Title: Chief Operating Officer
Salary: $144,000 per year
Classification: Exempt, Full Time
Location: Virtual within the U.S. with roots in/connections to any of the following states: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, OK, TN, TX, VA, WV
Travel: About once a quarter up to 25%
Supervision Responsibility: This position will supervise 4 direct reports
WHO WE ARE
At NDS, we are building a coalition across the South that centers the needs and daily experiences of disabled people. Our mission is to improve the lives of disabled people and cultivate strong disability rights and disability justice frameworks in the South. We do this by:
Through this work, we impact the allocation of resources in our states, increase our collective power, and make this country a better place for us to live. We do this all with the lives and experiences of disabled people at the center (nothing about us without us).
Per our 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, we are centering 4 strategic priorities to advance our mission: Poverty, Criminalization, Democracy, and Technology.
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for an experienced Operations and Organizational Design leader to replace our outgoing Co-Founder and COO. The successful candidate brings good vibes, a presence that encourages peace under pressure, the ability to hold multiple perspectives and truths at the same time, high emotional intelligence, and grounding energy that disarms and engages. Our ideal candidate has an approach to the work of disability justice that is rooted in a collective liberation philosophy, centers the voices and experiences of the multiply marginalized (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, native/indigenous, immigrant, etc.), and understands the importance of an intersectional lens and approach. They are able to hold the big picture and affirm and support the vision of our CEO while holding the realities of capacity constraints and implementation against the backdrop of our commitment to sustainability, collective care, and scaling responsibly. The ideal candidate must have a keen attention to detail; a proven track record in motivating and unifying teams; and solid conflict management, problem-solving, and clear decision-making skills. The COO will be comfortable with and committed to fostering the development of staff, identify opportunities and challenges, and work across departments and teams to anticipate needs and generate highly innovative solutions to complex problems.
Reporting to the CEO, the COO ensures that all operational aspects of NDS and NDSR (our c4) operate in the best interests of our community stakeholders, staff, and the disability community broadly. The COO supervises and works closely with departmental leadership to ensure the operational effectiveness, sustainability, and resiliency of the organization as someone who is highly experienced in building healthy, sustainable organizational cultures in a fully remote, startup environment. The COO will partner with our Executive Team to support NDS through its current strategic plan and into its next iteration. They will be responsible for holding high level planning and strategy for the organization; supervising the day-to-day operational and HR activities of all entities under the New Disabled South umbrella, including our C4 (NDSR), and New Disabled Media; supervising our Department Heads; and closely supporting our CEO. Our ideal candidate will be the grounding implementor to our CEO’s visionary ideator, the internal drumbeat around capacity and sustainability, the go-to resource on best practices, the expert on how to scale responsibly and sustainably, and the model as it relates to demonstrating our organizational values.
THE WORK
The Chief Operating Officer will be responsible for the following priorities:
Strategy, Vision, Organizational Design and Infrastructure: 50%
Operations and HR Leadership: 50%
The ideal COO candidate will possess the following experience, knowledge and attributes:
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit the following here via the Workable platform by Monday, July 7 at 10am ET:
We will be conducting 5 rounds of interviews in August through November, including an in person interview in Atlanta in October. Our target candidate start date is January 2026.
Due to the volume of applications we receive, it is not possible for us to respond directly to every applicant with updates on timelines, feedback on rejections, or conduct informational interviews or conversations with applicants. In keeping with our values, we provide updates on rejections and next steps to all applicants. We value the time and energy of every applicant and are truly grateful for your application.
DO YOU THINK THIS MIGHT BE YOU?
If you see yourself in this job description but don’t feel like you meet every single criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway! Research shows that individuals from historically marginalized groups tend to self-select out of opportunities at higher rates. We take a holistic approach to all of our hiring practices and want to hire those who best align with our mission and goals.
We offer:
If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.
We are on the lookout for an Operations & Finance Specialist to help streamline our agency operations at BPCM.
Lead transformative lean and operational strategies at Solventum to drive customer experience and service excellence in Med Surg Americas from a hybrid San Antonio, TX role.
Help shape the future of maternal health as a Doula Experience Specialist at Mae, where your project management skills will empower a supportive doula community.
MUFG is seeking a Syndicated Loan Operations AVP skilled in managing complex loan servicing transactions and driving operational excellence in a hybrid work environment.
AHEAD is looking for a Managed Services Delivery Director to enhance operational efficiency and drive strategic initiatives in digital transformation.
Take the lead at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows as an Overnight Front Office Manager, ensuring exceptional service at our renowned beachside property.
Become a key player at Maple Knoll as an Assistant Community Director, where you will manage property operations and support staff to achieve client objectives.
An Affordable Housing Community Director role at FPI Management overseeing property operations, staff, and leasing for a 48-unit affordable housing community in Tujunga, CA.
Join Fast Pace Health as a Family Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant and be a vital part of a growing team dedicated to exceptional patient care.
Embark on a promising career with Enterprise Mobility as a Management Trainee, focusing on sales, customer service, and operations.
Become a pivotal part of Martin/Martin, Inc. as a Project Coordinator, supporting engineering teams with your multitasking and organizational skills.
Become a pivotal member of Amplify as the Director of BPM for Customer Order Management, enhancing delivery and order management systems.
Lead TRSS as President and drive innovation and strategic vision for a leading organization in government services.
Subscribe to Rise newsletter