Strategic COO for Mission-Driven Nonprofit Growth

Challenged Athletes, Inc.; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Dog-friendly workplace

Engaging culture

Job summary

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) seeks a Chief Operating Officer to lead the organization through its next growth phase, aligning vision, operations, people and performance. Reporting to the CEO, the COO will uphold CAF’s culture while guiding change management and ensuring mission impact.

Ideal candidates bring strategic leadership, deep financial stewardship, data-driven decision making, and the ability to empower department heads to operate with an enterprise mindset.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• 7–10 years of progressive nonprofit leadership experience.
• Experience leading operational functions within a nonprofit organization.
• Strong financial acumen including budgeting, forecasting, and resource management.
• Experience overseeing multiple departments and leading cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to CAF's mission and values.
• Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Translate organizational strategy into actionable operational plans, priorities and performance objectives.
• Directly support the Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Programs Officer and HR function.
• Help establish department goals aligned to organization priorities.
• Remove roadblocks and align projects so the team can impact outcomes.
• Develop, implement and monitor annual budgets with accountability for resources.
• Identify cost-effective solutions to improve efficiency while maintaining mission impact.
• Lead process improvement initiatives including workflow redesign and standardization.
• Oversee reporting systems and create dashboards for leadership with timely, actionable information.
• Establish and monitor KPIs and metrics for operational, programmatic and financial performance.
• Drive technology adoption and integration across functions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial acumen

Budgeting

Forecasting

Data-driven decisions

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Change management

Mission-driven

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) seeks a Chief Operating Officer to lead the organization through its next growth phase, aligning vision, operations, people and performance. Reporting to the CEO, the COO will uphold CAF’s culture while guiding change management and ensuring mission impact.

Ideal candidates bring strategic leadership, deep financial stewardship, data-driven decision making, and the ability to empower department heads to operate with an enterprise mindset.