Chief Operating Officer (COO)

the USO•Arlington, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as a key member of the USO Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for worldwide mission delivery, and the quality, innovation, and continuous improvement of USO programs and services. The incumbent will lead a globally dispersed team of 500+ teammates and 27,000 volunteers, who deliver the USO mission through a network of more than 260 locations worldwide, where service members live, train, deploy, and recover. The COO provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all aspects of mission delivery, ensuring the USO remains responsive to the evolving needs of active-duty, Reserve, National Guard, and military family communities. The COO develops and executes mission delivery strategy, drives operational excellence, fosters innovation, and ensures consistent delivery of high-quality programs and services. The Chief Operating Officer partners with the USO Impact Measurement team to ensure mission delivery strategies, operational priorities, and resource allocation decisions are informed by data, stakeholder feedback, and measurable outcomes. This leader leverages mission impact insights, service member and family feedback, and operational data to continuously improve programs and services, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and direct resources toward the areas of greatest demonstrated need. Success in this role requires exceptional leadership, energy, and vision. The ideal candidate is a leader of leaders who empowers subordinate leaders to innovate, solve problems, and meet the unique needs of their local military communities while remaining aligned with organizational priorities and values. The COO builds strong relationships with military leaders, community supporters, volunteers, corporate partners, and fellow military- and veteran-serving organizations, serving as a visible ambassador for the USO mission around the world. The successful candidate brings a deep appreciation for military service and a genuine commitment to understanding and responding to the evolving needs of service members and military families. Above all, this leader embraces the privilege and responsibility of serving those who serve our nation and is committed to strengthening the well-being of service members and military families wherever they are called to serve.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience managing large-scale operations, programs, mission delivery functions, or related organizational responsibilities.
At least 7 years of demonstrated executive leadership experience within a complex, geographically dispersed organization.
Experience leading large teams through influence, collaboration, empowerment, and accountability.
Proven success in developing and implementing strategic initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness and mission outcomes.
Strong financial acumen with experience managing substantial operating budgets and organizational resources.
Demonstrated experience using organizational data, customer insights, performance metrics, and stakeholder feedback to guide strategic and operational decision-making.
Ability to obtain and maintain credentials necessary to access military installations and operational locations worldwide.
Must be a strong advocate of the USO’s mission.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or equivalent advanced education preferred.
Experience with Salesforce or comparable CRM, customer engagement, or enterprise data management platforms strongly preferred.
Proven ability to translate data and analytical insights into operational improvements, program enhancements, and resource allocation decisions.
Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment with competing priorities and changing operational requirements.
Demonstrated understanding of military culture, military life, and the unique challenges facing service members and military families.
Experience working with military organizations, military families, veterans, nonprofit organizations, or related mission-focused organizations strongly preferred.
Military veteran, military spouse, military family member, or individual with significant experience serving military-connected communities strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Partner with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to develop and execute the organization's strategic vision, priorities, and long-range plans.
Function as a strategic business advisor to the CEO, senior leadership team, and Board regarding key organizational and management issues.
May assume certain responsibilities, as designated by the CEO, to act in place of the CEO when the CEO is unavailable.
Lead the worldwide delivery of USO programs and services across all locations and operational environments.
Develop and implement mission delivery strategies, policies, systems, and processes that ensure exceptional service, operational excellence, and mission impact.
Provide strategic oversight of global field operations, ensuring safe, effective, efficient, and mission-focused delivery of programs and services.
Lead, develop, and inspire a globally dispersed workforce of more than 500 teammates and approximately 27,000 volunteers.
Foster a culture of empowerment, accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Ensure local leaders have the authority, resources, and support necessary to meet the unique needs of service members and military families within their communities.
Partner with the Impact Measurement team to ensure programs and services are informed by measurable outcomes, service member and family feedback, operational data, and emerging military community needs.
Champion data-informed decision-making throughout mission delivery and operations, leveraging analytics, stakeholder feedback, and performance data to improve effectiveness and responsiveness.
Ensure operational leaders effectively utilize service member, family, volunteer, and stakeholder feedback provided through organizational assessment and impact measurement processes to continuously improve mission delivery.
Partner with organizational leaders to ensure resources, staffing, programs, and services are aligned with the greatest demonstrated needs of service members and military families worldwide.
Utilize enterprise technology platforms, including Salesforce and other CRM systems, to strengthen situational awareness, identify trends, support operational decision-making, and improve service delivery across the organization's global network.
Identify emerging trends affecting military communities and lead the development, testing, scaling, and evaluation of new programs and services.
Partner with the Impact Measurement team to translate mission impact findings into operational improvements, program enhancements, and resource allocation decisions.
Regularly assess operational demand, utilization patterns, stakeholder feedback, and mission impact data to ensure programs, services, and resources remain aligned with the greatest demonstrated needs of those served.
Evaluate organizational effectiveness through regular review of mission outcomes, operational performance, financial stewardship, and stakeholder feedback.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior military leaders, installation commanders, senior enlisted leaders, military family organizations, government partners, community supporters, corporate partners, and fellow military- and veteran-serving organizations.
Serve as the principal staff lead to the Board of Governors Programs and Planning Committee and provide regular updates regarding mission delivery, impact, operational performance, and strategic initiatives.
Oversee operational planning and execution during contingency operations, crisis response efforts, humanitarian events, and periods of heightened military activity.
Ensure effective stewardship of organizational resources and accountability for operational performance, budget execution, and mission outcomes.
Champion volunteer engagement as a strategic organizational capability and ensure volunteers remain fully integrated into mission delivery efforts worldwide.
Represent the USO at military, governmental, nonprofit, corporate, and public events as a senior ambassador of the organization.
Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO.