Chief Operating Officer

UA seeks a Chief Operating Officer with a strong programmatic background to oversee internal functions including but not limited to, IT, data evaluation and compliance. Reporting to the CEO and serving on the senior leadership team, the COO will drive key operational and administrative functions to ensure that UA has the infrastructure needed to continue the organization’s success and impact. Guided by the principle that students come first, the COO must have a strong background in youth workforce development. They will also carry a strong operational and financial acumen, enabling them to serve as a partner, coach, and manager to departmental leaders responsible for directing the organization’s internal operating systems. This is a hybrid role with three days in the Washington, DC office and 2 days teleworking.

The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with strong interpersonal skills and an eye for the continuous improvement of organizational teams, systems, and processes. They will be deeply passionate about programs that empower at-risk youth and will have a track record of success coaching diverse teams to a common goal. The ideal candidate will also operate with a strong equity lens, ensuring that this is reflected in the organization’s living values and culture.

About Urban Alliance

For more than 25 years, Urban Alliance has provided thousands of economically disadvantaged youths with the skills, social capital, and career exposure needed to overcome systemic barriers to equal employment and educational opportunities. Urban Alliance’s programming serves as a bridge between young people, employers, and schools by providing high school students with comprehensive soft skills and digital literacy training, paid internships with local employers, individualized mentoring, case management, and ongoing post-high school planning support. Urban Alliance is one of the few youth workforce development organizations to have its impact proven by a six-year randomized controlled trial and has been recognized as a leader in the field by the book Moneyball for Government, as well as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, NPR, Forbes, the Urban Institute, and the Obama Foundation.

• In partnership with CPeO supervise UA’s risk management and compliance responsibilities, implementing policies and systems that ensure the organization is in full compliance with national, state, and local requirements.
• Work closely with senior management team to create, implement and roll out plans for operational processes, internal infrastructures, reporting systems and company policies all designed to foster growth, profitably and efficiencies within the company. 

Finance and Development

• Oversee UA’s financial strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability and alignment to the organization’s mission and goals.
• Co-direct the development and implementation of short- and long-term fiscal planning and budgets, with a focus on the overall financial success of the organization
• In collaboration with the Chief Development Officer and Controller, review compliance on major grants for the regional and national offices and provide oversight of expenses, predicting needs, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.

Team Leadership

• Works collaboratively to develop and/or improve systems, processes, controls, and procedures that improve the overall efficiency of the firm and insure excellent client service.
• Coaches and develops the team to ensure they are delivering against key business metrics.
• Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.

• Professional experience: the ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of leadership experience in the youth, education, or workforce development field with a strong track record of developing and implementing strategic, innovative, and data-driven programming. The candidate will have a demonstrated ability to work effectively across a diverse portfolio of programs and a history of problem-solving complex issues by bridging the gap between strategy and implementation.

• Leadership: the ideal candidate will be a thoughtful, collaborative, and empowering leader with strong management qualities and demonstrated success in building, leading, and retaining diverse teams. The candidate will be committed to building staff capacity and elevating the work of their team. The ideal candidate will also have experience and comfortability managing a geographically disparate or remote team.

• Communication: the ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator and possess strong writing and speaking skills. The candidate will leverage their strong interpersonal skills to connect with diverse stakeholders, including youth and their families, staff, business leaders, volunteers, senior government officials, community leaders, and funders. The ideal candidate will enjoy public speaking and will advocate on important youth workforce development issues.

Compensation and Benefit Package

At Urban Alliance one of our core values is taking care of each other, and this includes offering competitive benefits, paid time off, and options for remote work. The total compensation package for this position is between $135,000-$150,000 In addition to having paid time off between December 25th and January 1st, we provide 18 days of paid time off (PTO), 5 days of sick leave, plus 10 paid federal holidays, as well as birthday and diversity paid holidays. Additional PTO days are provided to staff after three years. Depending on the calendar, additional paid closure days and early closure days are established each year. Our benefits include a comprehensive health plan with 90% individual healthcare coverage for employees, coverages for spouses and family, 403(B) retirement plans with a 3% match, flexible spending accounts for dependent and health care, whole life insurance and pre-tax commuter benefits. In addition, depending on responsibilities. This position is based in Washington DC but will be hybrid based on organizational policy.

Urban Alliance Vaccination Policy

As established by the Urban Alliance Board of Directors, all employees are required to receive a vaccination against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious reasonable accommodation is approved. If offered a job, the candidate must be able to prove that they have been vaccinated with one of the CDC-authorized vaccines, including either Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson / Janssen or request and be granted an accommodation before their start date.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Urban Alliance is a racial and social justice organization committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Urban Alliance is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Applicants from all underrepresented groups, including people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and DACA recipients are encouraged to apply.