Chief of Staff

Sandy Hook Promise

1d•Remote

About The Position

Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the lifesaving, evidence-informed Know the Signs prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. The Chief of Staff is a member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to the CEO. The role serves as a senior organizational and strategic partner, responsible for ensuring internal alignment, leadership effectiveness and disciplined decision-making across Sandy Hook Promise. This role is designed to amplify the CEO’s effectiveness by managing the internal rhythms of the organization, creating the conditions for the leadership team to work well together and for strategic priorities to be executed with clarity and accountability. The Chief of Staff acts as a trusted extension and occasional proxy for the CEO in internal and operational meetings, holding the line on decisions that advance Sandy Hook Promise’s mission, long-term strategy, and organizational health. This role does not focus on day-to-day execution; instead, it works with the members of SHP’s leadership team to steward organizational priorities, help guide complex cross-organizational conversations, and ensure the organization makes and sustains high-quality decisions in service of its mission and strategy.

Requirements

Significant experience in senior-level strategy, management, advisory, or leadership roles, ideally within mission-driven, or complex organizational environments.
Demonstrated ability to facilitate complex internal processes, operate as a trusted support to senior leaders, and drive alignment across teams without owning direct authority.
Strong strategic judgment and comfort navigating ambiguity, tradeoffs, and sensitive dynamics.
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence without authority.
Believes in the mission and values of Sandy Hook Promise and brings both conviction and humility to the work, knowing when to lead, when to support, and when to step back.

Responsibilities

Serve as an additional thought partner to the CEO on strategy, organizational priorities, and complex decisions.
Represent the CEO in internal leadership, operational, and cross-functional meetings, ensuring her perspective, intent, and decision-making framework are clearly understood and adhered to.
Prepare the CEO for internal meetings by synthesizing key inputs, flagging decisions that need to be made, and ensuring follow through afterward.
At times, represent the CEO with external audiences, which may include partners and stakeholders, as appropriate.
Help the CEO maintain focus on the most critical internal opportunities and risks facing the organization by synthesizing cross-organizational insights and elevating issues that require CEO attention or leadership alignment.
Hold the line on decision-making that aligns with Sandy Hook Promise’s mission, strategy, and values, especially in moments of ambiguity or pressure.
Ensure that strategic decisions are well-framed, grounded in shared understanding, and clearly communicated.
Surface tensions, tradeoffs, and misalignments early, helping the CEO and leadership teams navigate them constructively.
Act as a guardian of organizational clarity, helping prevent mission drift or reactive decision-making.
Partner with the CEO to shape agendas for senior leadership meetings, ensuring time is used for strategic discussion rather than execution updates.
Support the effectiveness of the senior leadership team by reinforcing shared goals, decision norms, and accountability at the strategic level.
Identify patterns, themes, and systemic issues across the organization and bring insights forward to inform leadership action.
Serve as a connective tissue across teams, without owning execution or operational management, with the exception of leading or coordinating occasional special projects if needed.
Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO in advancing strong Board governance and engagement.
Support the CEO in shaping Board agendas to focus on mission, strategy, and long-term impact rather than operational detail.
Ensure Board materials are clear, strategically framed, and aligned with organizational priorities.
Help track and steward follow-up on key Board decisions and commitments at the strategic level.
At times, represent or support the CEO in Board committee meetings, reinforcing alignment between governance and organizational strategy.
Act as a connector between Board insights and leadership team priorities, ensuring thoughtful integration without creating additional layers of process.

Benefits

Unlimited PTO
Flexible schedules
Paid holidays and 10 days of sick leave
Paid parental leave
Health, dental, and vision
Employer paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability
401k match
Professional development stipend
Wellness & mental health support
Employer Paid Employee Assistance Program
Remote office support for all staff, which includes a laptop, home office reimbursement, and monthly cell phone reimbursement up to $50 & internet reimbursement up to $40.