ORGANIZATION
Think of Us (TOU) is a Research + Design lab on a mission to fundamentally re-architect the foster care system as we know it, powered by the data, leadership and insights of people with lived experience. The most challenging social problems we face – homelessness, mental illness, incarceration, and human trafficking – share a common intersection point: foster care. That’s why we are sparking, driving, and co-creating a nimble, responsive foster care system that will ensure every person has the conditions from which to heal, develop, and thrive. We partner with leading organizations driving change across the national ecosystem – from the White House to local providers and agencies – to identify leverage points and build solutions.
Think of Us is driving nationwide, catalytic change via multiple coordinated channels, including:
- Mobilizing and leveraging the collective voice of 38,000 former foster youth into over $400M in Federal pandemic relief funds.
- Collaborating with three consecutive presidential administrations to improve Federal policy, participating in 26 engagements with the White House in the last year alone.
- Inspiring 22 states to commit to eliminating group homes within 72 hours of releasing our groundbreaking Away from Home report, and partnering with six jurisdictions to make this commitment a reality.
- Creating a new model for frontline support, TOU’s Virtual Support Services (VSS) connects individuals impacted by foster care with vital resources. Successfully operating in California, Georgia, and Boston, VSS boasts an <8 hour response time and 95+% of help seekers needs being met.
Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results.
For more information about Think of Us, please visit www.thinkof-us.org.
OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for a Chief Operating Officer – with significant leadership experience in rapidly scaling organizations – to support Think of Us in our next phase of growth. The COO will be a member of our Executive Leadership Team and lead all key internal operational functions: Finance, People, IT, Engineering, Legal, Compliance, and Ops. The scope of work is ambitious, and they will have the opportunity to build out a team to drive exceptional results. The COO will report directly to Jess Skylar (Managing Partner).
A strong candidate has experience as both a strategist and an executor. They love the process of innovatively solving problems while also designing and implementing systems, building operational teams, and – most importantly – strategically prioritizing long-term impact rather than getting derailed by quick fixes. Operational expertise and finance chops are a must, as is a curiosity on how to innovate well beyond the status quo.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities of the Chief Operating Officer include:
Operational Leadership:
- Partner with the Executive Leadership Team to set a multi-year vision for achieving excellence in our Finance, Engineering, Compliance, and Operations teams;
- Lead a best-in-class team with exceptionally high standards for quality & experience;
- Improve our internal tooling with an goal to maximize automation and efficiency
- Manage TOU’s approach to mitigating risk across all facets of the organization, including legal activities such as memorandums of understanding, contracts, and other legal documents and agreements.
Financial Leadership:
- Lead financial strategy, including exploring creative long-term business structures to expand earned revenue, and setting the foundation for the current year and for future years (~4-6 years out);
- Create the infrastructure and strategy to expertly manage a multi-million dollar budget; design, hire and lead a Finance Department to align TOU’s systems and processes to rigorous finance standards;
- Lead all financial reporting and budgeting work, ensuring organizational sustainability.
People Leadership:
- Build a department focused on excellence with exceptional culture supporting game changing work;
- Working closely with the Head of People in establishing a performance management system and process;
- Manage and support the VP of People (VPP) as we build an organization that attracts and supports an exceptional, impact-obsessed team.
Requirements
COMPETENCIES:
- Innovative: you think outside the box and generate new strategies or ideas to explain or solve problems;
- Judgment: you know how to zero in on what’s most important, and evaluate information and priorities when making important decisions;
- Problem solver: you share your own opinions and ideas confidently, but without shutting down others in the conversation;
- Adaptable: you demonstrate flexibility in a rapidly changing circumstance, and can shift quickly to respond;
- Team Player: you work well within a diverse group, and support group goals over personal goals.
- Enterprising: you demonstrate the ability to expand in new directions, and are able to develop and promote innovative ideas to increase business.
- Initiative: you take decisive action independently to achieve results, and hold yourself accountable.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal Chief Operating Officer candidate will have the following qualifications:
- Mission-aligned and deeply passionate about our work with experience in and/or proximity to systems surrounding child welfare;
- 10+ years of executive-level operational and financial management experience required, with a proven professional record of progressive and high-impact experience;
- Demonstrated experience leading change management in an entrepreneurial environment with the vision and leadership skills needed to guide a variety of stakeholders through growth and scaling;
- Demonstrable vision and strategic focus, with strong bias-to-action and ability to drive initiatives forward to successful conclusion;
- Ability to create and identify solutions that are both innovative, intuitive, and progressive;
- Demonstrated ability to build and curate high-performing teams and talent and drive functional competencies and heighten capabilities;
- Demonstrated commitment and impact in cultivating a values-based, performance-driven culture.
Benefits
This position offers a competitive salary range of $165,000 - $195,000, and robust benefits including medical, dental, 401k plan and a flexible vacation policy. More details can be provided upon request.
We are looking to fill this position immediately. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Zachary Harr at zharr@edgilityconsulting.com.
Think of Us is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required. #LI-ZH1 #LI-Remote
