Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Company: Make-A-Wish® Illinois
Job type: Full-time

At Make-A-Wish® Illinois, we are more than a great place to work — our work is life-changing. Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Nearly 40 years ago the inspiration for Make-A-Wish began with one little boy's wish to be a police officer. Today, together with our volunteers, donors, staff and supporters, Make-A-Wish Illinois has granted more than 17,000 life-changing wishes and transformed countless lives. We typically serve over 700 children per year with the goal to double our impact across our communities.  The diversity of our team of staff and volunteers, and our board are of critical importance for us as it positions us to reach every child eligible for a wish with an equitable, high quality and impactful wish experience.
The Illinois chapter of Make-A-Wish is one of the largest chapters in the Make-A-Wish enterprise.  It has a reputation for being an innovator and often is a collaborator on national opportunities, co-creating solutions for all chapters to adopt. 
The Role
Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) position serves as an integral member of the leadership team and leads a team of professionals across a diverse array of functions.  The COO is responsible for the development and execution of the Foundation’s strategies, policies, and procedures in all business operations areas including finance, accounting, technology, human resources, volunteer management, legal, and workplace administration.  This position has a direct impact on our growth objective, optimizing the performance of the organization to collaboratively support the dynamic needs of a growing organization. 
Major Responsibilities:
Strategy/Leadership
Manages the Foundation in the development of its overall strategic and financial planning. 
Leads all aspects of financial planning, budgeting and forecasting, internal and external reporting, and audit oversight
Establishes organizational policies, practices and procedures that promote a diverse and inclusive culture focused on high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement
 Team and Operational Management
Leads the Operations team, coaching and developing them in the attainment of organizational and professional development goals
Responsible for strategy development, annual plans and goals for the Operations team
Engages at various levels with the Foundation’s broad and diverse constituent base, working closely with the Board of Directors
Serves as the staff liaison for the Board Finance Committee facilitating finance policies, monitoring, and investment strategies with the external advisors and the Investment Sub-committee
Incorporates and influences development of national support services and policies by Make-A-Wish America
Develops, manages, and cultivates vendor partnerships
Maximizes utilization of financial resources, ensuring the efficiency and integrity of accounting functions and internal controls
Optimizes the use of data and technology in supporting business needs, leveraging resources and platforms from Make-A-Wish America and providing additional technology to meet the Foundation’s needs
Oversees the human resource function, developing a high-performance workforce of 55+ staff and 1200+ active volunteers through consistent and effective recruitment and hiring practices, development and training, and strong engagement of our team.
Develops the organization’s workplace model, including its business continuity plans, hybrid work structure, and oversight of office management and administration for offices in Chicago and Peoria
Handles all legal matters for the Foundation, seeking external support as needed
Performs other duties as required
Requirements
What You’ll Need:
Skills & Competencies
Not-for-profit experience preferred; or a scaling organization with lean resourcing and the ability to serve as a “player”/”coach” across the scope of responsibility
Proven track record of team leadership and capacity building, and ability to work in a collaborative environment
Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
Demonstrated competency with strategic plan development and frameworks
Strong financial acumen and skills in budgeting, financial analysis and modeling
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts in easy to understand and transparent ways
Excellent organizational, time and project management skills
Solid understanding of business functions including human resources, finance, and technology
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, financial accounting software, and CRM databases
 Preferred Education & Experience:
10 or more years of experience in operational leadership
3+ years’ experience as a Chief Operating Officer or divisional head of operations
Bachelor’s degree (masters preferred) in business related discipline
Benefits
What We Offer:
Benefits:
Comprehensive benefit package: Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medical, Vision, Dental, Wellness
Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account Options
Medical Leave Bank    
Short Term Disability*, Long Term Disability* and Life Insurance 
403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with 25% match on 1st 6% of contributions
Competitive compensation with annual incentive potential 
Milestone Benefit Program   
Hybrid work style; flexible work schedules
Training and Professional Development Opportunities
Time-off: 
15 PTO days 
8 Sick Days 
8 Paid Holidays 
1 Make-A-Wish Volunteer Day per year
1 Staff Appreciation Day per year
4 Developmental days for your continuous learning and growth

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