Chief Operations Officer

Position:
Chief Operating Officer

Location:

Oberlin, Ohio
Company:
Natural Stone Institute

The COO directs daily activities across sales, operations, finance, and administrative functions, ensuring staff accountability, sound financial management, and disciplined execution of the strategic plan. You will be working for an association with less than 50 employees and be the point person and is available daily for direction and guidance, mentors and develop team members, manages committees, and builds an intentional, people-first culture.

This role is ideal for a results-oriented, operational leader with a direct yet approachable communication style. You have the rare ability to sustain organizational momentum while leading with genuine investment in your people.

• Partner with the CEO to translate the strategic plan into measurable operational plans, priorities, objectives, and KPIs.
• Own day-to-day operations so the CEO can focus on vision, strategy, sales, and external relationships.
• Serve as executive leader and decision-maker in the CEO’s absence.
• Support both the CEO and the Chair/Director of the Board; prepare operational reports for executive leadership and the Board.
• Provide steady leadership across staff, members, committees, and volunteer leaders.

• Direct daily operations across all departments and disciplines, providing hands-on daily direction and guidance to staff.
• Drive employee accountability at every level – set clear expectations, monitor performance, and follow through.
• Improve efficiency and effectiveness through process improvement, clear policies and procedures, and disciplined execution.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives, special projects, and committee management.
• Define and track “what winning looks like” for the organization and rally the team to achieve it.

• Partner with the CEO and accounting staff on annual budget development, monitoring, and forecasting.
• Review financial performance regularly; identify risks and recommend improvements.
• Oversee contracts, purchasing, insurance, and vendor relationships to ensure value and accountability.

• Mentor, coach, and grow staff and emerging leaders – developing talent.
• Build and sustain an intentional, family-first culture where accomplishment is recognized and rewarded.
• Foster a culture where taking smart risks is encouraged and failure is treated as learning.
• Lead workforce and succession planning to address tenure concentration and build a stable bench for the future.
• Partner with staff to answer the ongoing question: "What does the staff want and need to succeed?"

• Oversee technology initiatives, cybersecurity, and systems improvements that support efficient operations.

• Ensure compliance, internal controls, risk management, and business continuity planning.

• Prepare Board reports, support strategic planning, and build trust with both staff and the Board.
• Support committees and member-facing programs, ensuring a service-oriented member experience.

Other duties, as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Nonprofit/Association Management, Organizational Leadership, or a related field;
  Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including at least five years in senior operational management.
• Experience leading operations within a trade association, nonprofit, or similar mission-driven organization – ideally a small organization where leaders are hands-on.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple disciplines/functions (e.g., sales, operations, finance, administration) with direct day-to-day oversight.
• Strong financial acumen: budgeting, financial analysis, and performance monitoring.
• Proven record of driving accountability, results, and measurable operational improvement.
• Excellent communication skills with a direct, focused, yet approachable style and manner.
• Proven ability to analyze and resolve complex problems across multiple…