Company: Stand for Children
United States | Full-time |
Company Snapshot
Stand for Children works to drive educational success and social progress, aiming to create a brighter future for everyone.
Role Overview / Mission
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a vital part of the Stand leadership team, reporting to the Co-Founder and CEO. This role ensures strong organizational execution, effective collaboration, and fiscal discipline to achieve annual impact and improvement goals. The COO drives the organization’s ability to make significant impact, improve operations, and maintain a positive workplace culture by overseeing planning, goal setting, budgeting, results tracking, and accountability. The COO manages the Organizing & Elections, Finance, People & Culture, Technology, and Development departments, and provides operational support for the Center for High School Success (CHSS) and Center for Early Literacy and Learning Success (CELLS). This role also ensures effective leadership from the Executive Team and governance by the Boards of Directors. Additionally, the COO acts as Chief of Staff, supporting the CEO, managing cross-functional projects, coordinating executive initiatives, and ensuring effective board engagement.
Key Responsibilities
* Collaborate with the CEO and executive team to develop annual strategic goals and budgets for impact and financial sustainability.
* Oversee effective and efficient service delivery and execution, including technology use and collaboration, to meet annual goals within budget and improve cost-efficiency.
* Ensure robust financial management and compliance, leading to clean audits and effective evaluation of programs and operations. This involves creating timely reports, business models, and operational procedures.
* Coordinate the Executive Team, manage focus areas, track impact, oversee budget reforecasting, and intervene if teams are off track.
* Partner with the CEO on key organizational development decisions, growth initiatives, business plans, and new ventures.
* Address organizational challenges and risks proactively, maintaining high operational standards.
* Promote staff engagement and development, upholding Stand’s values: results, bold independence, empowerment, partnership, being the change we seek, direct and respectful communication, and the “welcome, embrace, engage” learning program.
* Lead board engagement, including drafting agendas, facilitating follow-ups with Board Chairs, preparing meeting materials, coordinating with Finance and Audit Committees, and preparing presenters for quarterly Board meetings.
* Act as a liaison with the Controller for the C3 Board Finance Committee and the Investment Advisor for the Board Impact Fund, attending quarterly meetings and ensuring compliance with the Fund’s Investment Policy Statement.
Required Qualifications / Skills
* Passionate commitment to Stand for Children’s mission of educational success and social progress.
* Over 10 years of executive-level leadership in financial and administrative roles within a high-performing organization.
* Demonstrated success in leading board engagement and providing hands-on operational support for daily challenges.
* Ability to efficiently operationalize processes and lead organizational change, achieving sustainable change at scale, especially in fast-paced environments.
* Proven track record of developing and managing diverse, high-performing, geographically distributed teams.
* Experience handling highly confidential information and optimizing CEO and leadership time for critical work.
* Skilled at navigating sensitive issues and ensuring alignment across teams and stakeholders.
* Commitment to, track record of, and measurable impact in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
* Strong analytical skills and technical capability, including expertise with enterprise-wide systems.
* Strong financial acumen and required academic credentials; an M.B.A. or related graduate degree is preferred.
* Success in driving organizational performance by fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and understanding team capabilities.
* Ability to address a wide range of organizational issues with superior attention to detail, proactivity, and follow-through.
* Proven ability to establish SMART goals, complete key projects on time, and address organizational challenges.
* Capacity to develop strong relationships through effective communication; a values-driven leader embodying empathy, integrity, and compassion.
* Proven track record in improving processes and encouraging innovation based on continuous evaluation and learning.
* Demonstrated consultative approach with a strong commitment to customer service and support.
* Combines high energy and adaptability with a collaborative mindset and a proactive work style.
* Proven ability to make sound decisions with honesty and transparency, maintaining the highest level of integrity.
Location & Work Setup
This is a remote position. The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer.
Compensation & Benefits
The starting salary range is $240,000 – $280,000, depending on experience. An annual performance bonus is available starting in year two, based on performance. The role includes generous benefits.
Posted: Oct 22, 2025