We’re hiring: Chief Operating Officer

February 26, 2016

Resource Media is looking for a leader to join our team working to create a more equitable and sustainable world. We’re seeking someone who is motivated by social justice and excited by the prospect of helping a communications consulting firm with a $4 million plus budget adapt new business practices that maximize our impact. You should be skilled at the basics of nonprofit management and eager to challenge conventional wisdom and the status quo.

We are a mission-driven nonprofit PR firm with a unique point of view. We provide communications services to a variety of progressive groups, but also operate independently or in coalition when we see unmet needs in the movement. We believe issues across the progressive spectrum are inextricably linked, from climate change to grassroots social justice, from global development to community health. Some of our current projects include La Madre Tierra, Women at the Center and Energy Trend Tracker.

Resource Media values a diverse workplace. We are currently in the third year of an equity and inclusion initiative that aims to boost our ability to recruit and retain people of color and effectively work in underserved communities. The COO will have a key role in ensuring our internal structures, policies and procedures support these goals and values. Resource Media currently utilizes Salesforce for project management and time tracking, Quickbooks for accounting/finance, and a suite of cloud-based platforms for storage, collaboration and internal communications. Our staff of 22 is distributed across eight offices.

Core Job Responsibilities

  • Oversee key internal functions including finance, human resources, IT and resource planning.
  • Work with the Director of Finance to ensure our tracking and planning functions work together efficiently and accurately.
  • Develop an accounting system that provides the organization with quick access to financial data and enables real-time project budget tracking, planning and reconciliation.
  • Ensure our technology infrastructure supports the organization’s strategic evolution.
  • Develop and operate a system that analyzes and evaluates fundraising efforts and tracks annual fundraising needs.
  • Coordinate annual goal setting and budgeting.
  • Refine and implement employee policies and procedures, including the employee manual, annual performance planning and reviews and other internal structures that support excellence, equity and fairness in the workplace.
  • Refine and manage our billing structure to meet project management needs while removing barriers to collaboration, innovation and maximum social impact.
  • Serve as a member of Resource Media’s Leadership Team.
  • Work with program staff to develop and implement an evaluation system that both tracks performance and helps us tell the story of our impact.
  • Oversee legal compliance and review legal documents.

Key Qualifications

We’re looking for someone with a passion for organizational management in the context of social change. The successful candidate will have a strong background in nonprofit management and a proven track record of innovation and creative problem-solving.  This is an organization driven by the values of its people, so experience managing a “values-driven” organization is a plus. Experience working in a billable hours based organization also a plus. Additional requirements are:

  • Leadership and Organization: Exceptional capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder who has experience scaling up organizations; ability to connect staff both on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to enforce accountability, ability to develop and empower top-notch leaders from the bottom up, lead from the top down, cultivate entrepreneurship, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team so as to put people in a position to succeed; ruthless follow-through; and high emotional intelligence.
  • Strategic Vision and Agility: Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational planning.
  • Equity: Experience building and supporting a diverse staff and client base.
  • Human Resources: Experience managing performance planning, reviewing and implementing HR policies and serving as a resource for staff.
  • Systems: Strong ability to manage, integrate and adapt financial, work planning and project management systems to promote transparency, efficiency, collaboration, innovation and program excellence.
  • Finance: Detailed understanding of nonprofit finance and accounting functions. Ability to effectively manage our financial support staff.
  • Organizational Development: Ability to think creatively about staffing and organizational structure.
  • Innovation: As mentioned above, a passion for developing new approaches to managing a sustainable, mission-driven business. We think existing predominant models are inadequate and want help thinking outside the box.

Compensation

This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated professional to assume a pivotal role in the evolution of a fast-growing, highly respected organization. We are seeking an individual of outstanding quality with a respected track record. Resource Media is prepared to offer a very attractive compensation package, including a competitive base salary as well as health, 403(b), and vacation benefits.

To Apply

Ideally, this position is located in Seattle, and will work with colleagues throughout the country. Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs (at) resource-media(dot)org describing your relevant background and experience. Learn more about our work at www.resource-media.org. If you have questions about this position, please send an email to jobs (at) resource-media(dot)org with “Questions about Chief Operating Officer job” in the subject line, and someone from the hiring committee will reply.