Arena Careers

Title: Chief Operating Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: $170,000-$190,000 commensurate with experience

Location: U.S. Remote

MISSION

National Skills Coalition is a coalition advocating for an America that grows its economy by investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper. A greater diversity of Americans will have access to a better life, and a greater number of local businesses will see growth, if high-quality, inclusive skills training is a more central part of our nation’s workforce, education, economic and anti-poverty policies. NSC staff, members and allies engage in organizing, advocacy, and communications to advance state and federal policies in pursuit of these goals.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is a member of NSC’s Executive Team along with three additional Executives. The COO helps guide the organization’s strategic direction from an operational and financial perspective, working with the Executive Team to ensure effectiveness in four areas:

• Financial Management: Oversee design and contracted implementation of financial management systems (budgeting, forecasting, accounting) and serve as the lead analyst to recommend actions to the CEO.
• Fund Development: Participate in fundraising strategy and planning with the Executive Team and other management staff; ensure proper financial management and reporting for received grants and donations.
• Human Resources: Maintain the highest level of human resource practices for NSC staff, ranging from the negotiation and management of pay and benefits to the oversight of systems to support staff onboarding, development and inclusion.
• Operations: Supervise maintenance of office space, technology and information systems, and other administrative support needs.

The COO will supervise a team of two staff members and a few subcontractors to run the day-to-day aspects of each of these four functions.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Management

• Planning: Help develop long-term plans to help ensure NSC’s near-term stability and future growth. Track trends, conduct financial analysis and provide strategic advice to the CEO.
• Finance Team: Supervise contracted accounting firm and NSC bookkeeping staff in the implementation of financial plans and systems. Track cash flow and make cash management decisions. Work with investment advisor to track investment funds and ensure investments follow investment policies set by the board.
• Budgeting: Manage annual budget development process in collaboration with Leadership Team. Produce forecasts against adopted budget during the fiscal year and make recommendations for adjustments in resource allocation.
• Accounting: Ensure maintenance of general ledger, and effective processing of revenue, payables and receivables, employee expense reporting, timesheets, and payroll.
• Reporting: Review preparation of financial reports for the CEO and NSC’s Board of Directors.
• Audit: Manage audit preparation, including interactions with auditors, preparing audit schedules, and timely completion of audited financial statements and 990.

Fund Development

• Planning: Work with CEO, Executive Team, development staff and senior program staff to help develop fundraising plans (institutional funding, sponsors, donors).
• Grant Budgets: Assist development team and Managing Directors in the creation of project and grant budgets to meet both funder and organizational requirements.
• Grants Management: Track spending for all grant funds to ensure proper expenditure of funds consistent with grant terms. Work with staff to identify needed adjustments.

Human Resources

• Personnel Policies: Ensure personnel policies are up-to-date, consistent with HR best practices, and effectively implemented by supervisors across the organization.
• HR Staff: Supervise HR Manager / operations staff in their implementation of systems to support NSC staff (e.g., pay/benefits, onboarding, evaluations).
• Benefits: Work with benefits broker to identify the best options for benefit plans and make recommendations to CEO. Oversee staff’s enrollment of personnel in benefit plans.
• Recruitment: Support managers with their new hire searches, and ensure consistent staff on-boarding, including orientation to administrative processes and information systems.
• Inclusion: Co-lead with executive team efforts to continually review HR / organizational culture systems to sustain an equitable and inclusive workplace.
• Staff Training: Provide / support training for senior staff in expected competencies around supervision, financial management, and project management. Support plans for staff-wide training in organizational competencies.
• Culture: Co-lead with executive team efforts to continuously cultivate a relational culture that reflects NSC’s values of trust, equity, inclusion, integrity, collaboration and partnership, and transparency.

Operations

• Operations Staff: Supervise operations staff in their oversight of information and technology management, staff support, office operations, event support and administration.
• Technology: Oversee operations staff management of IT support. Assess needs and approve plans for IT system improvements.
• Information Systems: Work with leadership team to maintain effective information systems (e.g., project management, notes / file sharing, CRM database).
• Office: Supervise operations staff’s management of DC office. Maintain landlord relationships. Manage relationships with office subtenants.
• Legal: Review all contracts with outside parties prior to their execution. Utilize counsel as needed in compliance, HR and other legal matters.

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Collaboration, Partnership and Coalition Building: The ability to work cooperatively and inclusively with others, cultivate positive and trusting relationships, and generate necessary buy-in to achieve shared goals among partners
• Communication: The ability to understand audiences and communicate productively, effectively, and inclusively
• Project Management and Goal Execution: The ability to effectively manage time, resources, and priorities to achieve desired project and task outcomes and strategic goals
• Equity and Inclusion: The ability to create, maintain, and improve a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and partner community where all can thrive; the ability to ensure that our work reflects our commitment to racial equity and inclusion
• Resourcefulness and Strategic Thinking: The ability to anticipate and respond to problems that may not have obvious answers with creativity and a solutions-oriented mindset and to see the big picture and anticipate opportunities, environmental changes and challenges to guide the organization toward its objectives
• Technical Expertise: The technical abilities to be successful in a role and the growth mindset to continue developing those abilities

To apply, please upload your resume and submit the application questions in lieu of a cover letter. The preferred application deadline is August 10, 2025. This search is being led by NRG Consulting Group. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.