The Executive Director of Operations manages the day-to-day functionality of a nonprofit organization, reports to the Executive Director, and acts in their place when unavailable. This position is similar to the Chief Operating Officer in a for-profit corporation. As nonprofits grow, they may add this position to their executive level to take on management tasks and allow the ED to focus on other responsibilities. The COO manages the team and is authorized to act on behalf of the ED. They are responsible for keeping everything running smoothly and in line with the organization’s strategic plan.
An executive director of operations manages the departments of a nonprofit organization that handle day-to-day functionality such as finance, technology, human resources, and programs. He reports directly to the organization’s executive director (ED) and can also act in his place when the ED is unavailable. The position is analogous to the chief operating officer or vice president of operations for a for-profit corporation.
A non-profit organization has a management structure and position title system that reflects its production of programs and services rather than products. Nonprofits are corporations, so job titles, particularly at the executive level, tend to have for-profit counterparts that perform the same basic functions in a different context. The top executive position in a typical non-profit organization is typically called an executive director.
Non-profit organizations are generally not allowed to hold many administrative positions; therefore, executive layers are typically thin, with an executive wearing many hats. As the nonprofit grows in size and increases its budget and staff, it can sometimes afford to structure the executive levels to more closely resemble a for-profit corporation. One of the frequently added positions at this time is an Executive Director of Operations. This position is designed to take some of the day-to-day management tasks out of the DE so that he can focus on public relations, fundraising, strategic planning and working with the board of directors.
Perhaps it’s easier to think of the chief operating officer as the boss who manages the team and is always in the office. In a typical nonprofit organizational structure, the chief operating officer is placed between the ED and all other positions except the chief development officer. The heads of finance, human resources, legal, maintenance, technology, and programs report directly to him. Your job is to keep everything running smoothly and in line with the organization’s overall strategic plan.
The Chief Operating Officer also acts on behalf of the Chief Executive if the ED is not available. In most organizational settings, he is second-in-command and is authorized to do whatever the DE is authorized to do in his absence. An chief operating officer must be prepared to deal with the public and media, work with the board of directors, and manage fundraising if necessary, even though these tasks may not be their primary responsibility. The position is also usually responsible for the strategic expansion of the organization’s operations, such as deciding when to acquire additional office space or when to expand into a new program area.
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