Chief Operations Officer (COO)

REPORTS TO: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
HOURS: Full- Time
CLASSIFICATION: Exempt
REQUISITION NUMBER: 1814

SUMMARY: The Chief Operations Officer (COO) serves as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer. The COO is responsible for leading the organization's day-to-day operations, implementing strategic initiatives, strengthening organizational performance, and ensuring operational excellence across all programs, departments, and service locations. This position oversees organizational infrastructure, technology, facilities, operational systems, and cross-functional collaboration while supporting sustainable growth and ensuring alignment with Step Up's mission, values, and strategic objectives.

Benefits and What We Offer:

• Opportunities for growth and professional development.
• Generous paid time off (13 paid holidays, 10 days of EPTO, 12 sick days).
• Competitive salary and benefits package. Health, dental, vision, Aflac, and life insurance $25,000.00
• 403(b) retirement plan available on the first day of work. After working 1000 hours, Step Up matches 3% of the 6% the employee contributes.

DUTIES: The following reflects essential functions for this job but does not restrict other tasks, which may be assigned:

Leadership, Administration, Oversight

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO in developing and implementing organizational priorities, strategic plans, and operational initiatives.
• Provide executive leadership and oversight of agency operations across multiple states and service locations.
• Develop and implement operational systems, organizational policies, workflows, and performance metrics that improve organizational effectiveness and accountability.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and operational reporting systems to support data-driven decision making.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory, contractual, accreditation, and organizational requirements.
• Partners with executive leadership, including the CFO, CPO to align operational priorities, organizational resources, and strategic initiatives.
• Provides executive leadership and oversight to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Chief Philanthropy Development Officer (CPhDO), Chief Housing Development Officer (CHDO), and other operational leaders or departments as assigned by the CEO.
• Oversee operational budgeting for facilities, technology, infrastructure, administration, and organizational support functions.
• Direct facilities management, capital planning, vendor relationships, enterprise technology, cybersecurity, data governance, business continuity, and insurance programs.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, servant leadership, employee engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Represent the organization before the Board of Directors, government agencies, funders, community partners, and other external stakeholders.

SKILLS:

· Executive leadership and strategic planning

· Organizational development and operational management

· Financial management and budgeting

· Performance management and data analytics

· Change management and process improvement

· Relationship building and partnership development

· Executive communication and public speaking

· Leadership coaching and employee engagement

· Regulatory compliance and risk management

· Technology and infrastructure oversight

Required QUALIFICATIONS:

· Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Organizational Leadership, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.

· Seven (7) years or more of progressive executive leadership experience overseeing complex, multi-site or multi-program operations.

· Demonstrated success leading organizational growth, operational improvement, financial stewardship, and strategic initiatives.

· Proven ability to develop high-performing leadership teams and build collaborative organizational cultures.

· Strong financial acumen with experience managing large organizational budgets.

· Exceptional communication, relationship-building, leadership, and change management skills.

· Demonstrated commitment to Step Up's mission and values.

· Experience within nonprofit, behavioral health, healthcare, housing, human services, or other mission-driven organizations.

· Experience with government-funded programs, grants management, HUD, DHCS, LACDMH, or similar regulatory environments.

· Experience presenting to Boards of Directors and working with nonprofit governance.

· Experience leading organizations through significant growth, organizational transformation, or multi-state expansion.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Work with people experiencing homelessness whether on the streets, in shelters or other places of habitation or services, may present inherent challenges and difficulties such as: exposure to bed bugs or other infestations, unpleasant smells or odors, individuals who may have poor hygiene or unclean homes due to homelessness, mental health symptoms, or poverty. Additionally, in working with our members, employees may encounter instances of profanity, sexually explicit or derogatory language, or verbal or physical expressions of anger and trauma. Very rarely do these situations ever escalate to physical contact, and negative or derogatory communication patterns can often be negotiated successfully. All direct care staff are provided adequate training to develop skills to deescalate crisis situations that may arise and Step Up has established procedural safeguards for all employees to mitigate (but not eliminate) these inherent risks of employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers; handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk; and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk, balance, stoop, kneel, and/or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Keyboard data entry required.

Step Up utilizes the principles of trauma-informed care and mental health recovery. These principles inform our Core Values of Hope, Wellness, Voice and Choice, Respect, and Collaborative Relationships. As representatives of Step Up, employees agree to adhere to these values in their interactions with members, colleagues, supervisors, and associated community members.

STEP UP CORE VALUES

HOPE – We believe all people have the capacity for positive growth and change. We use hope to inspire and motivate ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.
WELLNESS – We believe in promoting a culture that supports healthy and fulfilling lives. We use a supportive environment to foster well-being for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.
VOICE AND CHOICE – We believe in the right to choose and be heard. We use voice and choice to create meaningful outcomes and empowerment for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.
RESPECT – We believe in promoting interactions that are non-judgmental, transparent. We use respect to guide all of our words and actions with ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.
COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – We believe in forming partnerships to share resources, knowledge, and experiences. We use collaborative relationships to strengthen accomplishments for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

Step Up provides equal employment opportunities without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, mental or physical disability, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

STEP UP IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
#ZR

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Do you have the ability to to develop high-performing leadership teams and build collaborative organizational cultures.
• Do you have experience within nonprofit, behavioral health, healthcare, housing, human services, or other mission-driven organizations.
• Do you have experience with government-funded programs, grants management, HUD, DHCS, LACDMH, or similar regulatory environments.
• Do you have experience leading organizations through significant growth, organizational transformation, or multi-state expansion.

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Progressive executive leadership: 7 years (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Santa Monica, CA 90401