Chief Operating Officer
5 days ago
Boston
ORGANIZATION Tenacity is a dynamic nonprofit organization that empowers under-resourced Massachusetts youth to graduate from high school and achieve post-secondary success. Established in 1999, Tenacity has been providing high-dosage youth enrichment programs that promote literacy, life skills, racket sports, fitness skills, and social/emotional growth. The 135 staff have served more than 45,000 students, aged 6-22, from Boston, Worcester, and Chelsea, MA. Tenacity’s provides the following: • 300+ hours of youth enrichment programming per year, helping middle school students from under-resourced neighborhoods grow academically and socially while improving their level of fitness., • Literacy skills that promote critical thinking and understanding through a curriculum designed around themes of social justice and student empowerment., • Racquet sports and fitness instruction that results in athletic skills, improved physical fitness, an understanding of health, enthusiasm for sport, and perseverance on and off the court., • Long-term, supportive guidance to encourage high school completion and post-secondary success. For 25 years, Tenacity students have achieved a 95% high school graduation rate, higher than the 2021 average graduation rate in Boston (79%). Also, 75% of Tenacity students are succeeding in or have completed college or other structured post-secondary programs, which significantly exceeds the rate for Boston Public School students (38%). Tenacity is recognized as a leader in in-school, after-school, and summer programs. All our well-rounded programs provide literacy/academic support along with racket sports/fitness instruction, offering youth personal attention and the opportunity to develop age-appropriate literacy skills, life skills, and physical fitness. Tenacity is about to launch a new, ambitious strategic plan whose six priorities are: • Refine the program model to increase the number of students completing the College and Career Prep program and transitioning to post-secondary success., • Advance planning and design for dedicated facilities to expand program offerings and foster belonging., • Expand measurement, evaluation, and learning processes to better assess and improve impact., • Strengthen funding model to sustainably deliver on future vision., • Bolster operational capacity to align with Tenacity’s future direction., • Build on and strengthen Tenacity’s brand in line with refined vision for impact. POSITION Reporting to the CEO/Founder, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be a critical thought partner to the CEO and other members of the Executive Leadership Team. The COO will be instrumental in establishing the groundwork for growth and enabling the CEO to focus on external relations, new facilities and fundraising. S/he will serve as a mentor and guide supporting the development of passionate, talented colleagues across program and functional areas. The COO will be charged with building the operations and the organizational infrastructure to support the strategic growth. Tenacity is seeking a leader with both the skills to facilitate Tenacity’s growth and the patience to work with the organization at its current level. Of course, the winning candidate should be a champion of Tenacity’s mission and goals and passionate about uplifting youth. The COO will lead the work of five members of the Leadership team. • Director of Pathway Ace Academy, • Director of Pathway Operations, • Director of CCP/PSS, • Director of Summer Program and School Year Racquets & Fitness The ideal candidate is a collaborative, people-centered leader who values teamwork, communicates with transparency, and brings strong talent development, operational discipline and strategic vision. RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Leadership • Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO on organization-wide planning, operational effectiveness, performance management, and sustainability., • Partner with the CEO and other leaders to staff committees of the Board of Directors, notably: Civics Task Force, Facilities Task Force, Operations & DEI Committee, Finance Committee., • Collaborate with the CEO and Leadership Team to achieve Tenacity’s strategic goals; serve as the central point person for internal coordination across departments, ensuring clear communication and accountability across teams., • Ensure the execution of the strategic plan. Program Oversight, Partnerships & Data • Ensure that the Program Department’s resources are aligned to achieve ambitious annual and longer-term goals., • Partner with Program Directors and data staff to strengthen data collection/tracking, reporting, and evaluation systems., • Support Program Directors in maintaining strong partnerships with schools and community organizations, including assistance with contract management and logistics., • Recruit, retain, coach and lead Program staff in their professional development. Operational Leadership • Incorporate nonprofit best practices, working closely with the CEO and CFO on operational budgets, audits, and planning., • Ensure Tenacity’s facilities are safe, organized, and well-maintained., • Manage relationships with key vendors, consultants, and service providers to ensure high-quality and cost-effective operations., • Ensure organizational insurance policies (general liability, property, vehicle, workers’ compensation) are current and comprehensive., • Oversee organizational systems such as SharePoint, BambooHR, and Microsoft 365 to improve communication and efficiency., • Coordinate with IT consultants to ensure reliable technology support and data organization., • Manage key transitions and initiatives, such as the 401(k) implementation and organizational systems improvements. Team Development, Human Resources, Employee Engagement & Culture • Model and promote a culture of high performance, equity, respect, collaboration, professional growth and solutions-orientation., • Implement more sophisticated programs to ensure retention, recruitment and development of staff., • Mentor and support the professional development of Tenacity’s managers and leaders., • Provide high-level support to the HR & Operations staff, particularly around employee engagement, retention, recruitment, training and culture initiatives., • Offer guidance on policy development, staff engagement, and internal communication., • Partner with HR consultants and benefit vendors to ensure smooth administration of employee benefits, payroll, and compliance., • Provide opportunities and training for staff to deliver and receive feedback. Cross Departmental Collaboration • Support Program and Development teams in the efforts to highlight program outcomes and success stories., • Collaborate across departments to ensure seamless execution of major events, including the Tenacity Cup, Paddles to Pathways, Community Festival, Tenacity University Practicum, Pathway to Post-Secondary Success, and Summer Tennis & Reading Program (STRP)., • Serve as a bridge between internal operations and external partners, modeling professionalism, accountability, and trust. QUALIFICATIONS • Passion for Tenacity’s mission and values., • A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree in a related field is a plus., • Minimum of ten+ years of experience leading nonprofit operations., • Experience executing against ambitious strategic plans and implementing change for a growing, mission-driven organization., • Success in leading a variety of teams from direct program engagement to operational functions, including Finance, HR, IT, Risk/Legal., • Proven record of analyzing and reporting programmatic and financial results, supporting operational excellence and improving systems/processes in a dynamic, mission-driven environment., • Demonstrated record of achievement in managing, motivating, inspiring, and collaborating with high-performing team of programmatic, functional and operational colleagues to achieve ambitious, measurable goals., • Comfort in working in a well-resourced, yet lean environment. Does not require an expansive staff to be effective., • Savvy manager who can prioritize competing needs, deliver tough messages and negotiate conflicts., • Confident and secure but not ego-driven., • Solutions oriented; sees the best in people., • Maintains calm in crisis., • Thrives in a fast-paced environment. Agile decision maker, innovative, curious. Flexible, can pivot., • Gets up to speed and builds trust quickly., • Knowledge of how to scale an organization experiencing rapid growth., • Knows when to push and when to wait., • Experience working in a founder-led and/or start-up organization a plus., • Demonstrated success in establishing and maintaining systems and metrics to drive continuous improvement., • Excellent communications skills., • Warm, friendly and high-energy., • Effective project manager., • Impeccable integrity and ethics with excellent follow-through., • Proficient in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and HR platforms such as BambooHR. COMPENSATION • $150,000 annually and a full benefit package. Applications should include a letter of interest and a current resume. Please indicate in your cover email where you learned about this opportunity.