SCS Noonan Scholars. Chief Operating Officer/West Coast Executive Director. Position Profile

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1 SCS Noonan Scholars Chief Operating Officer/West Coast Executive Director SCS NOONAN SCHOLARS OVERVIEW Position Profile South Central Scholars (SCS) was established in 2001 by philanthropists James and Patricia London, originally as a scholarship program to serve a few high achieving, low-income students in the Los Angeles area. Quickly realizing the demand for a multi-stage, integrated program of support, SCS soon began supporting these students throughout college with scholarships, academic intervention, academic and social-emotional support, and career guidance and networking. Within a few years, SCS was yielding impressive results: 90% of Scholars who were attending very selective schools like Harvard, Brown, Williams, USC, etc. were graduating within 6 years. Although the Scholars were graduating at rates far beyond the national average, a large percentage of them were transitioning out of their intended majors and were unable to find jobs that matched their passions after graduation. After reviewing their college transcripts, it became clear that, despite having excelled in high school, many of the Scholars were entering college without the college-level writing, math, and science skills needed to persist in their chosen majors. To reverse this trend, SCS launched a pilot session of Summer Academy in 2012 and began recruiting high school juniors and seniors to participate in this comprehensive, residential, academic enrichment program. These new programmatic innovations have led to overwhelming results: More than 80% of the Scholars were attending top colleges, compared to less than 50% of their peers; and over 70% of Scholars pursuing STEM majors were able to persist and graduate in their major, compared to 25% of similar students. In 2014, the founders decided to replicate their program in Boston, under the name Noonan Scholars, as a pilot for further regional, and eventual national, expansion. After three years of successful outcomes in Boston, they are now ready to go national, under the SCS Noonan Scholars flag, as one fully merged organization. SCS Noonan Scholars will support the top low-income students of color across the country with the same refined model of service that has come to define their success in L.A. and Boston; and will aim to substantially increase the number of Scholars admitted into the program annually.

2 2 POSITION SUMMARY SCS Noonan Scholars is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO)/West Coast Executive Director (ED) to help lead the organization through its next phase of development, innovation and growth. Based in Los Angeles, California, the COO will serve in a new position on the senior management team and play a critical role across all functional areas within both the Boston and Los Angeles offices to increase the productivity of the organization; ensure effective and efficient day-to-day operations; build collaboration and communication; and develop a performance culture among a group of diverse, talented individuals. The COO will be a seasoned, strategic and process-minded leader who demonstrates proactive leadership and sets the tone for all aspects of the organization s culture and success. COMPETENCIES The COO/West Coast ED will have demonstrated through prior experience the following qualities: A commitment to the mission and core values of SCS Noonan Scholars Strong interpersonal skills; exceptional emotional intelligence and professional maturity Cultural awareness and sensitivity; comfort working with diverse constituencies; ability to value and leverage the talents of people with different perspectives, styles and national/cultural/geographic backgrounds Collaborative work style that enables partnership and engagement with others at all levels of the organization Strategic and visionary leadership; identifies breakthrough opportunities; thinks independently and manages ambiguity; consistently makes good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment Demonstrated ability to both lead and build the capabilities of a driven, bright, diverse team; executes for results; adept at creating a culture of high expectations, accountability and excellence Executive presence; comfort demonstrating confidence and appropriate assertiveness as an organizational leader; capable of making hard decisions and conveying them to staff and stakeholders Excellent coalition building skills, with the ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of external stakeholders and supporters Exceptional communications and presentation skills, including interpersonal and written communications, and the proclivity to be an outstanding spokesperson for the organization RESPONSIBILITIES Reporting to the CEO of SCS Noonan Scholars, the COO/West Coast ED will be responsible for Finance, Operations and Human Resources Management across the entire organization during a period of growth and transition.

3 3 Additionally, s/he will serve as the internal leader of the Los Angeles arm of the organization and will externally represent the LA office with funders and foundations. Duties include: External Relations: Provide strong leadership presence and represent SCS Noonan Scholars with West Coast funders Finance: Establish and maintain relationships with West Coast funders to strategically enhance SCS Noonan Scholars image and mission Maintain responsibility for SCS Noonan Scholars budget and financial planning; oversee and evaluate current operational spending; identify areas of savings and risk; and develop strategies to address each Manage an operations manager who is in charge of accounting procedures, including reimbursements, expense reports, and monthly financial statements; work with an outsourced bookkeeping and accounting firm Operations: Build the organization s infrastructure to scale Establish and implement systems and processes to ensure operational consistency and efficiency Provide a strong day-to-day leadership presence for all staff; bridge national/regional operations; establish transparent, productive relationships between and among the Senior Leadership Team, CEO and staff to ensure SCS Noonan Scholars is operating profitably and productively Lead and manage the Los Angeles-based office Manage a Director of Data Systems & Evaluation (Boston); an Operations Manager (Boston); and Administration & Events Manager (Los Angeles) Analyze the current technology infrastructure and scope out the next level of information technology and financial systems that support the growth of specific programs and the organization overall Human Resources: Act as a thought partner to the CEO and serve as a motivational coach and guide to staff Evaluate and drive organizational development and change management Instill a human capital development and coaching culture within SCS Noonan Scholars; manage/upgrade human resources functions including: recruiting, training, development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and performance evaluation Collaborate with managers in the hiring of new staff; leading the search and recruitment of candidates; developing onboarding and training systems for new hires Select, develop, and motivate diverse groups of people towards a common set of goals

4 4 Create and implement performance metrics to manage accountability to goals KEY QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Minimum of 15 years of progressive management experience in a values-driven organization in either the for-profit or non-profit sector Proven experience in scaling a multi-site organization, driving organizational change, organizational development and effectively building organization and staff capacity Proven experience in establishing and stewarding relationships with donors, supporters and other external constituents; ability to engage and interface with diverse donor and volunteer groups Demonstrated knowledge of best practices and experience in building diverse, inclusive and engaged workplaces Results-proven track record of exceeding goals and a bottom-line orientation High level of business acumen including successful P&L management; the ability to balance the delivery of programs against the realities of a budget Strong project management skills Solid educational background undergraduate degree required; MBA or similar advanced degree highly desired COMPENSATION This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated professional to assume a pivotal role in the evolution of a fast-growing, highly respected organization. We are seeking an individual of outstanding quality with a respected track record. SCS Noonan Scholars is prepared to offer a very attractive compensation package, including a competitive base salary as well as health, 401(k), and vacation benefits. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy SCS Noonan Scholars provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. CONTACT SCS Noonan Scholars has engaged Tracy L. Lawrence Leadership Advisory to help in this hire. The search is being led by: Tracy L. Lawrence

5 5 Managing Director Phone: (213) Kathy A. Johnson Director of Operations Phone: (917) Heidi Sedlmeier Administrative Assistant Phone: (310) Please submit letters of interest and resumes to ABOUT TRACY L LAWRENCE LEADERSHIP ADVISORY Tracy L. Lawrence Leadership Advisory is a human-capital consulting firm that offers Executive Search, Organizational Development and Leadership Coaching. We specialize in servicing innovative organizations with distinct cultures. For more information, refer to our website at