Chief Operating Officer

Salary Range: $220,000 - $250,000, depending on experienceRole typeFull-timeLocationHybrid - based in or near Boston, MA, with regular in-person days at our Boston officeTravel expectationsPeriodic travel as neededORGANIZATION OVERVIEWProject Evident exists to help organizations harness the power of evidence to achieve a more significant impact. We do this by offering a comprehensive platform of tools, resources, and services to help nonprofits and funders, state education agencies, and local education agencies improve their measurement, evaluation, and reporting of results while strengthening their ability to act using this evidence.Project Evident strives to be a trusted partner - to practitioners, funders, and other stakeholders committed to stronger, meaningful, and equitable outcomes for communities and individuals so that all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. We believe in the power of data and evidence to address social and racial justice and seek to advance a next-generation ecosystem for actionable evidence-building and use.POSITION SUMMARYThe Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a skilled leader with the expertise to develop and manage top-tier operational functions that position the organization for sustained growth and impact. This role is responsible for internal leadership and ensuring the organization benefits from strong administrative (people management, core processes, technology, data governance, allocations) and financial (accounting, planning, reporting, compliance) operations.The COO will play a vital role in setting the organization's strategy, building and maintaining critical infrastructure, and ensuring that operations align with a culture of belonging and accountability. This leader will implement excellent systems and processes to ensure employees have the resources they need to succeed in their roles. The COO will also drive alignment between the organization's mission, values, assets, and practices.The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who is an astute financial steward and skilled in resource allocation. They are an experienced implementation leader passionate about fostering a strong workplace culture and effective operations. We are looking for a professional with expertise in systems and processes who is comfortable with both current and emerging technologies. This candidate should facilitate effective change management, drive efficient workflows, and develop solutions tailored to our organization's growth stage. Furthermore, the ideal candidate possesses a broad understanding of the use of data and evidence in the social and education sectors, engaging with practitioners, funders, policymakers, and technical assistance providers. They should have specific knowledge of hybrid organizations that blend service delivery, consulting, tool development, and field-building. Staying updated on market trends, innovations, and best practices is essential. Lastly, the candidate should be an attentive listener and collaborator, capable of connecting with staff and partners at all levels of the organization.ESSENTIAL DUTIESStrategic Leadership (20%)Collaborate with the CEO to develop, align, and monitor the strategic, administrative, and financial priorities of the organization. Provide internal leadership and support for the organization. Work closely with the CEO and the Executive team to ensure strong executive leadership throughout the organization and to address external and programmatic priorities effectively.Oversee the strategic planning, budget processes, and reporting for the organization, which includes annual and multi-year planning, goal setting, annual calendaring, as well as OKRs and performance improvements.Lead the outsourced finance team and manage the Board of Directors' audit committee to ensure a sound and sustainable financial position.Provide effective supervision and guidance to operations staff, ensuring that both operations staff and outsourced partners (including vendors, auditors, and finance partners) are well managed.Ensure that prioritization, progress monitoring, and learning related to the organization's goals, as outlined in the strategic plan, annual operating plan (OKRs), and Strategic Evidence plan, are effectively implemented.Administrative Leadership (40%)Enhance organization-wide process improvement by continually developing and utilizing relevant data and reporting tools, ensuring that data review routines inform direct service practices and field-building initiatives.Enhance the technology stack to meet staff needs, utilize resources effectively, and optimize improvements in line with operational requirements.Enhance knowledge management practices and infrastructure to effectively capture, manage, store, and systematically utilize data and knowledge.Promote "The PE Way" to cultivate a culture of belonging and accountability, foster values-aligned growth and development through training, shared practices, interoperability, traditions, and other organizational artifacts, and inform and support talent development, training, and performance management.Enhance activities and traditions that foster team cohesion, performance, and overall employee satisfaction, including team and management meetings and retreats.Implement efficient performance management systems and processes, which include performance expectations, role progressions, offboarding procedures, and career pathways. Source, manage, and integrate with various performance platforms and systems, such as Lattice and Harvest.Maintain best-in-class data governance, security, privacy, and policy practices throughout the organization to minimize risk and encourage safe, intelligent use.Financial Leadership (40%)Enhance and oversee core systems and workflows for the organization's allocations, budgeting, planning, and forecasting to ensure effective staffing, sustainability, grants management, and reporting.Lead the development of organization-wide reports for the Board, management, and funders, while driving process improvements to enhance performance and learning.Ensure timely and compliant financial operations and accounting management, leveraging direct experience in nonprofit financial management. Approve all grants and large contracts to guarantee compliance and sustainability.Ensure effective business development and sales processes support the team in building pipelines and achieving revenue targets.Ensure that leases, space rentals, equipment, and other assets are executed effectively to meet the team's needs. Ensure all benefits are compliant, and regularly reviewed, and that filings are of high quality and submitted on time.Manage the organization's annual audit process and all tax filings. EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCEA bachelor's degree is required; a master's degree in business administration or similar is preferred. A minimum of 12-15+ years of professional experience, with at least 5+ years of operations, financial leadership, and management experience (at the Vice President and/or Chief level) within growing organizations spanning allocations, talent, administration, technology, and finance/accounting. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIESSystems and action orientation, and experience with successfully taking an organization from startup to established while currently operating; the ability to create and institutionalize systems and processes that enable efficiency and effectiveness.Experience balancing strategy with implementation, with a focus on being creative and agile in a complex, growing environment to ensure effective execution. Experience with non-profit budget planning, audit management, grants, and contract management experience, and the ability to manage staff and contractors responsible for all aspects of accounting and finance. Demonstrated success in leading individuals and teams to ambitious outcomes through both influence and direct supervision/oversight. Comfort with ambiguity and ability to balance a portfolio of demands while effortlessly oscillating between the "balcony and dance floor." Problem solver and active listener who seeks clarification, asks strategic questions, and surfaces solutions. Able to facilitate difficult conversations and lead change management using data and evidence.Experience working effectively with multiple stakeholders in a distributed/virtual environment.Track record in fast-growing service organizations in the social sector. A clear understanding of the shared services model and matrixed organization and demonstrated ability to problem solve under pressure and quickly respond with alternative approaches and solutions.ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS This role reports to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer. The COO is authorized to lead the organization's internal agenda, while the CEO drives the external agenda. This role supervises the Operations team, including the Director of People and Technology, the Manager of Business and Finance Analytics, and outsourced finance, technology, and human resources partners. The COO is a member of the executive team, management team, and Audit Committee and supports the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.WORK ENVIRONMENTHybrid position - with a requirement that the candidate be based in or near Boston, Massachusetts, to allow for regular weekly in-person days at our Boston office.Ability to work regularly with a virtual team. The team works across multiple time zones and expects regular availability between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET). The Executive team averages 45-50 hours of work per week.COMPENSATIONThe salary range for this position is $220,000 - $250,000, commensurate with an established track record of operations leadership and management experience. Contingent upon organization and individual performance, Project Evident also provides annual bonuses for exceptional performance.

Created: 2025-03-03