Climate Interactive Chief Operating Officer

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) serves as a key member of Climate Interactive's senior leadership team, leading operations, financial management, organizational effectiveness, and the systems and functions that support fundraising. Reporting to the Executive Director, the COO will serve as a close thought partner and the primary leader responsible for translating organizational strategy into effective plans, budgets, staffing, systems, and results.

Climate Interactive is entering a period of focused growth as it implements a new strategic plan and expands its work with key audiences and partners. This role will help ensure the organization has the capacity and infrastructure to execute that growth effectively.

Responsibilities

• Strategy and Organizational Execution

• Lead the operationalization of Climate Interactive’s strategic plan, translating organizational priorities into clear workplans, resource requirements, staffing approaches, decision points, and measures of progress, in close partnership with the Executive Director, Director of Programs, and other members of the leadership team.
• Partner with the Executive Director on annual organizational planning, goal setting, and performance management processes, including developing and monitoring organizational goals and KPIs.
• Partner with the Executive Director and other organizational leaders to assess emerging opportunities and organizational priorities, weighing mission impact, financial implications, staffing capacity, risk, and operational feasibility.
• Serve as the primary integrator across organizational functions, ensuring alignment among programmatic priorities, fundraising objectives, staffing, financial resources, and operational capacity, and identifying and resolving barriers to effective execution.

• Operations & Business Management

• Lead Climate Interactive’s financial management and planning, including annual budgeting, multi-year forecasting, scenario planning, monitoring actuals against budget, and performing financial analysis to inform strategic and operational decisions.
• Partner closely with NVF on accounting, financial reporting, compliance, and other financial processes, ensuring Climate Interactive has timely and accurate financial information for organizational decision-making.
• Lead the development and implementation of operational functions, including billing and invoicing, contract review, and IT/resource management.
• Lead risk management for Climate Interactive, including identifying organizational risks and partnering with NVF on legal compliance, insurance, and risk mitigation.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and operating practices within the NVF framework that reflect Climate Interactive’s organizational values and support mission and business objectives.

• Fundraising & Business Development

• Partner with the Executive Director and Associate Director of Fundraising to develop annual fundraising plans, revenue forecasts, and operational priorities aligned with organizational strategy and resource needs.
• Support the Executive Director in advancing fee-for-service, licensing, and advisory-service opportunities and oversee associated operational activities including budgeting, contracting, invoicing, and compliance.

• Organizational Oversight & People Management

• Lead Climate Interactive’s internal people operations and culture-building practices, serving as the primary point of contact for staff and coordinating with NVF HR on employment policies, compliance, benefits, and administrative processes.
• Partner with the Executive Director and people managers on staff assessment and performance management, including ongoing feedback, professional development, and formal reviews, ensuring consistent practices aligned with Climate Interactive’s standards and values.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in organizational leadership, operations, finance, or related roles within nonprofit, mission-driven, or similarly complex organizations, including senior-level leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to translate organizational strategy into effective operational plans, systems and processes.
• Strong financial management experience, including organizational budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and using financial information to inform strategic decisions.
• Strong organizational and business judgement, including the ability to assess opportunities, weigh competing priorities, and make sound decisions about resources, capacity, and risk.
• Experience leading people operations, including performance management, organizational culture, and HR practices.
• High emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, navigate sensitive dynamics, communicate candidly, and support effective working relationships across the organization.
• Experience identifying and managing organizational risk and working effectively with legal, finance, HR, or other external specialists.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a thought partner to senior leadership while independently leading areas of responsibility.

Preferred

• Experience working within a fiscally sponsored organization or another structure involving shared or outsourced finance, HR, legal, or administrative functions.
• History of leading organizational change, growth, or operational transformation, including scaling an operations function for long-term sustainability.
• Success building and leading high-performing, mission-driven teams.
• Background in climate, environment, and/or sustainability fields.