Chief Operations Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Reporting directly to and working closely with the President/CEO, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as a trusted member of the Museum's leadership team. Under authority delegated by the President/CEO, the COO provides leadership and oversight of financial and accounting operations, human resources, administration, facilities and grounds, security, information technology, risk management, visitor services, and vendor relations.

The COO helps translate the President/CEO's direction and organizational priorities into action; ensures that budgets, staffing, programs, and operations are grounded in realistic revenues and available financial resources; and works with department managers to set clear expectations, monitor performance, promote accountability, and ensure timely follow-through.

The COO provides candid, well-supported advice; maintains appropriate confidentiality; keeps the President/CEO fully informed of significant matters; and supports accurate communication and consistent implementation of decisions made by the President/CEO and the Board of Trustees.

· Provide hands-on leadership for the Museum's accounting and financial operations, including cash management, accounts payable and receivable, payroll coordination, general ledger oversight, reconciliations, financial reporting, audit preparation, internal controls, and compliance.

· Develop annual operating and capital budgets and financial forecasts in partnership with the President/CEO and department managers, using credible revenue assumptions, historical performance, current conditions, and available resources.

· Monitor actual performance against budget; analyze revenue, expenses, cash flow, and departmental variances; and promptly advise the President/CEO of significant issues, emerging risks, and recommended corrective actions.

· Ensure that staffing levels, programs, purchasing, and operating commitments remain financially sustainable and appropriately scaled to realistic revenues and available financial resources.

· Prepare accurate and timely financial information for the President/CEO, the management team, the Finance Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Board of Trustees, as directed by the President/CEO.

· Coordinate the annual independent audit, tax filings, grant-related financial reporting, insurance matters, and other institutional assurance activities.

· Maintain effective internal controls, records-retention practices, contract administration, and ethics and conflict-of-interest procedures under the oversight of the President/CEO and the applicable Board committees.

· Provide hands-on leadership in recruitment, onboarding, compensation administration, employee benefits, employee relations, policy compliance, training, performance management, corrective action, and separation processes, in consultation with and subject to the authority and approval of the President/CEO.

· Ensure that HR policies and practices are fair, consistently applied, properly documented, legally compliant, and aligned with the Museum's operational needs and resources.

· Work with managers to establish clear responsibilities, measurable objectives, and standards for conduct and performance; monitor results; and ensure timely, meaningful, and documented evaluations.

· Identify performance or conduct deficiencies and recommend to the President/CEO appropriate coaching, professional development, corrective action, reassignment, or separation.

· Promote constructive communication and teamwork while maintaining organizational unity, appropriate professional boundaries, established reporting relationships, and accountability for decisions and their results.

· Coordinate daily administrative and operational activities to support safe, efficient, reliable, and visitor-focused museum operations.

· Provide leadership and oversight of facilities and grounds, security, visitor services, risk management, information technology, property management, vendor relationships, and contracted service providers.

· Develop, implement, evaluate,…