At Drive Change our mission is to support formerly incarcerated young people and create quality employment pathways to ensure their economic and emotional wellbeing. We work to create systemic change and sustainable impact through unapologetically reimagining what’s possible for the food and hospitality industry.

About the Chief Operations Officer Position

The Chief Operations Officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and leading administrative systems to support Drive Change’s mission to support formerly incarcerated young people by creating employment pathways to ensure their economic and emotional well-being.  The COO will serve as a thought partner to the Executive Director and the senior leadership team. The COO will ensure the appropriate resources are in place to support Drive Change’s financial, programmatic, and operational infrastructures.

Reports to: Executive Director

FLSA Classification: Salary/Exempt

Direct Reports: People and Operations Manager

Key Relationships: Executive Director, Chief Development Officer, Chief Program Officer, Board of Directors, Finance Team, HR Team, partner organizations, and contractors

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide strategic leadership and management 

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and board members to set operational strategies aligned with Drive Change’s mission 
• Work collaboratively with the Executive Director and the Chief Development Officer on coordinating board meeting packets; participate in quarterly board meetings as needed
• Lead the development and implementation of long-term plans and policies
• Represent the organization in strategic partnerships, public events, and networking opportunities
• Support regular scheduled internal and external meetings

• Support development of new programs; ensure implementation in coordination with existing programs 

Provide operational management

• Manage daily operations and facilities, ensuring smooth functioning across various departments including administration, finance, human resources, and program delivery

• Coordinate with the Chief Development Officer on all event planning

• Develop and manage operational budgets and financial strategies, optimizing resource allocation
• Implement effective risk management policies and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Manage program partnerships and establish MOUs with new partners
• Identify opportunities to leverage existing resources to support Drive Change mission and goals
• Manage risk by ensuring Drive Change’s policies and practices comply with its organizational values, labor laws, and nonprofit regulations
• On-going assessment of Drive Change’s technology needs, ensuring use of effective software and hardware tools; minimizing the risk of cyber threats

Provide financial management

• Support the development and management of organizational budgets
• In coordination with the Chief Development Officer work with the finance team to ensure expense and revenue processes and procedures are followed
• Ensure tax and other relevant filings are current
• Assist with annual fiscal audit
• Manage organizational purchases

Lead people engagement processes

• In consultation with HR, develop, implement, and support onboarding of all new staff, volunteers and interns
• In consultation with HR, manage performance plans and scheduled reviews
• Develop and identify on-going professional development opportunities to support staff’s growth
• Cultivate the values of Drive Change within the organization

REQUIREMENTS 

• 5+ years of experience in a senior management role in a nonprofit organization. 

• Commitment to the organization’s mission, values, principles, and practices is required

• Strong project management skills with the ability to administer multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize workload, and effectively manage resources

• Collaborative, organized, and detail-oriented leader with experience in managing people, and ability to delegate
• Demonstrated experience in a team-based work environment
• Competent technology skills, including proficiency with platforms such as Google Workspace
• Compatible philosophy with Drive Change Core Values
  

WORK SCHEDULE 

• The Chief Operations Officer position is a hybrid position. Hours worked will be weekdays yet remain flexible to accommodate events. Evening and/or weekend work may be required on occasion.  

• The office location for this position is Brooklyn, New York. 

Drive Change is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, or current employment status.  Drive Change values diverse experiences, including with regards to educational background and justice system involvement. We depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.