Chief Operating Officer

Rubicon Programs seeks a seasoned, mission-focused executive to serve as the Chief Operating Officer (COO). Reporting to the CEO, the COO is a member of Rubicon’s executive leadership team, with a purpose to strengthen the organization’s ability to achieve our strategic goals by bringing greater efficiency, transparency and consistency to Rubicon Operations. The COO’s primary responsibilities focus on business operations and compliance, organizational procedures, contracts, governance and risk management. The COO works with Directors and senior managers across all of Rubicon’s divisions.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced non-profit executive with operational experience and a proven track record of creative problem-solving and change management to join an anti-poverty, anti-racist, mission-driven organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Executive Management, Leadership and Strategy

• Serve as an integral member of Rubicon’s Executive Team working closely with the CEO and other executives on overall management of the organization, including long term planning, budgeting, policy, supporting efficient and effective operations.
• Contribute to the development of Rubicon’s strategic goals and objectives, organizational vision, and values-driven decision making.
• Work with executive management to ensure Rubicon functions in a legal, ethical, and compliant manner while meeting service and business goals.
• Possible dotted line supervision of staff on specific projects or areas of work.

Corporate Management and Compliance:

• Oversee governance for Rubicon Programs and its three affiliated corporations, including board and officer functions and accountabilities, bylaws compliance, and management of corporate records.
• Advise and inform CEO and Board on legal, risk management, and affiliated corporation relationship matters. Review corporate status and filings with the State.
• Effectively communicate and present critical matters at select board of directors and committee meetings.

Operations:

• Administrative systems: Improve efficiency, transparency, and uniformity of organizational practices through the coordination, assessment, upgrading, and implementation of electronic systems, platforms, and standards for administrative processes, policies, and document retention.
• Policies and Procedures: Administer and oversee compliance with organization-wide policies and procedures; develop new policies as needed in support of goals; create online, accessible Policy and Procedure Manual; ensure uniformity in management processes across organization.
• Safety: Enhance Rubicon’s Safety Program, including the Illness Injury and Prevention Program; lead org-wide safety initiatives through research, knowledge sharing, committee facilitation and protocol drafting; lead critical incident response and debriefing; lead monthly executive safety committee meetings.
• Insurance and Risk Management: Manage insurance portfolio in collaboration with CFO, Chief Talent Officer, and Landscape management; hold primary relationship with insurance broker; claims management, including claims reporting. Ensure risk management processes are in place; advise CEO, CFO, and other executive management about areas of corporate risk, and work with CFO as called upon on risk analysis and reporting.

Contract Management:

• Review major contracts, MOUs, and leases; track critical renewal, termination and notice timelines.
• Develop and implement contract management procedures and systems.

Legal and Compliance:

• Review operations and practices of Rubicon and its affiliates to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, including state and regulatory agencies. Consult with outside legal counsel as necessary.
• Internal management of litigation, claims and legal process involving all Rubicon corporations. Inform and advise CEO, executive management, and Board on status and nature of all pending and threatened legal matters. Consult with and support Chief of Talent and Director of HR on claims involving personnel and employment-related actions.
• Primary point of contact with outside legal counsel; manage communications, work with counsel and continue to maintain and foster strong relationship with long-time outside counsel for Rubicon; seek additional pro bono or low-cost legal assistance and resources, as needed.
• Monitor developments in law and regulations relevant to Rubicon, including employment law, OSHA, and other regulatory developments.
• Monitor and coordinate with other divisions various corporate compliance matters (federal and state registrations, licenses, copyright, lobbying).

Talent/HR:

• Support Chief Talent Officer and Human Resources Director in ensuring organizations compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and regulations.
• Collaborate with CTO and HRD in updating and developing personnel policies and handbooks, and supporting compensation and benefits administration and analysis, including retirement plans.
• Consult and support on employment terminations, and claims involving employment-related matters.

Housing:

• Work with CFO on divestment and transfer of Rubicon’s housing portfolio.
• Oversee day to day operations of Rubicon’s two small housing sites (16 units), including supervision of property management consultant.
• Manage housing-related reporting and regulatory compliance.
• Work with Finance Division on budgeting and other financial matters.

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong management, supervisory, and problem-solving skills, including ability to effectively supervise and lead teams and oversee organizational initiatives and activities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that show the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships internally, with external partners, and with participants and community.
• Capacity for strategic thinking, goal setting and prioritization that supports and enhances program services to ensure high-quality results.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and strong organizational and presentation skills.
• Experience and interest in coaching, guiding, and mentoring staff at different levels of their career development to continually improve their effectiveness and growth.
• An understanding of how systemic racism affects present-day legal systems and an ability to advance racial equity goals through legal strategies. Commitment to advancing equity and furthering justice, equity, and belonging using antiracist principals.
• Strong ability to build relationships and communicate respectfully with communities with diverse experiences.
• Familiarity with Trauma Informed Practices, Motivational Interviewing, Cultural Responsiveness, and Coaching preferred.
• Demonstrate sound judgment, flexibility, and patience, exercise discretion in dealing with highly confidential and sensitive matters – both internally and externally.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• $135-145K
• Medical, Dental and Vision health plans. Kaiser and Sutter Health options.
• 3 weeks paid vacation and sick leave, 13 paid holidays.
• 4 days paid restorative holiday between Christmas and New Years.
• Employer sponsored and matched retirement plan.
• Pre-tax transportation and flexible spending accounts.

About Rubicon

An $18M non-profit Rubicon, provides direct services at eight locations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and operates a growing commercial landscape social enterprise program that is a leader in sustainable practices. Rubicon transforms East Bay communities by equipping people to break the cycle of poverty. Recognized as a national leader in workforce development, Rubicon provides individualized one-on-one career advising, job search support, financial education, wellness and legal services, to very low-income people who face significant barriers to achieving economic mobility.

Rubicon is a 2022 Great Place to Work, on a journey towards becoming a high-road employer and an anti-racist organization. We are committed to systems change and advocacy through efforts like expanding and deepening Employee Resource Groups; the launch of an internal Racial Justice Task Force; and implementation of talent and culture supports that acknowledge and facilitate healing from the direct and indirect effects of racial trauma.

Rubicon actively recruits staff members with a diversity of culture, thought, and lived experiences who are not only highly skilled, but who consistently demonstrate a commitment to our vision of an East Bay without poverty and are passionate about this work.

Rubicon is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and values diversity of culture, thought, and lived experiences. We seek talented, qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, conviction history, uniform service membership/veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical conditions, genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression regardless of physical gender, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

Rubicon uses E-Verify to validate the eligibility of our new employees to work legally in the United States.