Chief Operating Officer

Overview

Bachelor’s degree required

START:
April 2026

LOCATION:

Washington, DC

SCHEDULE:

Hybrid; 2 in-office days and 3 remote days. Mon - Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Some special events will occur outside of regular work hours.

About Generation Hope

Generation Hope is a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring all student parents have the opportunity to succeed and achieve economic mobility. We drive systemic change by partnering with education and policy leaders while offering direct, two-generation support to teen parents in college and their children. To date, we’ve provided over $1.5 million in tuition assistance, supported more than 500 teen parents in college, celebrated more than 240 degrees earned through our program, and partnered with over 30 two- and four-year institutions nationwide.

Our team culture is rooted in excellence, respect, and inclusion. Named "one of the best nonprofits" by Spur Local, we embrace diversity in all its forms—background, thought, and experiences. If our mission and culture resonate with you, we invite you to consider joining our team. For more information, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Job Description

Generation Hope is seeking a strategic and process-oriented Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as the architect of our operational infrastructure. Reporting to the CEO, the COO will oversee the critical pillars of Finance, HR, IT, and Legal, ensuring our internal systems are as innovative and impactful as our external programming. The ideal candidate brings sophisticated expertise in financial systems and organizational modeling, paired with a "coaching-first" leadership style.

We are looking for a visionary who can bridge the gap between ambitious strategy and stellar execution—institutionalizing our growth while fostering a culture of excellence. This is a unique opportunity to fortify the longevity of a national movement dedicated to driving large-scale, life-changing outcomes for student parents and their families.

Responsibilities

Financial Strategy

• Lead a comprehensive evaluation of Generation Hope’s financial architecture, assessing current workflows, team capacity, and system efficiencies across geographies.
• With the Vice President of Strategy & Operations, design, build, and sustain our financial team to ensure we are well positioned to meet our goals.
• Implement a financial operating model that improves reporting accuracy and timeliness, strengthens forecasting, and reduces close-out timelines by measurable margins.
• Provide actionable, data-informed insights to the CEO and Board, using real-time dashboards, scenario modeling, variance analysis, risk management, and trend forecasting to inform long-term strategy.
• Oversee the development and finalization of the annual budget, holding the Finance Team and senior leadership accountable for timely deliverables, data-driven forecasting, and operational feasibility.
• Evaluate the finance team’s structure and capabilities, offering developmental coaching, restructuring plans, or role redefinition as necessary.

Leadership & Performance Management

• Oversee and optimize the performance of core operational teams/functions: IT (outsourced), HR, Finance, Administration, and Legal (outsourced), setting measurable team goals and service-level expectations and enabling teams to innovate while delivering at the highest level.
• Collaborate with other Executive Leadership and Senior Leadership team members to ensure operational strategies align with programmatic and revenue goals.
• Work with the Chief of Staff (COS) to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies across the organization, then implement performance monitoring systems that include root-cause analysis and resolution planning.
• Work with the Chief of Staff (COS) to establish annual operating plans (AOPs) and dashboards across departments that align with the organization’s strategic priorities to ensure goals are clear and there are systems for accountability.
• Create standardized operating procedures (SOPs) across the organization to ensure the continuity of work and proper documentation of procedures and policies.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, offering operational and…