Chief operating officer Jobs in Cambridge, MA

Salary Range : $220,000 - $250,000, depending on experience

Role type : Full-time

Location : Hybrid - based in or near Boston, MA, with regular in-person days at our Boston office

Travel expectations : Periodic travel as needed

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Project Evident exists to help organizations harness the power of evidence to achieve a more significant impact. We do this by offering a comprehensive platform of tools, resources, and services to help nonprofits and funders, state education agencies, and local education agencies improve their measurement, evaluation, and reporting of results while strengthening their ability to act using this evidence.

Project Evident strives to be a trusted partner – to practitioners, funders, and other stakeholders committed to stronger, meaningful, and equitable outcomes for communities and individuals so that all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. We believe in the power of data and evidence to address social and racial justice and seek to advance a next-generation ecosystem for actionable evidence-building and use.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a skilled leader with the expertise to develop and manage top-tier operational functions that position the organization for sustained growth and impact. This role is responsible for internal leadership and ensuring the organization benefits from strong administrative (people management, core processes, technology, data governance, allocations) and financial (accounting, planning, reporting, compliance) operations.

The COO will play a vital role in setting the organization’s strategy, building and maintaining critical infrastructure, and ensuring that operations align with a culture of belonging and accountability. This leader will implement excellent systems and processes to ensure employees have the resources they need to succeed in their roles. The COO will also drive alignment between the organization’s mission, values, assets, and practices.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who is an astute financial steward and skilled in resource allocation. They are an experienced implementation leader passionate about fostering a strong workplace culture and effective operations. We are looking for a professional with expertise in systems and processes who is comfortable with both current and emerging technologies. This candidate should facilitate effective change management, drive efficient workflows, and develop solutions tailored to our organization's growth stage.

Furthermore, the ideal candidate possesses a broad understanding of the use of data and evidence in the social and education sectors, engaging with practitioners, funders, policymakers, and technical assistance providers. They should have specific knowledge of hybrid organizations that blend service delivery, consulting, tool development, and field-building. Staying updated on market trends, innovations, and best practices is essential. Lastly, the candidate should be an attentive listener and collaborator, capable of connecting with staff and partners at all levels of the organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Strategic Leadership (20%)

• Collaborate with the CEO to develop, align, and monitor the strategic, administrative, and financial priorities of the organization. Provide internal leadership and support for the organization. Work closely with the CEO and the Executive team to ensure strong executive leadership throughout the organization and to address external and programmatic priorities effectively.
• Oversee the strategic planning, budget processes, and reporting for the organization, which includes annual and multi-year planning, goal setting, annual calendaring, as well as OKRs and performance improvements.
• Lead the outsourced finance team and manage the Board of Directors' audit committee to ensure a sound and sustainable financial position.
• Provide effective supervision and guidance to operations staff, ensuring that both operations staff and outsourced partners (including vendors, auditors, and finance partners) are well managed.
• Ensure that prioritization, progress monitoring, and learning related to the organization’s goals, as outlined in the strategic plan, annual operating plan (OKRs), and Strategic Evidence plan, are effectively implemented.

Administrative Leadership (40%)

Financial Leadership (40%)

EDUCATION AND / OR EXPERIENCE

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

This role reports to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer. The COO is authorized to lead the organization's internal agenda, while the CEO drives the external agenda. This role supervises the Operations team, including the Director of People and Technology, the Manager of Business and Finance Analytics, and outsourced finance, technology, and human resources partners.

The COO is a member of the executive team, management team, and Audit Committee and supports the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $220,000 - $250,000, commensurate with an established track record of operations leadership and management experience. Contingent upon organization and individual performance, Project Evident also provides annual bonuses for exceptional performance.