Chief Operating Officer; COO

FOR THE PEOPLE

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

For The People (FTP) works with prosecutors, justice system leaders, community members, and incarcerated people to reduce the number of people serving excessive sentences. We harness the incredible power of prosecutors to end sentences that no longer serve justice and, through partnerships, work to safely release and reintegrate incarcerated individuals into their communities. For more information, visit www.fortheppl.org

For The People is seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help lead the organization through its next stage of growth and impact. As a key member of the executive team, the COO will strengthen the organizational foundation that makes FTP’s mission possible - overseeing operations, finance, HR, IT, and legal compliance and ensuring our systems, structures, and resources evolve alongside our ambitions.

Working in close partnership with the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), the COO will help build the organizational infrastructure FTP needs to expand its impact across multiple states and reach more people through our work. They will connect strategy to the people, resources, systems, and practices needed to deliver on it, with particular attention to the operational and employment complexities of a growing, multi-state organization.

The COO will lead key functions and team members, including the Director of Operations and Controller, while looking across the organization to anticipate needs, manage risk, and strengthen how we work.

The ideal candidate is a builder and problem-solver who is motivated by FTP’s mission and has helped an organization grow in scale and complexity. They bring strong operational leadership and a sophisticated understanding of people practices, employment compliance, and organizational risk, including the demands of operating in California and across multiple states. They pair high standards and sound judgment with resourcefulness and a bias toward action.

They know how to build greater structure and accountability while preserving the creativity, humanity, and entrepreneurial spirit that have fueled FTP’s success.

• Partner closely with the CEO and CSO to translate FTP’s vision and strategic priorities into organizational plans, structures, and resource decisions.
• Lead organizational planning and change as FTP expands its work across states, ensuring the organization has the capacity, infrastructure, and ways of working needed to scale its impact.
• Strengthen FTP’s operating model, including cross-functional coordination, decision-making, accountability, and information flow across the organization.
• Anticipate and mitigate organizational, operational, and legal risks, ensuring appropriate controls, governance practices, policies, and expertise are in place.

• Provide strategic oversight of FTP’s financial health, planning, and resource allocation, aligning resources with organizational priorities, mission impact, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead and develop the Controller, ensuring strong financial management, reporting, compliance, internal controls, grant accounting, and audit processes.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning in partnership with the executive team, using financial insight to inform staffing, investments, and other resource decisions.
• Partner with the CEO and Board to ensure clear visibility into FTP’s financial position and support effective financial oversight, risk management, and long-term planning.

• Set strategic direction for FTP’s people, operations, and technology…