Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

NAMI- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Arlington, VA

NAMI is seeking a strategic Chief Operating Officer (COO) to prepare the organization for its next chapter and build processes and systems to match those ambitions. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced strategic operator to scale and evolve an organization which makes an enormous difference in the lives of those affected by mental illness.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and strengthen the organization’s effectiveness and ability to execute effectively on the strategic plan with increased transparency and standardized policies and procedures.
• Leverage OKRs, Kaizen, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management, or Agile methods to define measurable target outcomes and monitor progress in collaboration with senior leadership.
• Coach and develop national leadership to ensure they are delivering against key metrics.
• Look for methods to improve quality, efficiency, and productivity, reduce costs, increase profits, and/or improve control measures.
• Lead the strategic planning evaluation process, measuring progress against the goals of the organization’s five-year strategic plan.
• Provide day-to-day leadership presence, building a culture of collaboration and teamwork with clear lines of accountability and transparent communication.
• Assess inquiries directed to the CEO, determine the proper course of action, and delegate to the appropriate individual to manage.
• Work with the National Board of Directors and Advisory Councils.
• Represent NAMI with stakeholders, potential donors, and the Board of Directors.
• Build relationships with the broader NAMI enterprise to maximize innovations for the federated, three-tiered, network and help evolve its operational processes moving forward.
• Serve as the primary liaison to outside legal counsel on governance work to mitigate risks and protect NAMI’s interests.
• Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the organization.

The ideal candidate will be a proven strategic operating executive with 15 or more years of progressive senior operational leadership experience within a complex, multidimensional non-profit or for-profit organization, and who has been charged with establishing operational excellence during or following a period of rapid growth. They will:

• have a well-rounded business and technology background, with in-depth understanding of complex business functions including operations, logistics and IT systems;
• bring a track record of driving operational excellence, with prior experience leveraging OKRs, Kaizen, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management or Agile methods to define measurable target outcomes and monitor progress;
• seamlessly navigate between high-level strategic objectives and tactical execution;
• be adept and well versed in change management;
• be “hands-on” and seek to jump in where necessary to ensure success;
• be a change agent, constantly looking for ways to improve workflows, streamline communication, and leverage technology to bring teams together and advance the organizational mission;
• have high organizational EQ and the proven ability to develop and manage a senior leadership team;
• possess excellent interpersonal and listening skills, high integrity, executive-level communication skills, transparency, trust, active listening, authenticity, persuasiveness, collaboration, self-awareness, and drive;
• demonstrate a passion for leading social change and share NAMI’s values of trust, respect, and transparency.

If you are a visionary leader with a passion and an experienced strategic operator, and are eager to be part of an organization dedicated to mental health advocacy, then we invite you to apply.

DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of NAMI. For more information on how to apply, please visit: https://driwaterstonehc.com/position/chief-operating-officer-national-alliance-on-mental-illness-nami/.