Chief Operating Officer

Data for Progress (DFP) is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead the internal operations and people systems that support our work across our 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4).

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the leadership team, the COO will lead the systems, processes, and operational infrastructure that support Data for Progress’s work and ensure the organization operates effectively day to day. The COO will work closely with leadership across the organization on internal operations, capacity planning, labor relations, and financial management to ensure DFP has the structure, support, and internal coordination needed to meet the needs of the progressive community. The COO will lead key internal management processes and manage relationships and systems with administrative vendors.

This is an opportunity to help shape how a fast-moving progressive research organization works from the inside — building the internal systems, structure, and support that make ambitious, high-impact work possible. The ideal candidate will be a strong internal leader with excellent judgment, operational discipline, and the ability to build trust across a progressive staff. They will be able to create clarity, accountability, and stability without unnecessary bureaucracy — ultimately strengthening the organization’s ability to deliver impactful research and advance progressive change.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Operations and Internal Systems

• Serve as the organization’s senior internal operations leader
• Lead and improve the systems that support day-to-day organizational operations
• Identify operational bottlenecks, outdated processes, and recurring internal problems, and implement practical fixes
• Help coordinate internal planning, staff-wide processes, and leadership team follow-through
• Help shape organizational structure and management practices as the organization evolves

People Operations and Management Support

• Oversee hiring operations, onboarding, offboarding, staff records, and internal personnel processes
• Lead performance review and performance planning processes across the organization
• Support managers in handling feedback, performance issues, and staffing decisions
• Manage internal processes around promotions, title changes, and compensation recommendations
• Support collective bargaining preparation and related labor relations work
• Handle personnel matters with sound judgment and discretion

Financial and Administrative Operations

• Oversee contracts, invoices, bill pay, payroll coordination, registrations, and other recurring administrative functions across internal systems and external partners
• Manage relationships with outside legal, compliance, HR, payroll, accounting, and other operational partners, and ensure their work is coordinated effectively
• Manage key vendors and service providers related to operations and administration
• Project manage and participate in budgeting and administrative management processes, including forecasting, budget visibility, and grant-tracking coordination

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit operations, people operations, administration, HR, finance, compliance, labor relations, or related internal organizational leadership
• Experience building or improving internal systems and processes in a mission-driven organization
• Experience leading cross-functional operational work across areas such as people operations, budgeting, vendor management, compliance, contracts, and payroll
• Strong judgment on personnel matters and the ability to handle them with discretion and consistency
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to move multiple workstreams forward at once
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working in a unionized workplace or supporting labor relations
• A collaborative, low-ego management style and the ability to build trust across teams and work styles
• Commitment to progressive politics and to the mission of a progressive organization

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in political, advocacy, research, public policy, or other mission-driven environments
• Experience working within a c3/c4 or other multi-entity nonprofit structure, including operational and compliance coordination across entities
• Experience working with HR, payroll, accounting, and project management systems
• Experience in operations at a polling, research, or other professional services organization

Data for Progress offers 15 days of paid vacation, 12 sick days, 5 mental health days, and a floating holiday each year. We also offer a full week off for Thanksgiving in even-numbered years and up to 10 days off at the end of the year.

Additional benefits include an annual cost-of-living adjustment, a 5% employer match on your 401(k), 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents, medical, vision, and dental insurance with zero-dollar-deductible plans available, and life and disability insurance.