Chief Operating Officer
12 - 15 years
Bethesda, MD
Full-time
Hybrid
1 month ago
About the role
The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) Chief Operating Officer
TACF is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to serve as a senior operational leader and strategic partner as we continue scaling our national restoration work.
This role is about building the systems, clarity, and organizational capacity that allow our science, restoration, chapter, fundraising, and outreach teams to do their best work in service of bringing the chestnut back to our forests.
Position Summary
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as TACF’s senior operational leader and strategic partner to the President & CEO, overseeing the organizational systems, infrastructure, governance, and operational coordination necessary to advance TACF’s national restoration mission.
As TACF scales its restoration, research, and chapter engagement efforts across a distributed national network, the COO ensures the organization operates with clarity, accountability, continuity, and operational excellence. The COO translates organizational strategy into functional systems and execution across administrative operations, governance, human resources, technology, compliance, chapter operations support, and organizational planning.
This role is responsible for strengthening TACF’s operational foundation so scientific, restoration, fundraising, and outreach teams can operate effectively at scale.
The COO serves as the senior leader for all non-science operational functions and acts as a key advisor and implementation partner to the President & CEO.
Core Purpose of the Role
The COO ensures TACF’s mission is supported by strong operational systems rather than dependent on institutional memory, informal processes, or individual heroic effort.
The role focuses on:
Reporting Structure
Reports to:
Direct Reports May Include:
Works Closely With:
Primary Responsibilities
Organizational Operations & Execution
Governance & Organizational Compliance
Human Resources & Organizational Culture
Operational Systems & Technology
Facilities, Assets, & Risk Management
Financial & Administrative Coordination
Leadership Expectations
The COO is expected to:
Desired Qualifications
Ideal candidates will demonstrate:
Position Characteristics
This role is ideal for a leader who:
Strategic Importance of the Role
As TACF advances increasingly sophisticated restoration and scientific initiatives, the organization’s long-term success depends upon operational systems capable of supporting national-scale coordination, distributed partnerships, volunteer engagement, and organizational continuity.
The COO plays a critical role in ensuring TACF’s operational capacity evolves alongside its scientific and restoration ambitions.
TACF is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to serve as a senior operational leader and strategic partner as we continue scaling our national restoration work.
This role is about building the systems, clarity, and organizational capacity that allow our science, restoration, chapter, fundraising, and outreach teams to do their best work in service of bringing the chestnut back to our forests.
Position Summary
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as TACF’s senior operational leader and strategic partner to the President & CEO, overseeing the organizational systems, infrastructure, governance, and operational coordination necessary to advance TACF’s national restoration mission.
As TACF scales its restoration, research, and chapter engagement efforts across a distributed national network, the COO ensures the organization operates with clarity, accountability, continuity, and operational excellence. The COO translates organizational strategy into functional systems and execution across administrative operations, governance, human resources, technology, compliance, chapter operations support, and organizational planning.
This role is responsible for strengthening TACF’s operational foundation so scientific, restoration, fundraising, and outreach teams can operate effectively at scale.
The COO serves as the senior leader for all non-science operational functions and acts as a key advisor and implementation partner to the President & CEO.
Core Purpose of the Role
The COO ensures TACF’s mission is supported by strong operational systems rather than dependent on institutional memory, informal processes, or individual heroic effort.
The role focuses on:
- building scalable operational infrastructure
- strengthening organizational accountability
- improving cross-functional coordination
- ensuring organizational compliance and continuity
- reducing operational friction
- supporting long-term organizational sustainability
Reporting Structure
Reports to:
- President & CEO
Direct Reports May Include:
- Administrative staff
- Chapter operations/support staff
- HR/vendor coordination functions
- IT and systems coordination
- Facilities/fleet coordination
- Operations and project support staff
Works Closely With:
- Chief Scientist and science leadership
- Communications and Development leadership
- Finance and accounting support
- National Board leadership
- Chapter leaders and volunteers
- External vendors and organizational partners
Primary Responsibilities
Organizational Operations & Execution
- Lead TACF’s operational infrastructure across a distributed national organization
- Develop systems and workflows that improve organizational clarity, efficiency, accountability, and scalability
- Coordinate operational implementation of strategic priorities established by the President & CEO and Board
- Ensure effective cross-department coordination and communication
- Identify operational bottlenecks and implement process improvements
- Build operational continuity and succession systems to reduce institutional vulnerability
Governance & Organizational Compliance
- Serve as senior staff liaison to governance-related Board committees as assigned
- Oversee organizational compliance practices across nonprofit operations
- Support Board operations, annual meetings, elections, resolutions, and governance processes
- Maintain and improve governance documentation, policies, and operational procedures
- Coordinate organizational risk management efforts
- Ensure operational alignment with organizational bylaws, policies, agreements, and applicable regulations
Human Resources & Organizational Culture
- Serve as organizational lead coordinating with outsourced HR providers and legal support
- Oversee operational HR systems including:
- onboarding
- performance review systems
- policy implementation
- employee engagement processes
- organizational training coordination
- Support development of organizational structure, staffing systems, and succession planning
- Strengthen operational consistency and accountability across remote staff environments
- Promote a healthy, collaborative, mission-driven organizational culture grounded in clarity and professionalism
Operational Systems & Technology
- Oversee organizational operational systems, technology planning, and administrative infrastructure
- Improve organizational visibility through reporting systems, dashboards, workflow management, and operational metrics
- Coordinate IT vendors, systems integration, and technology planning aligned with organizational needs
- Support development and implementation of organizational databases and operational information systems
- Promote efficient, scalable use of technology and process automation where appropriate
Facilities, Assets, & Risk Management
- Oversee operational coordination for TACF facilities, fleet assets, insurance coverage, and vendor relationships
- Ensure appropriate operational policies and safety procedures are maintained across staff and volunteer activities
- Coordinate contracts, procurement systems, and operational agreements
- Support long-term operational planning for organizational infrastructure and assets
Financial & Administrative Coordination
- Support operational budget planning and implementation in coordination with finance leadership and the President & CEO
- Improve alignment between operational priorities and organizational resources
- Strengthen operational accountability and reporting systems
- Support grant compliance and operational reporting requirements as needed
Leadership Expectations
The COO is expected to:
- operate with sound judgment and discretion
- maintain organizational trust and credibility
- lead with calm, steady professionalism
- build systems that support long-term mission success
- balance operational consistency with organizational adaptability
- foster collaboration across staff, chapters, volunteers, and leadership
- create clarity in complex environments
- support innovation while maintaining operational discipline
Desired Qualifications
Ideal candidates will demonstrate:
- Significant leadership experience in nonprofit operations, governance, or organizational management
- Experience working within distributed, chapter-based, membership, or volunteer-driven organizations
- Strong operational systems thinking and organizational design capability
- Demonstrated success managing organizational change and process improvement
- Experience supporting Boards, governance systems, and committee structures
- Knowledge of nonprofit compliance, risk management, HR coordination, and operational best practices
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship management skills
- High emotional intelligence, professionalism, and discretion
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation
- Familiarity with conservation, forestry, research, scientific, or mission-driven organizations preferred
Position Characteristics
This role is ideal for a leader who:
- enjoys building operational clarity from complexity
- values continuity, accountability, and mission alignment
- is highly organized and systems-oriented
- can lead collaboratively across diverse stakeholders
- is comfortable balancing strategy and execution
- understands how strong operations enable mission success
Strategic Importance of the Role
As TACF advances increasingly sophisticated restoration and scientific initiatives, the organization’s long-term success depends upon operational systems capable of supporting national-scale coordination, distributed partnerships, volunteer engagement, and organizational continuity.
The COO plays a critical role in ensuring TACF’s operational capacity evolves alongside its scientific and restoration ambitions.
Skills
Medical Equipment ManufacturingNon-profit Organizations