Chief operating Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Team: Executive Leadership Team

Direct report: Director of Finance

Other management: Dotted-line accountability with Director-level leaders across Programs, Chapters, Development, Communications, and Operations

Location & Schedule: Full-time, Remote/Hybrid, prioritizing candidates in New York

Compensation: $145,000 to $175,000 annually + medical/vision/dental; 401k retirement savings; paid parental leave, holidays and vacation.

Who We Are

GLSEN is a national nonprofit working to ensure every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and inclusive K–12 education. For more than three decades, GLSEN has partnered with students, educators, families, and a network of local chapters to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion, combat bullying, and foster school communities where all young people can thrive.

With a strong national staff and chapters across the country, GLSEN drives impact through policy advocacy, research, public education campaigns, program resources, and direct support for students and educators. The organization is growing and adapting to meet today’s challenges—and is seeking a senior operator to strengthen systems, align work across the network, and amplify impact.

What We’re Looking For

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is GLSEN’s integrator—a strategic operator who translates vision into coordinated, reliable execution. As a core partner to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, the COO connects strategy, people, and systems across programs, chapters, finance, development, and communications.

This is a builder role for a humble, mission-driven problem-solver who brings financial and operational rigor, centers equity, and cultivates a resilient, care-centered culture. The COO frees the CEO from day-to-day bottlenecks, strengthens accountability, and ensures the organization can move quickly and sustainably.

What You’ll Do

Organizational Integration & Leadership

• Lead cross-departmental alignment—ensuring programs, communications, campaigns, and chapters execute against shared strategic priorities and consistent messaging.
• Establish meeting rhythms and decision-rights that drive clarity, timely decisions, and follow-through (executive leadership team, cross-functional, and chapter-facing forums).
• Supervise the Director of Finance; hold dotted-line accountability with other directors to coordinate planning and delivery.
• Champion youth engagement as a cross-cutting priority, ensuring student voice and leadership inform programs, campaigns, and chapter alignment.
• Model trauma-informed, values-aligned leadership; steward a culture of respect, transparency, and humor.

Finance & Operations Oversight

• Partner with the Director of Finance on annual and multi‑year budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and grant/contract compliance.
• Align resource allocation with strategic goals; monitor organizational and program KPIs to inform decisions.
• Strengthen core operating systems (planning, knowledge management, project tracking) for consistency and accessibility.

Board & Governance

• Collaborate with the CEO and Board leadership to align operations with strategy.
• Prepare concise, decision‑ready materials and progress updates; serve as staff liaison to relevant committees.

Security & Risk Management

• Lead GLSEN’s internal security culture in partnership with advisors; integrate risk assessment and mitigation into operations, finance, programs, and chapter support.
• Ensure appropriate protocols for data protection, staff safety, incident response, and communications.

Strategic Troubleshooting & Change Management

• Anticipate and resolve operational challenges; remove barriers to progress across teams and the chapter network.
• Design and lead change initiatives that are people-centered, equity-grounded, outcomes-oriented, and supported by clear systems for quality assurance.

Immediate Priorities (First 6–12 Months)

• Integrate and align: Stand up an annual operating plan tied to the strategic plan; clarify decision-making frameworks; establish leadership team and cross‑functional meeting cadences.
• Strengthen financial management: Co‑lead the FY budget cycle; implement forecasting routines; tie KPIs to budget use and outcomes.
• Knowledge management: Implement a system to track priorities, decisions, documents, and data so teams and chapters can find what they need fast.
• Board engagement: Create a consistent dashboard and materials cadence; support preparation for key meetings.
• Security & risk: Baseline current risks; implement priority protocols and training in partnership with external advisors.

What Success Looks Like

• The CEO is unblocked from day-to-day coordination and able to focus on external leadership and strategy.
• Departments and chapters experience clear priorities, timely decisions, and reliable follow‑through; cross‑functional collaboration feels seamless.
• Budgets, forecasts, and KPIs are trusted and used for decisions by staff, board, and funders.
• Culture remains grounded in respect, equity, candor, and care—even through change.
• Key risks are identified early and mitigated; security practices are normalized and effective.

Who You Are

Must‑Have Experience & Skills

• 7 to 10 years of senior nonprofit leadership within a chapter‑based or networked organization.
• Finance and operations leadership experience at a $3M–$15M budget organization.
• Proven ability to build and manage systems for strategic planning, budgeting, and organizational performance.
• Experience supporting and engaging a Board of Directors.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and movement‑aligned values; comfort operating in high‑change environments.
• System‑agnostic but tech‑savvy, with:
  • Deep comfort in finance systems and fundraising platforms
  • Strong proficiency with project and knowledge management tools.
  • Working knowledge of HRIS and board governance tools.
  • Understanding of nonprofit data security practices.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience in civil rights, pro‑democracy, or DEI‑aligned organizations and campaigns.
• Organizational security and risk management exposure (policies, training, incident response) and comfort partnering with advisors.
• Experience strengthening alignment across national‑chapter or affiliate networks.

Education

• No specific degree required. We value demonstrated experience and results in comparable leadership roles.

Leadership & Mindset

• Humble, low‑ego, collaborative; able to lead through influence as well as authority.
• Systems thinker who can zoom from strategy to detail and back.
• Organized and disciplined; reliably tracks decisions, commitments, and deferred priorities.
• Brings humor and humanity; protects a healthy, sustainable team culture.

Note on background fit: We particularly value leaders who have thrived in lean, movement‑oriented, networked environments. If most of your experience is in large, highly centralized national organizations, please highlight how you have operated in and adapted to agile, cross‑functional contexts.

What Makes This Role Exciting

This is a top‑tier executive role at a pivotal moment for GLSEN and for K–12 equity more broadly. You will partner with a committed CEO and leadership team to advance a mission that matters—ensuring LGBTQ+ students, and all young people, can learn and thrive in safe, affirming schools. You’ll help shape the systems and culture that sustain impact across a national network, and you’ll do it with colleagues who value rigor, honesty, respect, and laughter.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience via the application link. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Note: As part of the final interview stage, candidates will be invited to complete a short operating plan case exercise. This helps us understand your approach to integration and execution and gives you a chance to see how we think about our work.

EEO Statement

GLSEN is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.