COO: Mission-Driven Operations & Strategy Leader

Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness; Oregon; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness seeks a Chief Operating Officer to translate strategy into reliable execution. You will build systems, accountability, and cross-functional coordination across programs and locations, partnering with the CEO, CFO, and clinical leaders to integrate operational, regulatory, and technology priorities.

The role focuses on organizational performance, risk management, and leadership development rather than hands-on tasking, serving as a senior representative when

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business, public administration, behavioral health administration, or related field.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, human services, or similarly complex regulated environments.
• Experience with organizational performance management, implementation, change leadership, and executive decision-making.
• Working knowledge of regulatory, contractual, quality, compliance, privacy, safety, and technology considerations within healthcare or human services environments.
• Preferred experience in Medicaid-funded behavioral health, rural/frontier healthcare, Health IT, cybersecurity governance, grants, or value-based contracting.
• Must pass pre-employment drug screen and background check; valid driver's license and DMV clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the CEO's primary executive partner for organizational operations and implementation.
• Translate priorities into clear operational plans, ownership, timelines, resources, measures, and accountability.
• Maintain an organization-wide view of operating conditions, risks, competing priorities, and resource demands.
• Ensure clear ownership and accountability across departments; establish operating rhythms for decision-making and coordination.
• Exercise delegated authority over operational spending, staffing, workflow and partner communication within approved limits.
• Identify systemic barriers and drive sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes.
• Provide executive oversight and coaching to assigned directors and managers.
• Build leadership capacity so operational knowledge is distributed across the organization.
• Lead organization-wide performance-management infrastructure and dashboards.
• Ensure performance data informs operational action and continuous improvement.
• Monitor trends in access, capacity, productivity, service utilization, and workforce metrics.
• Oversee major cross-functional initiatives and enterprise policy controls.
• Partner with CFO and leaders to align operations with budget and sustainability goals.
• Advance organizational readiness for audits, certifications, and regulatory changes.
• Oversee Health IT, cybersecurity governance, data use, and technology risk management.
• Represent the CEO in external relationships and strategic partnerships as delegated.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Operational leadership

Performance management

Cross-functional collaboration

Health IT governance

Risk management

Financial stewardship

Change leadership

Policy and compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration or related field

Job description

Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness seeks a Chief Operating Officer to translate strategy into reliable execution. You will build systems, accountability, and cross-functional coordination across programs and locations, partnering with the CEO, CFO, and clinical leaders to integrate operational, regulatory, and technology priorities.

The role focuses on organizational performance, risk management, and leadership development rather than hands-on tasking, serving as a senior representative when