PBLWorks (Buck Institute for Education), Chief Operating Officer

Buck Institute for Education (also known as PBLWorks), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Northern California, and is the industry leader in providing professional development and support services related to Project Based Learning (PBL). Currently, the Buck Institute for Education (BIE) provides professional services that support teachers and other education leaders in the implementation of Gold Standard Project Based Learning.

PBLWorks creates and shares high-quality PBL tools and resources including PBL curriculum with K-12 teachers and leaders across the country and the world. At PBLWorks, we believe that all students — especially Black and Brown students — should engage in high-quality PBL to deepen their learning and achieve success in college, career, and life. PBLWorks is poised to dramatically expand our impact and reach. Our board and CEO are seeking a mission-focused, strategic, and innovative operations executive with experience scaling an organization, building a positive culture, and developing high-performing teams among our group of talented and diverse individuals.  We seek a leader who is committed to racial equity; deeply understands and embraces the diversity of the students of today and has an awareness of the opportunities and challenges in the world those students will inherit.

For more information about BIE and PBLWorks, please visit https://www.pblworks.org/.

OPPORTUNITY 

Reporting to the CEO, the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) will oversee four direct reports and a staff of 14 responsible for Finance and Accounting, HR, Legal, Sales, and Marketing/Communications. As a peer to the Chief Impact Officer (CIO), Chief Product and Technology Officer, and Executive Director of PBLNow, the COO is responsible for operationalizing our newly adopted strategic plan and leading internal operations.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Chief Operating Officer include:

• Working closely with the CEO, leading the strategic growth of the organization through curriculum-driven professional learning, subscription-based online products, and our professional services
• Organizing internal operations to reflect a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and high performance while remaining lean and innovative
• Developing and monitoring the organization's brand, sales, and communication strategies

Financial Management and Oversight

• Working with the Controller, managing and overseeing all financial and business planning activities, including:
• Providing overall financial oversight and monitoring
• Managing banking relationships and investment funds
• Business policies and accounting practices
• Supporting and advising the CEO on the budgeting process and monitoring of organizational performance metrics
• Ensuring that relevant financial data is presented to the CEO, board, and senior leadership team

Leadership Strategy & Staff Development

• Serving on the executive team as a key organizational leader and representative internally and externally
• Promoting close and productive interdepartmental relationships and communication
• Actively promoting BlE's core values and practices
• Overseeing performance improvement and employee relations issues with a high degree of expertise, tact, and sensitivity
• Ensuring organizational best practices in recruiting diverse, highly qualified candidates who reflect the communities BIE serves

Marketing, Communication, and Sales

• Overseeing the Marketing and Sales team
• Overseeing the development of innovative and strategic communications materials and products to engage external audiences and partners
• Leading the organization's sales and brand strategy including brand guidelines for print and digital mediums

Operations

• Overseeing recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits administration; professional training and development, employee orientation, and legal compliance
• Overseeing risk management and legal activities
• Overseeing Information Technology
• Organizational reporting and monitoring: providing guidance and leadership through management of the BIE metrics and measurement reporting process
• Office management: physical plant and equipment
• Board of directors: providing staff support and guidance to BlE's board and act as staff liaison to relevant board committees

Requirements

The successful candidate must believe in the core values of BIE, be driven by our vision, share our commitment to racial equity, be comfortable breaking new ground to lead social change, and have demonstrated experience scaling an organization and leading and building the capabilities of a bright diverse team. 

Additional requirements are:

• Strategic Vision and Agility: the ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational plan.
• Leadership and Organization: exceptional capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder who has experience in scaling up organizations; capacity to enforce accountability, develop and empower top-notch leaders from the bottom up, lead from the top down, cultivate entrepreneurship, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team; and, place people in a position to succeed.
• Results-proven track record of exceeding goals and a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; high level of business acumen including successful P&L management; problem-solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness.
• Impeccable integrity, clear communicator in writing and verbally, decision maker.
• Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems.
• Action-oriented: enjoys working hard and looking for challenges; proactive; not afraid to take risks.

Benefits

The Chief Operating Officer is a full-time exempt position with a competitive salary range of $200 - $220K and full health benefits (including medical, vision, and dental), generous retirement contributions, life and disability insurance, and a cell phone stipend. PBLWorks is a dog-friendly working environment.

For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Corina Ramos at [email protected].

PBLWorks is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.