Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Who We Are:

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, is the premier coalition of more than 230 organizations that promotes and protects civil and human rights in America.  The Leadership Conference has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957.  To learn more about The Leadership Conference, please visit www.civilrights.org.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the US.  Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, the Education Fund’s campaigns empower advocates to push for progressive change in the US.  To learn more about the Education Fund, please visit www.leadershipconferenceedfund.org.

About the Role:

In May 2022, civil rights attorney and activist Maya Wiley took the helm of both the Leadership Conference and its Education Fund, with a vision to save, as well as strengthen democracy in a turbulent and changing landscape and build on the legacy of this powerful coalition platform and its public education arm. Under Maya’s leadership, both entities are building on their strengths as multi-issue, diverse entities with a growing coalition and growing audiences. The Leadership Conference and Education Fund seek to be significantly more proactive and forward-looking, strengthening the field’s ability to do the same, bridging the federal, state, and local work as fundamental rights are increasingly contested in all arenas.  The Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (EVP & COO) is a senior management-level position, reporting directly to the President & CEO in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-stakes environment in which collaboration, innovation, discipline, and communications are valued.

The EVP & COO is a highly skilled operational leader, thought partner, and culture builder who manages 20-25 staff members in the following departments/teams: People & Culture, Finance, Operations, Project Management, Risk, Contracts, and Information Technology. The EVP & COO serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing guidance and counsel across the organization.

The EVP & COO serves as the primary liaison to The Education Fund, coordinating and aligning initiatives and providing governance and other guidance to the Board of Directors for The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund.

This position is not part of the collective bargaining unit.

What you will do:

Departmental Management

• Serve as a thought partner and resource to executive staff in their realms of responsibility, including on issues related to the management of their teams and in the strategy and execution of their departmental goals and work.
• Increase operational effectiveness through coaching, training, and targeted interventions to address developmental areas.
• Cast long-term vision and strategy to support The Leadership Conference’s people & culture initiatives, financial management and execution, and operational systems to ensure long-term organizational health.
• Oversee reviews of the culture and operations of the organization and ensure its currency and relevance.
• Ensure there is a robust people & culture roadmap in place that systematically curates the knowledge, skills, competencies, and abilities of staff in an inclusive environment all in support of the organization’s mission.
• Ensure the design and implementation of a long-range strategy to maintain financial health and implement policy priorities effectively and efficiently, ensure the organization meets its annual budget goals, and implement sound financial practices to preserve the integrity of the financial systems and audits.

Organizational Leadership

• Partner with the President & CEO, Board Members, and Senior Leadership Team colleagues to develop, articulate, and implement an overall organizational strategy.
• Work closely with Executive Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents on issues that have implications for staff across the organization.
• Develop and execute organizational systems in partnership with the President and CEO and Senior Leadership Team to match the needs of a growing organization and drive cross-departmental initiatives; create and sustain new internal systems and structures to match organizational priorities and desired impacts.
• In consultation with the senior leadership team, build systems and tools for cross-departmental communication and engage staff at all levels in problem-solving and strengthening organizational communication.
• Provide support and resolution to staff-level conflicts with an equity lens.
• Apply best practices in leading and managing organization-wide initiatives and ensure cross-functional projects are completed within established timeframes.
• Oversee the contracts process and execution of contracts on behalf of the organization.
• Manage organization-wide annual budget and systems to track goals and accomplishments for sound operations, financial health, and fundraising.
• Liaise with counsel in managing organizational risk and ensuring organizational compliance when executing on strategy, communications and outreach activities.
• Working with the Development team, ensure that projects and initiatives align with budgets and any grant restrictions/requirements.
• Serve as a strategic, efficient, and creative leader of all staff meetings and all-staff retreats and coordinates organizational health and effectiveness work.
• Provide operations support to the Board of Directors for both The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, ensuring good governance, oversight, and coordination of both organizations.

Other duties as necessary and related.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study or related field; A Master’s Degree in a relevant field, including but not limited to Non-Profit Management, Public Policy, preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in a leadership/management role.
• Commitment to The Leadership conference mission and a record of engagement with civil rights and social justice issues.
• Experience in strategy building and program implementation.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Open, motivating, collaborative, and approachable working style and demeanor.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to prioritize and multi-task when necessary.
• Ability to make tough and strategic decisions when confronted with difficult choices in highly complex situations and fast-moving environments.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, with a keen sense for getting to an enduring result and through a process that strengthens trust and organizational relationships.
• Ability to quickly build trust, credibility, and goodwill with executive staff, staff as a whole, and Board Members, working across lines of identity and affiliation.
• Experience working in a matrixed structure and developing effective internal systems, communication, and processes to enable productive collaboration and teamwork.
• Unimpeachable integrity and moral compass, with refined discernment and emotional intelligence to ensure that internal organizational culture is consistent with the highest ideals of equity.
• Demonstrated ability to manage up and sideways successfully, to determine the needs of high-level stakeholders and the capacity and ability to deliver on them.

What We Offer:

The Organizations offer its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous personal leave and vacation time.  Employees can also take advantage of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and a retirement savings account.

Salary Range – $208,000 – $249,000, dependent on years of related experience.

To apply, please visit our Career Center and submit your resume and cover letter. Cover letters are required and should be attached. 

Office Re-opening Statement

Currently, staff has the option to work from the office or home while we determine our long-term policy on remote and hybrid work. Please note this position is not permanently remote and over time the person filling this role may be required to work on occasion or regularly from the Washington, DC-based office.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace

The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.