Chief Operating Officer (COO)

National Council on Aging POSITION SUMMARY The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of NCOA’s executive leadership team and a strategic partner to the President and CEO. The COO provides enterprise-wide leadership to translate NCOA’s mission, strategic priorities, and ambitious impact goals into measurable organizational results. This is a mission-driven, future-focused, and people-centered executive role responsible for strengthening organizational performance and ensuring NCOA has the people, systems, technology, resources, and operating discipline needed to grow its impact. The COO leads and integrates key enterprise functions, including People & Culture, Finance, Information Technology, and organizational operations , while partnering across the organization to eliminate silos, strengthen accountability, and build a high-performing culture. Equally comfortable shaping long-term strategy and addressing immediate operational challenges, the COO brings sound judgment, strong business and financial acumen, and the ability to lead through change and complexity. This leader uses data and performance measures to inform decisions, drives continuous improvement, and helps NCOA make disciplined choices about priorities, resources, and what to start, stop, scale, or strengthen. At its core, this role is about creating the organizational conditions for NCOA to deliver on its mission: to create the conditions for all to age well today and into the future. The COO develops leaders, strengthens systems, fosters collaboration and innovation, and ensures that NCOA’s operations remain aligned with its values, strategy, and commitment to measurable social impact. COMPETENCIES AND EXPECTATIONS Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; analyzes market and competition; identifies external threats and opportunities; adapts strategy to changing conditions. Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics. Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions and profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals. Ethics - Treats people with respect; works with integrity; upholds organizational values; avoids actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Interpersonal Skills - Demonstrates emotional intelligence in interactions and collaboration with others; listens actively and respectfully without interrupting; remains open to feedback and new perspectives; manages conflict constructively; builds trust through empathy, discretion, and respectful engagement – even under pressure. Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions. Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; develops realistic action plans. Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments. Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Lead and integrate core operational functions including information technology, human resources, compliance, finance and administration. Lead organization-wide operational planning, performance management, and risk mitigation. Develop and monitor organizational policies, systems, and controls to support compliance, accountability, and sustainability. Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to drive the execution of NCOA’s strategic plan. Serve as a trusted advisor to the Board of Directors, particularly on financial, operational, and organizational matters. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Translate NCOA’s strategic priorities into operational plans, budgets, and performance metrics. Ensure financial stewardship, long-term sustainability, and alignment of resources with strategic goals. Lead enterprise-level planning, including annual operating plans, multi-year financial forecasts, and capacity-building initiatives. Identify organizational risks and opportunities and implement strategies to strengthen resilience and scalability. Innovation and Partnership Development Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation across operations, people systems, and technology, using data analytics and operational insights to enh