Chief Operating Officer

Youth First, Inc.•Evansville, IN

About The Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as the operational leader of Youth First and a key strategic partner to the President & CEO. The COO ensures the organization operates with clarity, consistency, and excellence across programs, grants, development collaboration, technology, and operational systems. This position translates Youth First's strategic priorities into operational execution by building strong internal systems, strengthening cross-department collaboration, and ensuring that programs and resources scale effectively to support the organization's mission. A significant responsibility of the COO is the leadership and oversight of the Grants Team, ensuring Youth First consistently secures and manages significant grant funding to support the organization's growth and sustainability. The COO leads organizational performance, operational discipline, and cross-department alignment so Youth First can expand its impact for youth and families while maintaining program quality, financial stewardship, and operational excellence.

Requirements

Minimum 10 years of leadership experience
Experience leading multi-department operations
Proven experience building organizational systems, processes, and scalable operations
Demonstrated success leading complex initiatives and cross-functional teams
Strategic thinker who can translate vision into operational execution
Exceptional project management and organizational leadership skills
Ability to build strong cross-department collaboration
Data-driven decision maker
Strong communicator capable of aligning teams around shared priorities
High emotional intelligence and leadership maturity

Nice To Haves

Experience overseeing grants strategy and management strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the day-to-day operational management of the organization.
Translate the organization's strategic plan into clear operational priorities, timelines, and accountability systems.
Establish organizational project management practices to ensure major initiatives are delivered on time and with clarity.
Build operational systems that allow Youth First to scale programs while maintaining quality and fidelity.
Ensure strong cross-department collaboration between programs, development, grants, finance, and marketing.
Identify operational risks and implement solutions that strengthen organizational performance.
Partner closely with the CEO to implement Youth First's multi-year strategic plan.
Lead the operational execution of the organization's strategic phases: Standardize, Optimize, Monetize.
Monitor progress toward organizational goals and provide regular executive reporting.
Provide leadership and oversight for the Grants Team.
Ensure the organization consistently secures significant grant revenue annually.
Oversee the full grants lifecycle: research, proposal development, submission, reporting, compliance.
Ensure grant opportunities align with Youth First's strategic priorities and program model.
Collaborate with Finance and Programs to ensure accurate budgets, program metrics, and reporting.
Strengthen systems that support sustainable national, regional, and local foundation funding.
Strengthen internal systems for operational processes, data governance, technology integration, and program evaluation.
Ensure operational platforms and tools are used effectively across departments.
Develop dashboards and reporting structures that provide leadership and the board with clear operational insights.
Oversee the organization's contract management processes, including contract management, MOU with School Partnerships, performance oversight, and periodic rebidding when appropriate.
Ensure operational partners align with Youth First's mission, values, and financial stewardship practices.
Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence.
Support department leaders in aligning their work with organizational priorities.
Lead cross-department initiatives that break down silos and encourage shared ownership of outcomes.
Serve as a key advisor to the CEO on organizational health and operational strategy.