Chief Operating Officer, Groundwork Collaborative

Chief Operating Officer

Groundwork Collaborative is looking for a Chief Operating Officer to join their team. This position reports to the Executive Director and is based in Washington D.C. This is a hybrid workplace, with Mondays and Wednesdays in the office and three days remote, as well as the occasional need to work in person for events and special projects. The position is exempt.

About Groundwork Collaborative :

Launched in 2018, Groundwork Collaborative is driven by the idea that We Are The Economy : when all of us are doing well, that is when our economy thrives. We fight for progressive economic policy and narrative change that builds accountable public power, breaks up concentrations of private power, and affirmatively centers people too long left out of prosperity. We understand that taken together, these actions will lead to a stronger and more resilient economy.

Groundwork's unique structure part strategic communications, part think tank, and part issue advocacy organization allows us to drive narrative and policy change with credibility, expertise, and impact. We work with four core audiences the media, policymakers, economic policy experts, and grassroots organizations. We use targeted policy campaigns, timely research and messaging to build a community across the progressive movement to advance a truly inclusive economic worldview.

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer is a new executive role at Groundwork. They will serve as a key partner to the Executive Director (ED), working closely with the executive team to advance Groundwork's mission and strategic plan. The COO will be Groundwork's in-house subject matter expert on compliance, with experience in 501(c)(3) / 501(c)(4) management, advocacy, and lobbying activities. They will also manage Groundwork's budget and finances and ensure operational excellence in a dynamic moment of Groundwork's organizational evolution. This role is ideal for a collaborative, mission-driven leader with strong business acumen and substantial experience in non-profit management. This individual will be both a strategist and an executor, translating high-level vision into practical steps.

Primary Responsibilities

The Chief Operating Officer's responsibilities will encompass several primary areas :

• Lead the design and implementation of the organization's operating infrastructure ensuring sound governance, regulatory readiness, and efficient systems that set the foundation for future expansion.
• Lead the Operations Team, managing key staff members that run the day-to-day operations processes like contracting and building management, ensuring smooth and efficient functioning.
• Serve as a visible and engaged leader who actively shapes and reinforces the desired organizational culture through all staff meetings, retreats, and other full team events.
• Oversee hiring and performance management, ensuring alignment with organizational culture and values, and work closely with teams to attract, evaluate, and onboard top talent effectively.
• In collaboration with the Chief of Staff, introduce necessary structures, processes, and tools to improve alignment and facilitate information sharing.
• Oversee the Director of Operations on budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, providing timely updates to the Executive Director.
• Ensure operational activities align with financial goals.
• Support resource development by providing financial and operational inputs on fundraising strategies, grant proposals, and reporting.
• Oversee grant requirements, and manage the proposal and reporting process for a mature funding portfolio.
• In collaboration with the Director of Operations, oversee preparation for annual financial audits, liaising with external auditors and ensuring accurate documentation and compliance with audit standards.

Compliance and Board Governance :

People & HR Administration :

About You :

Bonus Qualifications :

Compensation :

The salary for this position is $180,000 - $210,000 annually. We offer a generous Benefits Package including five weeks of vacation and personal leave, two week-long office closures, additional time off for floating and federal holidays, zero-premium health insurance, a generous HRA, a retirement match of up to 6%, up to 16 weeks parental leave, and health club and cell-phone reimbursements. We are a hybrid workplace, with two days a week in the office and three days remote, as well as the occasional need to work in person for events and special projects. Groundwork is a unionized workplace and is represented by the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU). This position is not in the bargaining unit.

How to Apply :

To begin the application process, please submit an application on our career page, including your resume and a cover letter detailing your interest in this role. This announcement will remain posted until the position is filled.

Groundwork Collaborative is a project of the New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. The New Venture Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. The New Venture Fund's work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and / or state in which you are working.

NVF participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees' Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.