Chief Operations Officer

OVERVIEW

Would it excite you to get a chance to be part of Jeff Bezos’ leadership team at Amazon or Reed Hastings’ team at Netflix in the very early days, when their growth was starting to skyrocket, and they had to build a plane while flying it? It’s no overstatement to say that’s the opportunity presented here. Better Together is one of the fastest growing nonprofits in America and will quickly be in the top 5% in both revenue and impact.

Just like it was at Amazon and Netflix, that kind of growth is exciting, challenging, messy and incredibly rewarding. But it’s not for everyone. This is a unique opportunity for someone who will thrive in a highly entrepreneurial environment where each day is different, the CEO has no lack of great ideas, flexibility is as necessary as oxygen, and yet where the details must be right.

The COO will need to build systems that don’t exist, oversee the hiring of new teams in new places, and manage the financial aspects of quick growth with integrity, accuracy, and transparency.

But along with the talent to do these well, you need to love the mission of Better Together. Helping keep families intact and connecting people with life-changing jobs is not simple. It’s messy. Love, empathy, and patience are a necessity. You’ll need to understand the front lines in order to build the supply lines.

This is not just a job. It’s a calling. For the right person, it could be the chance of a lifetime.

CULTURE AND FIT

The people who consistently succeed at Better Together are those whose actions and behavior reflect our five core values. If you adhere to these values and answer “yes” to each of these questions, you may be a fit.

1. Owner’s Mindset: You are invested in the outcomes of our mission.
   • Are you a self-starter who is able to take initiative in order to complete a task?
   • Do you often seek opportunities for professional growth?
2. Choosing Gratitude: There are many things in life that can make us upset. Every day we have a choice to either be negative or give thanks.
   • Do you often go out of your way to help others?
   • Have you written a thank-you card in the last 30 days?
   • Are you a positive person who is more focused on opportunities instead of obstacles?
3. Love Others: We aim to love others like Christ loves us. Our hope is that our lives would be filled and overflowing with love, so that we can make a difference in this world.
   • Do people often say you are a good listener?
   • Do you make decisions based on what’s best for others over yourself?
   • Do you often find yourself looking for ways to make others feel empowered, important and appreciated?
4. Partnership-Oriented: Internal and external relationships are not transactional. That starts with our team members and the perspective that we need the rest of the team to succeed in order to win personally.
   • Are you comfortable creating your own structure for work, such as setting work hours, your own priorities, and creating clarity and a work plan from a broad goal?
   • Do you tend to be the one who initiates conversations with colleagues, rather than waiting for them to come to you?
5. The Sky is the Limit: We have a big vision at Better Together. No one on our team is counting hours or widgets. We are here to get results, and sometimes that will require going the extra mile or doing a job that isn’t technically ours.
   • Do you often set yourself audacious goals?
   • Do you wholeheartedly agree with our principles, which include that people’s lives are made better through work and that the church can and will end the foster care crisis?

The vast majority of those who don’t get hired (or don’t last) at Better Together lack a fit with these values. Be prepared to have very candid conversations about them in our interview process.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Chief Operations Officer will have four primary roles, broken down into key responsibilities. They are:

Leadership, Metrics and Accountability

• Attract, recruit and retain top talent
• Lead and support a high-performance executive team
• Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the organization
• Employ strategic planning and problem solving
• Conduct program evaluations and reporting
• Spearhead performance and KPI management

Business Strategies, Plans and Procedures

• Ensure that all policies and procedures are being implemented
• Provide oversight and hands-on support to executive team
• Optimize business workflows for greater productivity
• Ensure accurate, complete and timely submission of required reports
• Ensure the organization is legally protected and in compliance with all applicable laws and policies
• Access and implement improved processes and new technologies and collaborate with the executive team regarding the implantation of these improvements
• Enhance policies and procedures
• Innovate and improve training, policies, procedures and hiring/onboarding materials

Budgeting and Financial Reporting

• Develop and manage the budget
• Create, manage and support budget reports to executive team
• Provide grant financial reporting and oversight
• Manage invoices, money-handling procedures, accounting and bank processes
• Provide financial reporting to the CEO and Board of Directors
• Upgrade the company’s forecasting and financial insight tools to accurately forecast resource needs
• Analyze operational data to improve costs and program outcomes

Relationships with Key Partners

• Assist with fundraising and investor relationships as needed
• Represent the organization with key clients, investors and business partners
• Report to the National Advisory Board

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 15 years’ experience in business operations
• Must live in Florida and be comfortable with travel 2-3 times a month
• Technological requirements: Google Workspace, Basecamp, Salesforce and QuickBooks
• Match Better Together’s core values (described above)

TIMING, LOCATION AND COMPENSATION

Better Together seeks to fill this position as soon as possible. The organization’s headquarters are in Naples, Florida, but nearly all the Better Together staff work remotely. Better Together has built a highly successful remote work culture over the past decade with systems and structures designed for clarity, flexibility, and great communication. Key elements of the environment include:

• Weekly team meetings with clear accountability and the opportunity to solve issues as a team.
• Quarterly in-person team meetings at which you’ll build deeper relationships, set clear goals aligned with the Better Together vision, and brainstorm how to seize new opportunities
• An intensive 90-day orientation to familiarize you with the Better Together team, our policies, and how we operate
• Home office setup, including equipment and communication tools you need to hit the ground running

Better Together offers a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a health benefit and generous paid leave plan. Please email a cover letter and resume to Hiring@bettertogetherus.org.