Chief Operating Officer Full-time NEW

Department: Executive Leadership Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Status: Full-Time, Exempt Leadership Level: Executive Leadership Team

Salary Range: $100,000-$110,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Benefits: Eligible for GRM employee benefits and paid time off.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as Gospel Rescue Mission’s senior executive leader responsible for the overall leadership, integration, performance, and operational excellence of all Programs and Operations.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the COO translates the CEO’s vision and organizational strategy into effective execution across GRM’s programs, guest services, and operational functions.

The COO leads through leaders. This position develops strong Directors, establishes clear expectations, creates accountability, removes barriers, strengthens systems, and ensures that Programs and Operations work together as one Mission.

The COO is not expected to personally manage every operational detail. Directors and Managers are empowered to lead their areas with appropriate authority and accountability. The COO ensures those leaders are equipped, aligned, accountable, and producing results.

At Gospel Rescue Mission, how we lead matters as much as what we accomplish. The COO must demonstrate Christ centered servant leadership, integrity, sound judgment, excellence, collaboration, accountability, and responsible stewardship. Above all, the COO must be deeply committed to Gospel Rescue Mission’s Christ-centered calling and our work of helping people move from homelessness to wholeness.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

The COO serves as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and a key member of the Executive Leadership Team.

• Translate the CEO’s vision and strategic priorities into clear operational goals, plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Provide the CEO with timely, accurate, and transparent information regarding organizational performance, challenges, opportunities, and risks.
• Lead and develop the Directors within Programs and Operations.
• Ensure organizational priorities move from discussion to execution.
• Create clarity regarding responsibility, authority, accountability, and expected results.
• Identify organizational barriers and lead cross-functional solutions.
• Build systems and leadership capacity necessary for continued organizational growth.
• Protect the health, culture, reputation, and operational integrity of Gospel Rescue Mission.
• Represent GRM with professionalism and excellence with staff, guests, partners, donors, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Participate in Board of Directors meetings and presentations as requested by the CEO.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding executive, personnel, financial, legal, and organizational matters.

LEAD THE LEADERS

One of the COO’s most important responsibilities is developing strong, capable leaders.

• Coach, mentor, pray with, encourage, challenge, and develop Directors.
• Establish clear expectations and measurable goals for direct reports.
• Give leaders appropriate authority to accomplish their responsibilities.
• Hold leaders accountable for results without taking their responsibilities away from them.
• Practice empowerment rather than micromanagement.
• Address performance concerns promptly, directly, respectfully, and consistently.
• Develop leadership succession and identify emerging leaders.
• Encourage honest communication, healthy conflict, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Require Directors to develop the Managers and leaders beneath them.
• Recognize excellent performance and celebrate organizational and individual success.
• The COO should continually build leaders who are capable of making sound decisions, solving problems, developing their teams, and successfully leading without unnecessary executive intervention.

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

The COO provides executive leadership and accountability for GRM’s continuum of programs and services.

• Lead and hold accountable the senior leaders responsible for GRM programs.
• Ensure programs remain aligned with GRM’s Mission, Vision, Values, strategic priorities, and philosophy of care.
• Establish clear program goals, performance expectations, outcomes, and accountability measures.
• Ensure guests experience dignity, compassion, consistency, appropriate boundaries, and excellence.
• Promote Christ-centered and trauma-informed practices throughout GRM programs.
• Ensure programs work together to create an integrated pathway toward stability, recovery, employment, independence, and wholeness.
• Evaluate program effectiveness through meaningful data, outcomes, and guest impact.
• Identify service gaps, barriers, duplication, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure program leaders are developing their teams and maintaining GRM’s standards of excellence.
• Promote thoughtful innovation while protecting the principles and practices that define the GRM model.

OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP

The COO provides executive leadership and accountability for GRM’s operational functions and infrastructure.

• Lead and hold accountable the Director(s) responsible for Operations.
• Ensure GRM’s campuses, facilities, transportation, food services, safety, security, logistics, maintenance, and other operational functions effectively support the Mission.
• Establish operational goals, performance measures, service standards, and accountability.
• Ensure operational systems are safe, effective, efficient, scalable, and appropriately documented.
• Identify inefficiencies and develop solutions that improve organizational effectiveness.
• Ensure GRM’s physical environments communicate dignity, excellence, stewardship, hospitality, and care.
• Ensure effective emergency preparedness, business continuity, safety, and operational response systems are established and maintained.
• Develop leaders who anticipate operational needs rather than simply respond to problems.
• Promote strong stewardship of GRM’s facilities, vehicles, equipment, technology, and other organizational resources.

PROGRAM & OPERATIONS INTEGRATION

A central responsibility of the COO is ensuring that Programs and Operations function as one integrated organization. The COO will strengthen communication, clarify responsibilities, remove organizational silos, and ensure operational decisions support program outcomes while program decisions appropriately consider operational realities.

The COO will create a leadership environment where the question is not simply, “Whose department is this?” but rather, “What does the Mission need, and how do we solve it together?”

EXECUTION & ACCOUNTABILITY

The COO is responsible for creating an organizational rhythm where priorities are clear, commitments are followed through, and leaders are accountable for results.

• Translate organizational priorities into executable plans for Programs and Operations.
• Establish measurable departmental goals and key performance indicators.
• Conduct regular leadership accountability and performance reviews.
• Ensure organizational initiatives have clear ownership, timelines, and expected outcomes.
• Identify stalled initiatives and remove barriers to execution.
• Ensure Directors communicate concerns and emerging issues early.
• Strengthen cross-functional communication and collaboration.
• Continually evaluate staffing structures, workflows, systems, and processes for effectiveness.
• Promote continuous improvement throughout Programs and Operations.
• Ensure decisions result in action, ownership, follow-through, and measurable results.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

In partnership with the CEO and Finance leadership, the COO will:

• Participate in the development of annual Program and Operations budgets.
• Hold Directors accountable for managing within approved budgets.
• Monitor departmental financial performance and significant variances.
• Evaluate operational investments based on mission impact, organizational priorities, sustainability, and measurable results.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency while protecting excellence and guest care.
• Ensure Program and Operations leaders understand their responsibility for the stewardship of GRM resources.
• Participate in long-range operational and financial planning as requested by the CEO.
• Finance retains responsibility for financial controls, accounting, reporting, compliance, and financial accuracy.

PARTNERSHIP WITH HUMAN RESOURCES

Human Resources is not a department under the COO.

The COO collaborates with the HR Director regarding the people and leadership needs within Programs and Operations, including organizational structure, staffing, recruitment, performance management, corrective action, employee relations, leadership development, and succession planning.

The HR Director retains responsibility and authority for the Human Resources function, HR policy, employment practices, compliance, personnel administration, and HR systems. The COO is responsible for ensuring Program and Operations leaders effectively lead their people while working within GRM’s established HR policies and practices.

THE GRM WAY – CULTURE & LEADERSHIP

The Chief Operating Officer is expected to model, protect, and reinforce the culture and leadership standards established in the GRM Culture & Leadership Guide.

The COO will lead with Christ-centered servant leadership, integrity, accountability, excellence, collaboration, and empowerment. This leader is expected to develop others, address issues directly, encourage ownership and healthy communication, and ensure that Programs and Operations consistently reflect GRM’s Mission, Vision, Values, and leadership expectations.

As a condition of leadership at Gospel Rescue Mission, the COO will be required to read, agree to, sign, and lead in accordance with the GRM Culture & Leadership Guide.

CHRIST-CENTERED LEADERSHIP

The COO must be an evangelical Christian living a life dedicated to Jesus Christ and committed to being an instrument of God’s love, grace, hope, and forgiveness to others.

• Model Christ-like character through words, decisions, relationships, and conduct.
• Lead with grace, truth, humility, courage, wisdom, and love.
• Pray with and for employees, leaders, guests, and the Mission.
• Participate in staff devotions, prayer gatherings, and other spiritual activities.
• Maintain personal integrity, honesty, responsibility, and appropriate boundaries.
• Ensure leadership decisions and operational practices remain consistent with GRM’s biblical foundation, Mission, Vision, and Values.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Human Services, Organizational Leadership, or related field preferred. Significant executive leadership experience may substitute for formal education.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience with significant responsibility for people, operations, programs, or organizational performance.
• Significant experience leading Directors, senior managers, or comparable organizational leaders strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-department operations.
• Proven ability to develop leaders and build accountable, high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated ability to translate organizational strategy into operational execution.
• Experience with budgeting, financial management, performance measurement, and organizational planning.
• Nonprofit, human services, homelessness services, ministry, or comparable mission-driven leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Strong executive presence, emotional intelligence, judgment, and discretion.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office and contemporary business, project management, communication, and data systems.
• Ability to learn and leverage new technologies that improve organizational effectiveness.
• Valid Arizona Driver’s License and acceptable driving record as required for the position.
• Ability to attend evening and weekend meetings and events as required.

LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS

• Executive presence without ego.
• Confidence combined with humility.
• High emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
• Exceptional judgment and discretion.
• Courage to have difficult conversations.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to see both the big picture and the operational realities required to accomplish it.
• Ability to build trust across different personalities and leadership styles.
• A solutions-oriented approach and commitment to execution.
• Ability to remain calm and decisive during crisis.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Financial and operational acumen.
• Genuine passion for developing people.
• Willingness to receive feedback and remain accountable.
• Commitment to continuous personal, professional, and spiritual growth.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

GRM serves individuals who may be experiencing homelessness, addiction, trauma, mental health challenges, medical concerns, and other significant life crises. The COO must be comfortable leading within this environment while maintaining compassion, professional boundaries, sound judgment, and appropriate safety practices.

The work may include prolonged sitting, standing, and walking; occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling of objects; and attendance at evening or weekend meetings and events. Because ministry to individuals in crisis can create emotional stress and compassion fatigue, Gospel Rescue Mission encourages healthy self-care, appropriate boundaries, and sustainable leadership practices.

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

Success will not simply be measured by how much the COO personally accomplishes. Success will be demonstrated through the strength, performance, and health of the organization and its leaders.

• Directors are leading.
• Managers are managing.
• Employees understand what is expected.
• Programs are producing measurable outcomes.
• Operations support the Mission with excellence.
• Programs and Operations work together rather than in silos.
• Problems are surfaced and addressed early.
• Decisions turn into action.
• Leaders own their responsibilities.
• Resources are stewarded responsibly.
• The GRM Way is visible throughout Programs and Operations.
• Guests experience dignity, compassion, consistency, and excellence.

The COO’s leadership should enable the CEO to remain focused on vision, strategy, organizational growth, key relationships, community leadership, and the future of Gospel Rescue Mission, with confidence that the internal execution of Programs and Operations is being led with excellence.

GRACE-BASED ENVIRONMENT

Gospel Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit religious organization providing social service programs to individuals experiencing homelessness and those in need. Everything we do in this ministry should be centered on God’s will and honor the name of Jesus Christ.

Employees are expected to model Christ-like attributes and values; maintain an environment of grace, truth, love, transparency, and accountability; build healthy and compassionate relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries; demonstrate integrity and responsibility; pray with guests and employees; and support the Vision, Mission, and Values of Gospel Rescue Mission.

Gospel Rescue Mission completes applicable background checks, drug testing, and motor vehicle authorization during the conditional offer stage.