Washington, DC

Chief Operating Officer – The Forum for Youth Investment

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The Forum for Youth Investment (the Forum) is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO), who will partner with the CEO as a key leader and strategic advisor.  The COO will oversee the organization’s core operational and administrative functions, lead strategic projects and initiatives, and assist the CEO in ensuring the Forum’s internal effectiveness through planning, performance management, resource allocation, and development and execution of best-in-class systems, policies, and procedures.

The Organization

Founded in 1998, the Forum for Youth Investment (the Forum) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan “action tank” committed to changing the odds that all children and youth are ready for college, work, and life. The Forum connects leaders to ideas, services and networks that can help them make more intentional decisions that are good for young people, even in the face of limited resources. It helps leaders who are trying to improve and align policies, plan and partner for impact, as well as strengthen programs and adult practice across all the systems and settings where young people spend time.

The Forum is a thriving organization with a budget of $11 million, a staff of 50, and headquarters in Washington, DC. The Forum overall is funded by a mix of foundations, corporations, and a fee-for-service contract base. For more information on the Forum, please visit www.forumfyi.org.

The Position

Reporting to the President and CEO, the COO serves as a member of the Forum’s Executive Team with shared leadership responsibility for guiding the organization toward the achievement of its strategic goals, as well as ensuring aligned decision-making, strong communication, and effective collaboration across teams.  The person taking on this position will be a keen strategist and skilled operations leader with a deep commitment to racial and social equity and the expertise and relationship skills to be a trusted advisor to the leadership team, including the CEO and the Board. 

Strategic priorities for the COO include:   

  • Advance organizational strategy by establishing and building infrastructure, cascading strategic goals and metrics into an organization performance management system.
  • Lead the development and implementation of initiatives that generate an effective, efficient, and continuously improving operational infrastructure that enables executives, team members, and the organization to execute on the mission and achieve strategic goals.
  • Advise the CEO on issues related to organizational excellence and positive organizational culture, including developing and implementing change management initiatives. 

Key Priorities and Responsibilities

The COO will oversee and lead responsibilities in the following areas:

Budget and Finance

  • Lead enterprise-wide budget development and management, including providing training and support to executives and other budget-holders.
  • Oversee accounting functions
  • Conduct financial analyses, forecasting and reporting to inform governance and management decision-making.
  • Develop, communicate, and enforce efficient systems, policies, and procedures. 

Talent and Equity

  • In collaboration with the Vice President – Talent & Equity, oversee development and implementation of best-in-class talent management processes and systems for recruitment, hiring, onboarding, retention, performance management, and professional development. 
  • Ensure the management of employee relations, organizational culture, infrastructure, and other elements align with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) priorities and values.

Resource Development

  • Collaboratively facilitate development of an enterprise-wide revenue generation strategy.
  • Develop and manage systems and supports for grant life cycle, as well as client and funder development and stewardship.
  • Complete business analytics and revenue forecasting to inform assessment of and planning for revenue development. 

Leadership, Administration & Information Technology (IT)

  • Manage the internal services & administration unit to ensure organizational targets are met.
  • Manage relationships with property management firm and external legal counsel for support across operations and administrative functions, including risk management-related issues.
  • With support from outside consultants, including managed technology services provider. lead enterprise-wide technology and business system needs, assessments, planning, and technology solutions.

The Forum uses the following technology platforms to advance their work: Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Teams. The finance office manages budgeting through Martus, and contracts are tracked through Salesforce. Staff utilize Clicktime for time sheets and Expensify for expense reports and reimbursement.

Experience and Attributes

The Forum is looking for a leader with experience building exceptional staff teams that drive growth.  This role will create a unit roadmap in partnership with the executive team and other unit leader and generate results through exceptional implementation of the plan with the help and collaboration of the operations team.

Successful candidates for this position will bring a variety of experiences and attributes to The Forum, including:

  • 15+ years’ experience overseeing operational, financial, strategic planning, and Board (or equivalent) relationships as well as supervision of seasoned management staff.
  • Progressive leadership experience; with a minimum of 5 years in executive management roles, preferably in mission-driven non-profits or similar organizations with staff in multiple states.
  • Demonstrated experience leading, participating in, and executing against strategic and operational planning with the ability to ensure clarity around performance expectations, both at the organizational and individual levels.
  • Advanced business acumen, as well as demonstrated in-depth knowledge of and experience in the development and execution of operational and management processes (e.g., financial management, budgeting, planning, project management, etc.) and policies as well as related process improvement, business development, and change management strategies.
  • Excellent organizational, project management, facilitation, negotiation, and analytical skills.
  • Demonstrated propensity to be creative, proactive, and self-motivated in the execution and completion of required accountabilities.
  • A high level of confidence, integrity, cultural sensitivity, and exceptional interpersonal skills, as well as a professional executive presence, for effectively engaging and interacting with and influencing others, including key stakeholders and decision-makers.
  • Proven experience providing strategic counsel and guidance to executive leadership team members.
  • Outstanding judgement, sensitivity, and high discretion.
  • Willingness to travel, as needed.
  • Bachelor’s degree; advanced degree a plus.

Compensation & Working Environment

The starting salary for this executive-level leadership position is targeted between $150K and $170K, dependent upon experience and qualifications, with a comprehensive benefits package.
Flexibility is required to adapt to the dynamic work environment of a non-profit “action tank” that has national clients and exposure during a key inflection point in the organization’s development.  Ability to lead and advise on change management initiatives is essential. The Vice President will be based in the Forum’s Washington, DC office.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Forum for Youth Investment is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and drug-free workplace, and to comply with ADA regulations as applicable. All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, severe/morbid obesity, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Application Process

To apply, upload a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF resume and cover letter, which conveys your interest in this leadership opportunity, to our Application Portal. For other inquiries, contact Adrienne O’Rourke. Resume reviews begin immediately.

If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please also email Adrienne O’Rourke you require a reasonable accommodation to complete your application.