Chief Operating Officer

About the Organization  

Jewish Long Beach is the leading organization for the Jewish community in the greater Long Beach and north Orange County area. It includes within it the Alpert Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Federation of Long Beach, and the Jewish Foundation of Long Beach. JLB serves 10,000 people annually, has 4300 members and, among its signature programs, hosts an Early Childhood Education center with more than 160 students. Among JLB’s many other programs is a fitness center and pool, and many cultural and educational programs and events. 

Guided by Jewish values and culture, JLB inspires community by improving lives, building bridges of understanding and inclusion, and supporting the Jewish people here, in Israel, and around the world. JLB’s vision is to build and sustain, now and for future generations, a vibrant Jewish community. 

JLB fulfills this mission and vision by providing meaningful programs and services including Early Childhood Education and Day Camp, Senior Outreach & Engagement, Fitness, and a variety of adult educational opportunities that contribute to the social, emotional, physical, and spiritual development of people of all ages and the creation of opportunities for connection. 
 

Position Overview

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer, playing a pivotal role in translating the agency’s vision into day-to-day execution, ensuring that operations align with long-term goals. The COO is expected to lead department heads, foster collaboration, and ensure that communication flows effectively across the organization.

The position requires a strategic and dynamic leader with keen interpersonal skills, a strong background in process optimization, operational management, and efficiency improvements, and experience in integrating technology solutions to enhance operational performance and service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

General

• Support the CEO in setting and maintaining an organizational culture committed to high performance, efficiency, optimism and growth
• Serve as a thought partner in support of the CEO in decision making, goal setting, and evaluation of organizational progress
• Provide leadership throughout the organization in the absence of the CEO
• Provide excellent customer service to all stakeholders
• Develop and maintain a deep and broad knowledge of all Jewish Long Beach programs
• Represent JLB at community events, meetings, and other public facing occasions
• Support the CEO in providing appropriate staffing of committees and task forces led by Board members and volunteers, ensuring best practices for communication and collaboration with the Board of Directors
• Sensitivity to and ability to deal with lay leadership and community interrelationships
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the CEO

Human Resources

• Support the Human Resources team in managing employee relations and staff performance matters as necessary
• Develop and implement job performance objectives and regular staff evaluations, in coordination with the CEO and Director of Human Resources

Operations

• Collaborate with the entire C-Suite to manage and execute the organization’s strategic plan, while maintaining ongoing strategic dialogue and collaboration with both executive leadership and the Board of Directors through regular data sharing and reporting
• Provide oversight of the day-to-day operations intern to the facility in collaboration with the Director of Operations
• Act as a bridge between departments, ensuring that communication flows effectively, teams are aligned, and all departments are well coordinated
• Supervise the Aquatics, Fitness, Membership, Finance, and Data departments
• Support the CEO’s oversight to Marketing, Development, Community Engagement and impact, and Community Relations departments
• Initiate and implement process improvement strategies relating to workflow, quality of programming, safety, and member experience
• Define and implement organizational technology strategy in all areas
   

Finance

• Analyze growth and profitability of core programs and recommend plans to improve existing profitability and identify new programs to increase profitability
• Collaborate with CEO and CFO to drive cost optimization, establish best practices for internal controls and policies, and ensure the organization's overall financial health
• Support the CFO and the Finance Committee to evaluate investment statements

Behavioral Expectations: 

• Clearly communicate the “mission,” ensuring everyone works toward the same goals. 
• Create a positive environment where two-way communication, accountability, and strong trust are established. 
• Promote teamwork and respect, both internally between staff as well as in community-facing contexts with donors, volunteers, members, and other stakeholders.  
• Demonstrate the ability to respond with a high degree of responsiveness to the needs and requests of others, both internally and externally. Understand the impact of their work on others. 
• Deal constructively with conflict and focus on the situation, issue or behavior and not on the person by diffusing situations before conflicts arise, resolving conflicts directly and actively promoting and gaining cooperation from others. 
• Accurately provide and receive information in oral and written communications. 
• Consistently provide ideas, opinions, or information in an articulate, professional way. 
• Actively listen to others and demonstrate understanding of other points of view. 
• Willingness and ability to adjust to changing conditions or priorities. 
• Take the initiative to identify and act on problems, and lead by example. Consistently make decisions that resolve problems and act decisively when necessary. 

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field
• A minimum of four years of experience as a COO in the nonprofit sector
• Effective leadership, team management, and organizational skills
• Strong operational expertise and experience in overseeing internal functions and program implementation
• Proven ability to oversee the development of program plans and coordinate between them
• Proficiency in financial management, including working with the CFO on budgeting and financial reporting
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience in data-driven decision-making
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degrees such as an MBA, MPA, or other relevant graduate degrees. Degrees in law, social work, or related fields are also considered
• Knowledge of Jewish history, culture, values, and contemporary challenges facing the Jewish community
   

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to Jewish Values: Deep respect for Jewish traditions, values, and culture, with a strong commitment to advancing the Jewish community’s welfare
• Strategic Thinker: Capable of thinking critically, anticipating challenges, and devising creative solutions to complex community and policy issues
• Relationship Builder: Skilled at building and nurturing relationships across diverse communities, fostering collaboration and mutual understanding
• Proactive & Results-Oriented: Self-driven with a strong ability to set goals, take initiative, and achieve results in a timely manner
• Tact & Diplomacy: Ability to handle sensitive issues with discretion and professionalism, particularly when dealing with contentious or complex matters
   

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the COO is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle and feel objects, keyboard; reach with hands and arms; communicate and move around the building. It may also be necessary for the employee to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
 

Work Environment

The primary work environment is typical of an office environment including sounds from office equipment. Due to travel and special events, the Chief Operating Officer will be exposed to outside weather conditions.
 

Work Arrangement

This position is expected to be on-site.

Compensation & Benefits: 

• Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience ($120,000 to $125,000) 
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and observance of Jewish holidays. 
• Additional Perks: Opportunities for professional development, networking, and participation in Jewish communal events and conferences. 
   

This job description outlines the primary responsibilities and qualifications for the Chief Operating Officer. As the needs of the organization and the community evolve, the role and title may be adjusted to reflect those changes commensurate with the applicant’s experience. 
 

Application Instructions 
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and references to Paycom Online Careers Page. In your cover letter, please outline why you are uniquely qualified for this role and how your skills and experience align with the mission of Jewish Long Beach. 

Jewish Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply, including those from underrepresented communities, whether within the Jewish world or not.