Chief Operating Officer
Company: Communities Unlimited, Inc.
Location: Fayetteville
Posted on: October 2, 2024
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Job Description:
COMMUNITIES UNLIMITEDChief of Operations and Engagement Position
ProfileCommunities Unlimited (CU) seeks a holistic systems thinker
and team builder to support our growth and deepen our impact in
rural communities in seven southern states. The ideal candidate
will have experience building and strengthening organizational
operations and engagement to drive organizational success across
multiple teams in multiple locations. The ideal candidate will also
be able to break down barriers, solve problems, and align internal
stakeholders to ensure efficient day- to-day functioning while
maximizing the impact of CU's programs. An appreciation for, but
not necessarily experience with, CU's work to unwind generations of
inequity in rural communities in our footprint and ensure healthy
water, healthy food, healthy businesses, healthy communities and
healthy lives is preferred.SummaryFounded in 1975, Communities
Unlimited (CU) is a Community Development Financial Institution and
a rural development hub that has built a strong history of
delivering technical assistance and capital across eight program
areas to rural communities in seven southern states: Alabama,
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
Our service area is home to 45% of the nation's persistent poverty
counties. CU provides comprehensive services to rural communities
including 1) technical assistance and loans for rural water and
wastewater systems, 2) technical assistance and loans to support
small businesses, and 3) consumer loans for home improvement,
private wells and septic systems. In the last three years, CU has
loaned $9M and leveraged $344M to provide rural low-income areas
access to healthy water and safe wastewater systems. CU's program
areas are funded by multiple sources with complicated sets of
compliance requirements. For instance, the loan fund has more than
30 revenue sources including seven federal grants.CU is the
Southern regional partner of the Rural Community Assistance
Partnership (RCAP) and the Partners for Rural
Transformation.Headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, CU staff
has grown from 46 to 112 since 2014. Our staff is located in
offices throughout our seven state region. The Chief Operations and
Engagement Officer is a new position designed to support CU's
growth and will be an integral member of the Executive Leadership
Team. Other members include: the CEO, CFO and the Chief Strategy
Officer. CU's financial position is strong with Total Assets of $38
million and only $17 million in in liabilities in the form of
Program Related Investments and loans for relending. CU maintains a
3-month operating reserve to ensure the ability to provide critical
services during times of crisis or in the event of funding gaps or
delays. The PositionReporting to the CEO, the Chief Operations and
Engagement Officer will be responsible for the effective and
efficient operations of the organization, ensuring that all
departments work together seamlessly to achieve CU's goals. The COO
will supervise a team of 4 direct and 8 indirect reports including
a Human Resources manager.Summary of Essential Job DutiesHuman
RelationsSupport and supervise Human Resource Manager including
working through staff complaints, performance improvement measures
and termination of employees.Ensure organization is compliant with
Affirmative Action regulations. Due to the percentage of federal
funding that CU receives, CU must follow federal rules related to
Affirmative Action in hiring.Information SystemsSupport and
supervise IT manager to maintain and upgrade organization's and
internal users' equipment and software.Stay informed about and
recommend cost effective advances in IT systems and software that
can benefit the organization's effectiveness and efficiency.Ensure
protection of IT assets with utmost attention to the integrity,
security and privacy of all data maintained.Increase staff members
use of and appreciation for how technology can help CU grow and
thrive. CommunicationsSupport and supervise Area Director for
Strategic Communications to ensure strong messaging of the
organization's work and successes.Ensure that all staff have the
communications tools and collateral for outreach and events. Impact
Data and ResearchSupport and supervise Director of Impact Data and
Research to fully implement and integrate a PowerBI solution to
integrate the impact data collected by all of CU program
areas.Support the continued integration of the Geospatial
Information System Team in the work of the program teams where
appropriate.Coordinate research work and communications with the
needs of Program Directors and CEO presenting to a variety of
stakeholders and audiences.TrainingManage new staff
orientation.Develop internal training program to ensure all staff
have skills and knowledge to effectively promote all programs of
the organization (strategic blending).Implement regular Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion and Belonging training opportunities.Maximize the
use of CU's Learning Management System for internal and external
users. Ensuring ComplianceComplete all annual compliance reporting
required by federal grants and contracts.Ensure organization is
compliant with all Civil Rights, ADA and Affirmative Action
compliance requirements.Facility MaintenanceOversee maintenance of
Fayetteville office building.Develop and implement a maintenance
budget. Required Education and Experience Requirements: Communities
Unlimited, Inc. is an EOE M/F/Disability/Veteran employer, provider
and lender. The successful candidate will meet one or more of the
requirements below:Master's degree in business, public
administration, non-profit management, operations management or a
closely related field is preferred with experience managing a team
of at least 5 direct reports responsible for distinct areas of
operation.Experienced Executive Director of a non-profit with 5
years of experience managing complex organizations with teams of 15
or more employees.Experienced Chief Operating Officer with 7 years
of experience managing at least two of the four areas of operations
(information technology, communications, human resources and data
analytics/research)Other required items: Valid driver's license
required or ability to secure valid driver's license. Must be
eligible to work in the United States of America. Additional
Desired Skills and ExperienceDemonstrated skills in business
operations management.Demonstrated ability to build systems and
communicate/train other staff on their use.Strong capacity to
communicate effectively (both verbal and written).Demonstrated
knowledge of IT systems and infrastructure.Demonstrated experience
overseeing data collection and analysis.Experience addressing human
resource challenges and interfacing with human resources
professionals.Strong skills in connecting staff needs with existing
solutions and ability to develop new solutions.Manage and support
the professional development of all operations/support team
members.Work well under pressure, meeting multiple and often
competing deadlines.Track record of advancing commitment to
diversity and inclusion.Ability to attract, develop, and retain
talented individuals; create an environment that ensures staff
realize their highest potential and support the organization as a
whole to meet future challenges.Experience in leading teams and
supervising the work of others.Experience in nonprofit
administration a plus. Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting
priorities and guiding investments in people and systems.Ability to
demonstrate a high level of integrity, strong interpersonal skills,
and advanced accountability to deadlines.An excellent and active
listener who can quickly gather, synthesize, and act on feedback
from diverse sources.Strong computer literacy; familiarity with
Office 365 or Microsoft Office software.Tools Used in JobComputer,
internet, smart phone (texting, email, photos, videos, social
media, and calls), web-based databases for data-entry, Microsoft
Office/Office365 including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint is
required. Use of additional software for project related activities
may be required.Work EnvironmentThe work environment
characteristics described above are representative of those an
employee encounters while performing the essential functions of
this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform essential job
functions.Communities Unlimited offers generous
Medical/Dental/Vision benefits with the organization paying the
significant majority of the cost. Company paid long-term
disability; automatic company 401K contribution once new hires are
eligible; 401K match; 12 paid holidays; two weeks paid vacation
awarded upon hire (Prorated based upon date of hire); new hires
begin accumulating sick leave immediately upon hire at a rate of 8
hours per month. Communities Unlimited reimburses all employees for
travel expenses.An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard
to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be
discriminated against on the basis of disability. Compensation
details: 120100-125000 Yearly
SalaryPI02775fbf6c8d-25660-35484109
Keywords: Communities Unlimited, Inc., Rogers , Chief Operating Officer, Accounting, Auditing , Fayetteville, Arkansas
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