily and is now seeking to dramatically accelerate growth. The board and Executive Director (ED) are looking for a seasoned leader with experience scaling an organization, leading an executive management team, and developing a performance culture among a group of diverse, talented individuals. The COO should be able to help others at ABC deliver measurable, cost-effective results while fostering collaboration and tapping into the strengths of each team member. While it is essential that the COO bring efficient and effective systems to increase the productivity of the organization, it is also critical that the team retain the creative spark that drives the ABC concept.

Core Competencies 

• Strategic thinking: Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into actionable organizational plans
• Capacity building: Ability to effectively build organization and staff capacity, developing a top-notch workforce and the processes to ensure smooth and sustainable operations
• Talent development: Ability to inspire and manage teams, foster accountability, and develop leaders by recognizing individual strengths and empowering staff to succeed
• Management under uncertainty: Ability to take initiative and lead with energy and confidence, embracing challenges, and guiding teams through ambiguity
• Decision making: Ability to make sound decisions and consistently deliver measurable outcomes by balancing strategic goals with budget realities, applying strong financial and operational judgment, and leveraging problem-solving and project management skills

Core Responsibilities

Reporting to the ED of ABC Nonprofit, the COO will lead all internal operations and will have the following responsibilities:

• Strategic leadership: Partner with the ED to create the strategic five-year plan and implement new processes and approaches to achieve it.
• Internal operations & management: Serve as the internal leader of the organization, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations, including:
  • Coordinate the annual operations plan and budgeting processes.
  • Lead the performance management process that measures and evaluates progress against goals for the organization.
  • Provide for all staff a strong day-to-day leadership presence; bridge national and regional operations and support an open-door policy among all staff.
• Team leadership: Lead and manage the organization’s vice presidents, who have the following responsibilities.
  • Finance, Technology, and Human Resources: Strengthening financial systems, human resources functions, and technology infrastructure
  • Programs: Ensuring impact metrics are achieved, renewing partner contracts, and developing curriculum and tools that meet cost guidelines
• Governance and board management: Work with the national board of directors, present to the board at quarterly meetings, and serve on several board committees.

Key Qualifications

• At least 10 years of professional experience overall, with a minimum of five years of senior-leadership experience supervising seasoned staff
• Expertise in organizational management, including finance, systems, and HR; with demonstrated experience in strategic planning, budgeting, business analysis, information systems, and marketing
• Experience in managing and leading within a “values-driven” organization
• Strong commitment to ABC’s mission and core values

Location and Remote Work Flexibility 
This is a hybrid position, requiring travel in the United States up to two times a quarter.

Compensation

ABC offers a generous salary and benefits package which include:

• $XX-YY annual base salary
• [health, 401(k), and vacation benefits]

 [Insert Equal Employment Opportunity statement and organizational values]