The client is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO), a senior executive leader reporting to the President & CEO. The COO provides strategic and operational leadership over the organization’s largest and most complex portfolio of programs, supporting child nutrition, early childhood education, youth development, teen programming, and family intervention services. This role is accountable for strong financial performance, regulatory compliance, program quality, and measurable community outcomes, while aligning people, systems, and execution across multiple business units as part of the executive team.
Responsibilities include serving as a key C-suite leader to shape organizational strategy and long-term planning, lead centralized programs aligned with mission and growth priorities, and partner with the CEO to drive sustainable growth and operational effectiveness. The COO leads annual operating plans, budgets, and performance goals; oversees daily operations across major program areas with $50M+ in annual revenue; implements systems to monitor performance, financial results, and impact metrics; and establishes scalable policies and procedures to ensure consistency and accountability. The COO is also expected to use data-informed decision-making to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
The COO will lead and develop senior program leaders and oversee a workforce of 1,500+ team members, fostering a high-performing, mission-driven culture centered on collaboration, accountability, and service excellence. The role partners with HR and Risk to align workforce planning, training, safety, and compliance strategies, and supports leadership development and succession planning. The COO identifies opportunities for program expansion and partnerships, serves as an ambassador to cultivate relationships with external stakeholders, and ensures adherence to federal, state, and local regulations (including licensing and USDA/audit requirements) through a proactive culture of safety, transparency, and compliance. Required qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience, demonstrated success leading multi-site operations and complex budgets, proven KPI and impact measurement capabilities, and strong financial and relationship-building skills; YMCA experience is strongly preferred.