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Chief Operating Officer

Employer
The GroundTruth Project
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Closing date
Oct 2, 2020
The Organization

The GroundTruth Project, Inc. is a non-profit media organization dedicated to supporting emerging journalists to tell stories that matter in under-covered corners of the world including the United States. Their primary goal is to increase understanding of critical global issues through meaningful enterprise journalism that serves the communities where they live. GroundTruth, which launched six years ago, established its flagship national service program known as Report for America in the fall of 2017. The Report for America program currently has 225 reporters posted in 160 local newsrooms across 46 states. GroundTruth also leads global reporting fellowships and has supported a total of more than 300 emerging journalists across more than 50 countries carrying out award-winning reportage, photography, video, and podcasting.

On a mission to create a healthy and diverse pipeline of emerging journalistic talent, the organization’s mission is to restore journalism from the ground up by supporting in-depth public service reporting, and to serve as watchdogs in places where no one seems to be watching. They are focused on the craft of journalism and the power of accountability reporting, blended with the realities of the digital age and a spirit of public service.

Headquartered at the PBS flagship WGBH in Boston, the 40-person team is building an engaged community around impactful journalism and powerful storytelling by a new generation, by supporting journalists’ careers as fellows, corps members and alumni. GroundTruth believes the crisis in journalism has become a crisis for democracy, and they believe trusted reporting that comes from reporters on the ground will be critical to ensuring that democracies represent and serve their citizens.     

The Position: 

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will provide the vision and operational leadership to help translate The GroundTruth Project’s journalistic mission and programmatic priorities into operational strategies that achieve the goals of this fast-growing, non-profit organization. This position opens at an extraordinary moment of growth in this organization as it scales to confront a big challenge: the crisis in journalism has become a crisis for democracy, both globally and locally. And this opening comes as its flagship program, Report for America, which strives to place 1000 reporters in the field across America by 2024, has just been short-listed for a transformative $100 million grant through the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change. The intense, global competition for this grant underscores that Report for America’s sustainable and scalable model is now internationally recognized for its ability to address a deep systemic problem around the collapse of trusted, local news. The COO will oversee key administrative functions, including Finance, HR and IT, while partnering with the CEO, the executive leadership team, and the Board of Directors in formulating current and long-range strategies and objectives. The successful candidate will drive performance and ensure that these strategies create a platform for continued success.

Responsibilities:

Leadership

  • Provide strong unifying leadership to ensure effective operation across the organization
  • Act as a collaborator and coordinator with a sense for the broader needs of the organization
  • Serve as an example and a champion for shaping and strengthening organizational culture and a deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion within the team and through the broader reach of its programs.
  • Motivate and lead a high-performance management team; support and develop diverse talent throughout the organization

Develop and Execute Strategies

  • Execute on tactical requirements while positioning the organization to achieve future-focused strategic objectives that will help teams and processes to scale
  • Create and design frameworks to convert strategies into operational processes and outcomes
  • Drive key change and transformation initiatives
  • Optimize operational processes based on best practices and enable systems for growth of the organization
  • Identify business interdependencies and serve as the integrator across the business to drive efficiency

Deliver Results

  • Develop and implement resource plans that meet current commitments while accommodating for future growth
  • Control the allocation and prioritization of resources and assets to reach strategic and innovative goals
  • Evaluate performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics that optimize business operations
  • Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment to achieve and surpass critical business goals that will enable The GroundTruth Project to become a more robust organization
  • Manage key internal relationships with the CEO, Board of Directors, management teams, and employees
Selection Criteria:
  • Demonstrated knowledge in field; prior, senior-level operational experience in innovative non-profit or high-growth technology organization
  • Proven leadership with emotional intelligence necessary for nuanced cultural alignment of a mission-driven team primarily made up of journalists
  • Strategic mindset; displays high-level analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills
  • Interpersonal expertise; demonstrates the ability to achieve positive results through influence, negotiation, and relationship building
  • Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people
  • Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferred
Characteristics:
  • Track record of effectively leading and scaling, either regionally or nationally, a performance- and outcome-based organization and staff
  • Proven ability to unify, lead, motivate and inspire teams; experience developing relationships at the executive level
  • Strong understanding of operations, strategy, technology, and continuous improvement processes and interdependencies, particularly within a non-profit environment
  • Demonstrated success with leading innovation and transformation initiatives using change management principles
  • Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning for journalistic organization
  • Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, outstanding communication skills

To be considered for this position or for additional information on the opportunity, please send cover letter and resume to or contact:

Nicholas Budler, Research Lead

Stanton Chase Washington D.C. / n.budler@stantonchase.com

 

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