Chief Operating Officer

Description
Start Date: March 2024
Employment Type: This is a full-time exempt position
Location: Atlanta, GA; Bronx, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Newark, NJ - (hybrid)
Reports to: CEO
General Overview
The Knowledge House's mission is to empower and sustain a talent pipeline of technologists, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders, who will lift their communities out of poverty.
The Knowledge House (TKH) approach is to (1) close gaps in the education-to-employment pipeline in underserved communities in the Bronx NY, Newark NJ, Atlanta GA, and Los Angeles CA, neighborhoods by teaching youth and young adults the skills needed to launch careers or ventures in technology, and (2) support links between local youth, tech innovation, and business development that bring positive community impact.
Headquartered in the South Bronx, TKH has served more than 2,250 students since 2014. Current core programs include our Innovation Fellowship focused on software engineering, cybersecurity, and digital design for adult job trainees, and our Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship for high school students learning computational thinking and web design.
TKH team members value the opportunity to: apply their skills while giving back to low-income youth and other underrepresented communities; lead innovation in the emerging tech movement in the Bronx, Newark, Atlanta, and Los Angeles; and join a scaling nonprofit where every team member is expected to contribute to strategy, create solutions and helps shape improve organizational culture.
Role Overview
TKH seeks an experienced Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead day-to-day operations and drive high performance during a critical time in a growing organization's history. From FY19 to FY22, TKH's annual budget grew by 300% to $5M and TKH staff grew from 25 staff to 60. To scale our work to more communities in need, TKH seeks to sustain operations and focus on continuous improvement as it solidifies the 2025 strategic plan that guides TKH over the next five years.
As a member of the executive leadership team, the COO will work closely with the CEO to chart TKH's five-year growth strategy to serve 1,000 students annually across 5 markets. Specifically, the COO will be responsible for (1) supervising a team of 4 full-time employees as well as ~6 consultants, (2) leading administrative and operational support functions: finance, HR, planning, facilities, and IT, and (3) designing TKH's strategic growth plan and implementing the needed structures to make the plan operational.
Responsibilities
Design and execute strategies for strong organizational performance and growth (30% of time)

• Partner with the CEO to chart TKH's five-year growth strategy, leading iterations on the strategic plan and TKH's operating manual as needed.
• Evolve systems across programs, operations, HR, and finances to ensure TKH can 10x the student cohort and grow into new markets.
• Guide directors / senior directors through standardizing activities, adopting new policies, implementing effective systems, and streamlining data reporting
• Set comprehensive goals for performance and growth and monitor both aspects against metrics and budgets. Ensure that the TKH scorecard keeps the organization in line with its mission, helping both the organization as a whole and the individual sites.
• Lead reporting of program impact and organizational health to leadership and external stakeholders.
• Develop and execute TKH's data strategy and build necessary IT infrastructure and facilities as the organization shifts from remote to in-person.
• Enhance the use of Salesforce as the organization's primary CRM and data platform, including the development of accurate, useful dashboards for each department.

Oversee finance and operations functions (40% of time)

• Supervise the Senior Manager of Operations, Data and Technology; Fiscal Manager; Web Developer; and accounting consultants.
• Oversee the development of short- and long-term financial strategies, including the development of financial models, budgets, and analyses to inform senior leadership.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute the annual audit process.
• Collaborate with the Finance Manager and Senior People Manager to oversee financial systems and procedures for monitoring expenditures to ensure the development of a fiscally responsible organization; ensure compliance with federal, state, and local agency requirements.
• Collaborate with the External Affairs Team to integrate strong financial/operational reporting into grants management.
• Collaborate with third-party consultants to support TKH's legal, financial, real estate, and insurance coverage to ensure compliance.

Lead people / human resources function (30% of time)

• Supervise the Senior People Operations Manager and HR consultants.
• Refine and lead outcomes-oriented performance management systems, including role scoping + goal setting + competency development (captured in Individual Performance Plans), mid- and end-of-year evaluations, professional development, hiring, onboarding, and culture building.
• Oversee organizational design and design team structure to drive strategic growth; lead hiring process for new roles when appropriate.
• Ensure all TKH people managers develop and implement comprehensive performance management plans for all direct reports.
• Establish policies that promote TKH's culture and vision.
• Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices in management, leadership, and processes.
• Collaborate with contractors when/if necessary to achieve org-wide professional development goals.

Qualifications
Experience:

• 10+ years of directly related professional experience with significant experience in one or more of the following fields: finance, operations, human resources, information technology/data, or compliance/accounting.
• At least 7+ years of experience recruiting, developing, coaching, and growing individuals and teams with a focus on cultivating and maintaining a data-driven, results-oriented, and high-feedback culture; track record of building efficiencies and implementing process improvements.
• Experience with Salesforce applications.
• Ability to travel occasionally to current and future TKH markets (once per quarter on average).
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Prior experience in the workforce development field or tech sector, is a plus.

Skills / Approach to Work:

• Ability to independently produce high-quality work, delegate, and problem-solve. Additionally, ability to collaborate with teammates to drive results.
• A passion and love for our students and their genius. A tenacious desire to smash all barriers in the way of our students accessing rewarding, high-paying careers in technology.
• Exceptional analytical skills; the ability to use data (both quantitative and qualitative) to identify patterns and performance metrics to innovate, create targeted strategies, and design management support structures.

• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage complex projects, as well as balance multiple priorities and deadlines in a constantly changing and fast-paced environment.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills that enable tact, discretion, judgment, and diplomacy with internal and external stakeholders; the ability to manage by influence and coach across a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to travel and participate in frequent evening and weekend activities for work-related purposes.
• Computer proficiency, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive (esp. Sheets, Docs, Classroom), social media, and Salesforce.

Compensation

• Full-time $160,000-$205,000-year salary
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 2% 401k match
• A monthly tech stipend of $100
• Unlimited days of paid time off

How to Apply
Click on "apply" to submit your resume and cover letter (required). In your cover letter please include an answer to the following question:

1. What is the earliest date you could start in this role?
2. What are your salary requirements for this role?
3. How do your skills and qualifications meet the position requirements?
4. TKH is on the precipice of major growth in our student enrollment and in our national footprint. Why are you interested in partnering with our CEO, senior leadership team, staff, and board to drive this growth? Why do you believe this growth is important? How would you define successful growth?
5. Describe the role that you've had that is most similar to the COO role. Why was that role similar to the COO role at TKH and what did you accomplish?

It is the policy of The Knowledge House Fellowship, Inc. to promote and provide equal employment opportunity without discrimination based on age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, Veteran status, genetic predisposition, or carrier status.