Chief Operating Officer

Summary

Description

GlobalMindED is a mission-driven nonprofit organization committed to closing the equity gap by connecting First-Gen-to-College, low-income, and underrepresented students with role models, mentors, education, and career opportunities through partnerships with educational institutions, businesses, government, and philanthropy. We convene global leaders to create inclusive pathways to economic mobility for millions.
Learn more at www.globalminded.org.

Key Responsibilities
1. Organizational & Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for all day-to-day operations, ensuring alignment with mission and long-term organizational strategy.
• Develop, document, and optimize operational systems, policies, and procedures across the organization.
• Oversee financial management functions in partnership with the CFO/Finance team, including budgeting, forecasting, and compliance.
• Establish strong cross-functional internal communication processes that enhance coordination and accountability.

GlobalMindED’s annual conference and related events are core to the organization’s impact model. The COO will:

• Oversee planning, logistics, and execution of the GlobalMindED Annual Conference and all regional or national events.
• Lead event strategy, including agenda development, speaker coordination, partner management, vendor sourcing, and on-site operations.
• Build operational systems to scale events as GlobalMindED expands nationally and globally.
• Coordinate with marketing and communications to drive event brand consistency and reach.

• Lead end-to-end hiring processes, including defining role requirements, coordinating interviews, and making hiring decisions with the CEO that prioritize both skills and mission alignment
• Conduct regular 1:1s with direct reports to provide coaching, remove obstacles, and maintain open lines of communication
• Develop and manage a consistent performance review process that provides meaningful feedback, recognizes achievements, and identifies areas for growth
• Set clear, measurable goals for team members that align individual work with organizational priorities
• Monitor team capacity, morale, and workload distribution to ensure staff feel supported and sustainably challenged

• Oversee philanthropic development strategy, including institutional giving, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, individual and major donor giving, and grant development.
• Support and lead the creation of proposals, funder relationships, grant reporting, and stewardship processes.
• Work closely with the CEO on major fundraising initiatives and large-scale funding campaigns.
• Oversee a data integration system that supports the CRM management in Salesforce and communication databases.

GlobalMindED’s ecosystem strategy includes expanding partnerships with colleges, universities, businesses, and global leaders. The COO will:

• Develop and scale revenue-generating social enterprise programs, including institutional memberships, corporate partnerships, and workforce development collaborations.
• Build strategic relationships with higher education institutions, employers, and national/global networks to deepen student pathways.
• Identify new business models that align with GlobalMindED’s mission and support financial sustainability.
• Oversee partner contracting, program delivery, and the integration of partner success metrics.

• Oversee the development, implementation, and scaling of GlobalMindED’s technology platform, supporting student access, mentor matching, partner connectivity, and online learning.
• Serve as the executive liaison between technical vendors, developers, and internal team to ensure clear requirements, timelines, user testing, and launch readiness.
• Build data systems and dashboards that track student progress, mentor engagement, and impact metrics.
• Ensure cybersecurity, data governance, accessibility, and user experience standards are met across platforms.

Required:

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit, education, workforce development, social enterprise, or related fields.
• Proven experience overseeing multi-functional operations, including events, technology systems, or program scale-up.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, philanthropy, or corporate partnership development.
• Proven experience managing and developing a small, high-performing team, including setting clear expectations, conducting performance reviews, and providing ongoing feedback
• Demonstrated ability to foster a positive, inclusive team culture where staff feel valued, heard, and motivated
• Strong business acumen with the ability to create systems that support organizational growth.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and project management skills.
• Commitment to equity, access, and supporting diverse and first-generation student populations.

Preferred:

• Experience working with or in higher education institutions or corporate workforce development.
• Experience launching or managing technology systems or digital platforms.
• Background in conference management, large-scale convenings, or global event operations.
• Track record of building and retaining talented teams in a resource-constrained nonprofit.
• BA or equivalent degree.

• Mission-driven mindset with deep commitment to inclusion and equity
• Entrepreneurial, systems thinker
• Collaborative relationship builder
• Skilled at executing in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Transparent, accountable, and adaptable
• Strong and empathetic people manager

Compensation is in the salary range of $80-100K and is commensurate with experience. GlobalMindED offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off, and professional development support.