Chief Operating Officer

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation Inc•Boston, MA

6h•$200,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead the organization's internal management and serve as second in command. The COO will be responsible for making the CEO's direction and standards a reality within the organization by managing six department leads, running the operating rhythm, leading executive-level projects, and translating the organization's strategic goals into actionable plans for each department and staff on a daily basis. The COO will join an Executive Leadership Team with two peers: the Chief Real Estate Officer and the Chief Development and Communications Officer, working as equals and thought partners to the CEO. DBEDC is a dual-certified community development corporation and community development financial institution serving Dorchester, Roxbury, and nearby neighborhoods, with approximately 30 staff, a $10 million operating budget, over 1000 units of affordable housing, and a community loan fund. The role is critical now as the Board has adopted three strategic priorities: Expand Community Ownership and Wealth; Advance Housing as a Platform for Health; and Reframe Education as a Wealth and Power Building Tool and Prepare Residents for the Future Economy. Delivering on these priorities requires an internal leader who can translate them into operating plans and ensure organizational accountability. The COO will also focus on integrating Community Engagement, Workforce Development, and Community Lending into a cohesive engine for economic stabilization and mobility. This role addresses the need for consistent executive management for department leads, who currently report directly to the CEO. DBEDC is a technology-forward organization, and leaders are expected to leverage technology and data effectively.

Requirements

At least ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
At least five years managing managers or department heads across more than one function.
A track record of raising the performance of a leadership team.
Substantial budget responsibility for an organization or division of comparable scale, including budget development, monitoring, and accountability for variances.
Strong financial literacy: ability to read, interpret, and act on financial statements, budget-to-actual reports, cash flow reports, forecasts, and variance analyses.
Demonstrated experience running an operating cadence and leading executive-level, cross-functional projects to completion, using sound project management practice.
Working knowledge of employment practices and performance management.
High proficiency with modern workplace technology, including collaboration platforms, data and reporting tools, and AI enabled tools.
Experience using data to set goals, track performance, and make decisions.
Experience leading organization-wide change.
Excellent written and verbal communication with executives, staff, and Board members.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a COO, deputy director, or comparable senior operating executive.
Experience working closely with a CEO who is direct, assertive, biased toward action, and uncompromising on mission, and thriving in that partnership.
Experience as a peer member of an executive team with shared accountability for organizational results.
Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant executive experience.
Experience in community development, affordable housing, lending, CDFIs, or mission-driven organizations.
Candidates from other geographies, sectors, and types of organizations who bring their own perspective, think creatively, have different skills, and are not tied to the way our organization or our sector has always done things.
Fluency with technology and seeing it as central to how a modern organization runs.
Ability to pick up new systems quickly, look for tools that make the work better, and lead teams through adopting them.

Responsibilities

Manage, coach, and develop the six department leads, ensuring each has outcome goals, a development plan, and consistent follow-through.
Raise the standard of leadership across the department leads group and partner with the CEO to make necessary decisions to ensure departments are led at the required level.
Run the weekly, monthly, and quarterly management cadence.
Ensure decisions are made and carried out.
Lead cross-department projects that require executive ownership, including those shared with real estate and development.
Translate the CEO's direction and Board priorities into practical operating expectations for each department, including deliverables, work organization, and inter-departmental collaboration.
Present operating financial performance to the Board's Finance Committee alongside the CEO and develop the finance function's capacity for direct engagement over time.
Resolve cross-area questions directly with peers (Chief Real Estate Officer and Chief Development and Communications Officer), escalating only what cannot be resolved or where the CEO's input is needed.
Ensure finance supports development projects and property-level accounting across DBEDC's affiliated entities.
Connect workforce development to jobs created through construction and property operations.
Align community lending with small businesses leasing space in DBEDC properties.
Ensure community engagement supports community input on new development.
Ensure programs produce expected outcomes and data for funders.
Integrate grant deliverables and reporting deadlines into department plans.
Ensure proposal budgets accurately reflect the cost of work.
Ensure staff, residents, and partners receive a consistent message about how Community Engagement, Workforce Development, and Community Lending work together.
Offer candid counsel to the CEO and other Chiefs, surface risk early, and push back when necessary.
Carry out decisions once they are made, ensuring no decision is attributed solely to the CEO and avoiding a 'good cop, bad cop' dynamic.
Raise concerns early, particularly about performance, and act on them promptly.
Lead difficult performance conversations and make and carry out leadership changes when warranted.
Design or improve management systems, performance management processes, and cross-functional workflows.
Partner effectively with human resources on employee relations matters.
Lead organization-wide change.
Lead teams through the adoption of new technology systems.
Use data to set goals, track performance, and make decisions.

Benefits

Generous medical insurance packages with no waiting period.
Employer-paid dental and vision coverage.
Access to Flexible Spending Accounts.
Dependent Care Assistance Program.
Short-Term Disability coverage.
Long-Term Disability coverage.
Life Insurance coverage.
Accidental Death coverage.
On-demand Employee Well-being Services.
Exclusive discounts through our Perks at Work Program.
Hybrid work environment.
Generous amount of vacation time.
Seventeen paid holidays, including your birthday.
Fifteen sick days.
Three personal days.
Five volunteer days.
403(b) retirement plan with a generous employer contribution.
Access to professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, and training programs.
Dynamic environment that encourages innovation and skill-building.