Chief Operating Officer: Family Service Association of Bucks County

Family Service Association of Bucks County has been growing steadily and is seeking to accelerate growth. The board and CEO are looking for a mission-focused, seasoned, strategic, and process-minded leader with experience scaling an organization, leading an executive management team, leveraging technology, and developing a performance culture among a group of diverse, talented individuals. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) must be a leader who is able to help others at Family Service Association of Bucks County deliver measurable, cost-effective results that make the vision a reality. Importantly, the successful COO will have the skills, sensitivity, and personal confidence to tap into the power that each member of the team brings to this mission. While it is essential that the COO bring efficient and effective systems to increase the productivity of the agency, it is also critical that the team retain the creative spark that drives the mission of Family Service Association of Bucks County.

Specific Responsibilities

Agency wide Operations and Quality Improvement

• Serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the absence of the CEO.
• Create and support a high performing culture aligning the core values of the Agency.
• Prepares and administers program budgets in collaboration with the CFO, including monitoring program budgets and the allocation of grant funding.
• Oversee the coordination, integration, and operations of all programs, contracts, and related services, promoting collaborative relationships between program areas and ensuring that the expectations of funders, partners, constituents, clients, and other stakeholders are consistently met.
• Work closely with the finance department to budget and monitor programmatic operations to ensure sound fiscal and system management.
• In collaboration with the Director of Quality Improvement, develops and implements systems for data reporting, measurement and supporting revenue generation and program performance.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with current and potential funders as well as community partners. Identifies growth opportunities and priorities and responds to partner agency concerns.
• Coordinates projects to ensure adequate administrative controls, quality, increased effectiveness, and procedural efficiencies.
• Using strategic data collection and analysis, works closely with the CEO to develop and implement the agency’s strategic plan.
• Serves on various staff, community, and professional committees/task forces to coordinate agency activities and facilitate agency goals and initiatives; participates in community outreach efforts.
• Using data driven analysis, promotes agency program results and community impact with partners in the human services community, government representatives, and the public.
• Drafts and/or reviews agreements with government funders, foundations, other donors and with sub-contractors.
• Proactively works with potential and current funders and/or partner organizations to stay current with trends, potential funding opportunities, and opportunities for collaboration on projects that may further the agency’s mission.
• Through an operational lens, reviews the development of project proposals and responses to RFP’s.
• Assumes other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the CEO.

Shelter and Housing Services

• In coordination with the Director of Housing Services, the COO has ultimate responsibility for the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter and related housing initiatives.
• Monitors and develops shelter operations, service contracts, policies & procedures.
• Monitors and develops shelter/housing programs to meet evolving needs, data analysis regarding program outcomes, budgeting, and resource development.
• Responsible for evaluating on-site risk management ensuring adequate safeguards for health, safety, security, and professional practice.

Facilities

• Maintains overall responsibility for the functioning of each facility location, service contracts, and lease agreements.
• Reviews quotes submitted for projects to ensure they fit budgetary needs.
• Works with the Facilities Technicians to review and implement timelines for facilities work that will least impact the agency business at the location requiring work; monitors the progress of facilities projects.
• Reviews recommendations made by the Facilities Technicians for building or grounds improvement.

Information Security and Technology (IS&T)

• Establishes and directs the strategic long-term goals, policies, and procedures for the information technology department.
• Determines the organization’s long-term systems needs and any hardware and/or software acquisitions needed to accomplish the agencies’ objectives.
• Works with the agency’s IS&T department to identify and utilize new and emerging technologies to expand and optimize the applications of information technology.
• Uses data reporting, analytics, and trending outcome reports to inform strategy and direction of current and new programs/opportunities and considers this given emerging developments in our field.

Supervisory Responsibility

Direct supervision and annual evaluation of the following positions/departments:

• Director of Housing Services
• Director of Quality Improvement
• Information Security & Technology
• Facilities
• Temporary and/or additional direct reports may be assigned for special initiatives or as necessitated by organizational needs

THE CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will likely have management experience with both for-profit and non-profit organizations. As noted, this is an organization driven by the values of its people, so experience in managing a “values-driven” organization will be highly prized.

Qualifications

• Ten or more years of professional experience overall, with a minimum of five years of senior-leadership experience supervising seasoned staff and operating programs across a variety of locations. Facilities management and a strategic understanding of technology required.
• Results-proven track record of exceeding goals and a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of data analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; high level of business acumen including successful P&L management; the ability to balance the delivery of programs against the realities of a budget; facilities and technology management, problem solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness.
• Strategic Vision and Agility – Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational plan.
• Capacity Building – Ability to effectively build organization and staff capacity, developing a top-notch workforce and the processes that ensure the organization runs smoothly.
• Leadership and Organization – Exceptional capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder who has experience in scaling up organizations; ability to connect staff both on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to enforce accountability, develop and empower top-notch leaders from the bottom up, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team so as to put people in a position to succeed.
• Action Oriented – Enjoys challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available; not afraid to take charge of a situation; can overcome resistance to leadership and take unpopular stands when necessary.
• General Management – Thorough understanding of full range of business functions and systems, including strategic development and planning, budgeting, and business analysis.
• Customer/Client Focus – Maintain a working knowledge and pulse on community trends and needs, as well as program short falls to offer recommended solutions.
• Communication Proficiency – Clearly and professionally share the agency mission.
• Problem Solving/Analysis – Evaluate programs, proposals, contracts, and employee competencies. A commitment to empowering others to solve their own problems.
• Computer Aptitude – Skilled use of Microsoft office products; excel, word, & outlook
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusiveness, and empowerment.
• Master’s Degree required in Business Administration, Non-Profit Management, Non-Profit Leadership, Public Health Administration, or a Master’s Degree in a closely related business or human service leadership profession from an accredited college or university.
• Willing and able to travel between agency facilities and community or partner events.
• Must be able to pass the following:
  • Drug Screen
  • FBI/Fingerprinting Clearance
  • Pennsylvania Criminal Clearance
  • Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance

THE INSTITUTION

Family Service Association of Bucks County is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) social service organization with locations throughout Bucks County in Langhorne and Bristol, Pennsylvania. Family Service also operates a call center, twenty school-based sites, and two additional locations including the Emergency Homeless Shelter and the Teen Center site. For 69 years, Family Service has been improving the lives of children and families, doing whatever it takes to help them overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.

In 2021, more than 40,000 people turned to Family Service for help addressing a broad range of challenges. Family Service offers a variety of programs and services focused on increasing opportunities for adults, protecting seniors, reducing substance use, improving the lives of those with mental illness, preparing children and adolescents for the future, improving the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS, and much more.

Family Service is a member of United Way of Bucks County and Social Current and is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation. Family Service is also licensed by the State of Pennsylvania to provide mental health and drug and alcohol assessment and treatment services.

Family Service Association provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Family Service employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive an agency-approved exemption for health or religious reasons.