Chief Operating Officer

Protect Our Winters

10d•$170,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of Protect Our Winters’ (POW) senior leadership team and serves as a strategic partner to the CEO on organizational infrastructure, financial stewardship, legal oversight, and operational effectiveness across both US and international chapters. This role provides executive leadership across finance, compliance, internal operations, people operations, and risk management to support a healthy, equitable, and high-performing organization. The COO ensures POW has the systems, controls, policies, and decision-making structures needed to operate responsibly and sustainably.

Requirements

10+ years of senior-level leadership experience in nonprofit operations, finance, compliance, or administration.
Proven ability to manage budgets, financial reporting, internal controls, and organizational systems.
Experience overseeing legal, compliance, or risk-related work with external counsel or advisors.
Strong understanding of nonprofit governance and operational best practices.
Demonstrated ability to lead through collaboration, discretion, and sound judgment.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex operational topics into clear guidance.
Experience working with senior leaders, boards, and cross-functional teams.
Comfort operating in a fast-paced, mission-driven, distributed environment.
Experience in a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and familiarity with affiliated 501(c)(4) structures.
Background in budgeting, audit management, or finance operations.
Expertise in HR compliance, employment law, and benefits administration.

Nice To Haves

Work experience and passion for climate, environment, or the advocacy nonprofit sector
MBA, MPA, or related advanced degree
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school, with experience in nonprofit law, corporate governance, or regulatory compliance
Familiarity with grant donor management systems (Salesforce) a plus
Understanding of how to consider and integrate equity throughout internal systems
Experience leading remote teams

Responsibilities

Lead organization-wide finance strategy and execution, including planning, budgeting, forecasting, and decision-making.
Work with the Controller to oversee the organization’s monthly financial and accounting operations, including month-end functions, reconciliations, review of monthly financial statements, budget performance monitoring, expense reporting, accounts receivable, and payables management.
Serve as a liaison to the board of directors and its finance and audit committee; effectively communicate and present financial matters for the board of directors and committee meetings.
Oversee POW's investment portfolio in accordance with the Investment Policy Statement (IPS), maintaining compliant cash reserves and ensuring annual investment income is aligned with the strategy.
Oversee the annual audit process and 990 preparations with the Controller and external auditors.
Lead assessments of operational infrastructure (e.g., investment strategy, fiscal year alignment, banking relationships) and deliver go/no-go recommendations to leadership and the Board.
Lead operations and finance team members (currently two direct reports: Controller and Sr. Director, People & Operations) and key external partners, including external counsel, investment advisers, accounting advisers, etc.
Facilitate annual strategic planning and budgeting process for POW’s OKRs and initiatives, and work collaboratively with department heads to measure and communicate them to key audiences.
Oversee payroll, benefits, hiring, compensation, performance reviews, and administrative compliance, and address and ensure conflict resolution.
Administer employee benefits (health plans, HSAs, retirement/pension) and ensure equitable, mission-aligned compensation.
Ensure compliance with federal and state labor laws, employment practices, workplace safety, and anti-discrimination regulations.
Identify best practices and continue improving and implementing a system of policies, internal controls, accounting standards, and technology platforms.
Oversee external legal contractors across organizational, international, and compliance across entities.
Lead standardization of internal grant and budget templates, approval processes, and restricted grant time and expense tracking and reporting.
Ensure full compliance with IRS regulations governing both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, including proper separation of activities, lobbying limits, and political expenditure restrictions.
Provide strategic oversight of HR legal compliance, contracts, and contractor engagements, building scalable processes, ensuring risk mitigation, and elevating organizational expertise in these areas.
Resource and support the organization's document retention policy and compliance systems.
Lead design and execution of POW's international chapter strategy, including licensing agreements, trademark filings, and registration across relevant jurisdictions, and a staffing model for sustained governance and coordination.
Lead POW through cultural and legal compliance, as needed, to ensure POW moves with respect and systemic understanding when working beyond US borders.
Establish and facilitate a global moments working group, with key POW staff and international chapter staff, meeting at least quarterly to identify collaboration opportunities and align strategies around major moments like the Olympics.
Complete regular international chapter audits, keeping key contacts, strategy documents, budgets, and reporting up to date.
Serve as primary POW relationship manager with POW Canada, POW Europe, and other international chapter Executive Directors or equivalents, in coordination with the CEO.
Meet with prospects and donors and coordinate with program staff and leadership in the cultivation and solicitation of major gifts.
Provide leadership for POW at partner events, conferences, and stakeholder meetings, including public presentations and media interviews.
Serve as a proxy and advocate for the CEO in key forums and meetings when required.