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About the Nonprofit Chief Operating Officer

These articles have been specially selected to give an overview of the role of the nonprofit chief operating officer and all its complexities. As you contemplate becoming a COO yourself or hiring one for your organization we hope these tools and resources are a useful guide.

COO Roles and Structures: Stories from the Field 
The most salient characteristic of the COO job seems to be its variety. COO roles, and the organizational structures in which COOs operate, are highly varied across organizations and even within a single organization over time.

Frequently Asked Questions: About the COO Role
Answers to some common questions about the COO position.

The Nonprofit Chief Operating Officer
Nonprofit organizations’ need for strong senior management teams to complement the chief executive has led to a renewed focus on the chief operating officer, but the COO role means different things to different people.

COO Career Paths

Chrystal Kornegay and Mossik Hacobian: Leaders and Partners at Urban Edge
Mossik Hacobian and Chrystal Kornegay have blurred the traditional ED and COO roles to forge a unique partnership at Urban Edge.

David Williams: Reflections on the COO Position
David Williams began his nonprofit career in whirlwind fashion. In just four months working with the Houston Food Bank, he went from being a member of its fundraising committee to a board member to the organization’s executive director. After 10 years with the Food Bank, he then moved on to larger, more complex organizations, where he took on a senior role at Habitat for Humanity International, and then became the president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.