Chief Operating Officer

THE OPPORTUNITY

Thousand Currents is thrilled to launch a search for its Chief Operating Officer (COO). We are a dynamic, values-based organization in the midst of a period of significant growth in a rapidly evolving environment.  As such, we are seeking a professional with demonstrated experience providing leadership and working collaboratively to develop systems and practices that address the interplay between growth, learning, innovation, complexity, culture, and equity. After several years of growth, Thousand Currents seeks an experienced leader to play an integral strategic and leadership role in organization building, ensuring our practices, systems, and culture propel our work and impact into the next decade in alignment with our values. The successful candidate will be energized by the prospect of supporting and partnering with an exceptional staff and board, honoring Thousand Currents’ mission, spirit and relationships, while leading and serving with wisdom, grace, maturity and skill in the service of even greater impact.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for providing internal leadership to support management, internal collaboration, alignment and organizational capacity-building.   This newly created role will provide leadership for the design and development of the next generation of innovative, flexible, strategic and values-aligned operational systems to position our work for the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving landscape. The COO will:

●    Supervise the organization’s key operational staff and functions, serve as the Executive   Director’s   deputy   and   will   work   closely   with   the organization’s senior management team and other stakeholders to foster a   values-based,  mission-aligned,   practice-centered culture across  the organization.

●    Be responsible for leading and overseeing Thousand Currents’ operational functions in the areas of finance, IT, human resources, planning and strategy, internal systems, learning and innovation.

Other roles and configurations may evolve over time, for example, with selected members of the senior management team, as this new role is implemented and organizational requirements evolve.

KEY ROLES AND FUNCTIONS:

 A.  Finance and Operations

a. Act   as   the   Executive  Director’s  big  picture  thought  partner  on strategic, management, human resources, evaluation and financial decisions, in partnership with the senior management team.

b. Strengthen the organization’s human resources systems, including work planning, learning and reflection, and performance management systems  to  support  individual,  team  and  organizational  alignment across goals and priorities.

c.  Supervise and support the Finance Director in developing the annual budget and budget development process, establishing budget and financial goals, strengthening financial performance, budgeting and financial management practices.

d. Support  the  evaluation  and  onboarding  of  new,  organization-wide support systems, tools and project/workflow management platforms.

 B.   Planning,  Internal  Alignment  and  Collaboration

a. Develop systems to maximize communication, synergy and collaboration with the organization’s Philanthropic Partnerships, Grassroots Partnerships, Communications and other teams and special initiatives to facilitate collaboration, internal alignment and planning.

b. Oversee and strengthen cross-team communications by developing systems, practices and structured interactions that facilitate synergy and collaboration.

c.  Support the executive director in providing staff support to the board of directors in its governance and fiduciary roles, including managing preparation for board meetings, retreats, and special meetings (virtual and in-person).

 C.  People and Culture

a. Supervise HR and operations staff and consultants.

b. Partner with the senior management team to design, plan, and execute staff meetings, planning activities and retreats (virtual for the foreseeable future) to foster communication, team-building, collaboration and a positive, values-based organizational culture.

c. Oversee   staff   recruitment   and   retention,   including   developing opportunities for professional development, coaching, and advancement while continuing to tend to a strong, values-centric organizational culture.

d. Work  with  the  staff  to  create  a  culture  of  joy,  collective  care  and connection.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

a.  Demonstrated lived and professional alignment with Thousand Currents’ values and mission, including a strong commitment to racial, gender, class, social and/or environmental justice. Deep commitment to our mission will be demonstrated through previous work within progressive social change organizations, foundations and/or movements.  Experience working with organizations supporting grassroots and movement organizing in the Global south highly valued.

b.  Ten or more years of relevant, comparable professional experience including a track  record  reflecting experience  in  senior  management,  operations  and/or finance roles including, but not limited to previous service in the roles of deputy director, operations, finance managing or executive director of a social change organization.

c.  Significant skills as a seasoned collaborative leader and senior level manager with expertise in organizational leadership, management and operations; talent management and development; and financial management and forecasting.

d. Strong staff management experience with the ability to provide coaching and accountability metrics to support the achievement of individual, team and organizational goals.

e. Proven success leading and effectively implementing collaborative strategy and strategic planning processes.

f.   Demonstrated experience working collaboratively to develop systems, strategy and best practices that address complexity and culture, diversity, equity and evolving requirements of different stages in the organizational life cycle.

g.  Strong oral and written English skills. Outstanding analytical and strategic thinking skills, with a focus on creativity, results and impact.

h.  Bachelor’s   Degree   or   equivalent  -  required;  Master’s  degree  or  equivalent experience - preferred.

i.    Impeccable judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential information.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND EXPERIENCE:

This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position. The salary range is $120,000 to $140,000. Exact salary will be determined based on the successful candidate’s experience. Benefits include 100% employer paid health insurance premiums, partner/child coverage, a health reimbursement arrangement, sick and vacation leave, flexible holidays, and internal systems that engender a culture of mutual accountability to personal ecology, transparency, open communication, and opportunities for professional, personal, and leadership development.

While the Chief Operations Officer is a remote position, there is a desire for candidates to be based in New York or Oakland. Once we are able to resume travel, the COO must have the capacity and willingness to travel 15-25% of the time.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit a substantive letter of interest and resume to coosearch@thousandcurrents.org with “Chief Operating Officer” in the subject line by January 15, 2021. Early applications are welcome and encouraged.

Due to the volume of applications, we will only contact applicants that have been moved to interview rounds.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

Thousand Currents is an equal opportunity employer. As a global organization, we recognize the importance of our staff reflecting the communities our work aims to benefit. We encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions.