Chief Operating Officer

Please note: The recruiting for this position is being overseen by Russell Reynolds Associates. In order to be considered for this role, you must apply directly through Russell Reynolds. Contact information is provided below. The National Alliance on Mental Illness ( NAMI ) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health. For almost 45 years, NAMI has been a beacon of help and hope, fighting for more research, better education, bolder advocacy, and broader public awareness. Today, NAMI is an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and 49 State Organizations?who work to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
NAMI educates. NAMI education programs offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.
NAMI supports. Throughout the country, NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates host support groups, for both those with mental illness and caregivers, so that no one feels alone in their mental health journey.
NAMI advocates. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.
NAMI listens. Our toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows NAMI to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free information and support-a much-needed lifeline for many.
NAMI leads. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks , successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.
Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the NAMI senior leadership team sets the strategic direction of the national nonprofit organization and supports the local Affiliates and 49 State Organizations, through nearly 170 national staff, in their work improving the lives of the millions of Americans affected by mental health conditions and their families. Funding support comes from individual contributions, corporate sponsorships, events and grants and 2022 Revenues exceeded $60M. In 2022, NAMI received a generous gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. NAMI plans to leverage this one-time gift to advance the infrastructure and capacity of NAMI and its mission critical alliance. In 2023, NAMI is also investing in their programming, HelpLine, and the Alliance's capacity to meet the vast nationwide demand for mental health resources and support.
To learn more about NAMI , please visit:
The Role NAMI has experienced a period of rapid growth over the last few years as the demand for the organization's services has increased significantly with the nation's recognition of our current mental health crisis. As the nation's leading voice on mental health NAMI recognizes they will need to continue to scale and lean into operational efficiencies to meet the growing need for education, advocacy, resources and support in communities across the country. It is in this context that NAMI is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to prepare the organization for its next chapter and build processes and systems to match those ambitions. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced strategic operator to scale and evolve an organization which makes an enormous difference in the lives of those affected by mental illness.
Reporting to the CEO, Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., the COO will be responsible and accountable for operationalizing and ensuring the execution of NAMI 's strategic plan. The COO will design, scale, and carry forward the systems, processes, and infrastructure to enable the NAMI national office will be an efficient, strategic, and nimble organization capable and well positioned to facilitate systems, tools and best practices that enable and empower NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates to deliver on NAMI 's shared vision, mission and values.
Responsible for leading efforts to improve and modernize the organization's structure in service of the mission, the COO will serve on the Executive Leadership Team and guide the perspective of how the federated, three-tiered, network evolves its operational processes moving forward. In addition, the COO will be empowered to guide the day-to-day management of the national office and personnel in order to allow the CEO to focus on external matters. As such, the COO will be charged with monitoring information flow and, at times, acting as a gatekeeper to ensure the CEO's involvement in a project or decision-making process at the right moment. The COO will prioritize creating and maintaining cross-departmental relationships to enable leadership success and collaborating on inter-departmental initiatives to build, grow and strengthen NAMI 's external facing business units.
Leveraging a combination of deep integrity, passion, innovative futuristic thinking, operational stewardship and change management principles, the COO will establish and implement a path for success that will advance NAMI 's mission and continue to move the organization forward as the nation's leading voice on mental health.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities include: Develop and strengthen the organization's effectiveness and ability to execute effectively on the strategic plan with increased transparency and standardized policies and procedures. Leverage OKRs, Kaizen, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management or Agile methods to define measurable target outcomes and monitor progress in collaboration with senior leadership. Coach and develop national leadership to ensure they are delivering against key business metrics. Look for methods to improve quality, efficiency and productivity, reduce costs, increase profits, or improve control measures. Lead the strategic planning evaluation process measuring progress against goals of the organization's five-year Strategic plan. Provide all staff with day to day leadership presence, building a culture of collaboration and teamwork with clear lines of accountability and transparent communication. Assess inquiries directed to the CEO, determine the proper course of action and delegate to the appropriate individual to manage. Work with the National Board of Directors and Advisory Councils Represents NAMI with stakeholders, potential donors, and Board of Directors. Build relationships with the broader NAMI enterprise to maximize innovations for the Alliance. Serve as the primary liaison to outside legal counsel on governance work to mitigate risks and protect NAMI 's interests. Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the organization. Reporting Relationship Reports to: Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Gillison, Jr. Direct Reports: National Director, Operations National Director, HelpLine National Director, Information Systems Location : NAMI 's national office is in Arlington, Virginia. Relocation to the greater Washington, D.C area or the ability to serve in a hybrid capacity with 50% of time spent onsite is required for this position.
Candidate Profile The COO will be a proven strategic operating executive with 15 or more years of progressive senior operational leadership experience within a complex, multidimensional non-profit or for-profit organization charged with establishing operational excellence during or following a period of rapid growth. The successful candidate will have a well-rounded business and technology background, with in-depth understanding of complex business functions including operations, logistics and IT systems. They will bring a track record of driving operational excellence, with prior experience leveraging OKRs, Kaizen, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management or Agile methods to define measurable target outcomes and monitor progress. This individual will be a systems thinker who can seamlessly navigate between high-level strategic objectives and tactical execution. Experience operating within, and an understanding of, a federated model is preferred.
Given the breadth of opportunities and challenges that are inherent in the NAMI operating model, the successful candidate will be capable of managing a variety of shifting priorities on the day-to-day basis. The ideal candidate will be "hands-on" and seek to jump in where necessary to ensure success. This individual will be a change agent who is constantly looking for clever ways to improve workflows, streamline communication and leverage technology to bring teams together and advance the organizational mission.
The successful candidate must be an outstanding leader of people with very high organizational EQ with a proven ability to develop and manage a senior leadership team. The ideal candidate will be adept and well versed in change management. The successful candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and listening skills and high integrity, combined with an outstanding personal style that is characterized by executive-level communication skills, transparency, trust, active listening, authenticity, persuasiveness, collaboration, self-awareness, and drive. The ideal candidate will demonstrate passion for leading social change and share NAMI 's values of trust, respect, and transparency.
The successful candidate does not need to have prior experience in the mental health space, however, as a prerequisite, they must believe in the core vision of NAMI - a world where all persons affected by mental illness achieve recovery, resiliency and wellness - and be driven to achieve its mission of education, support, public awareness and advocacy.
In terms of the education and demonstrated competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following: Education Baccalaureate degree required, with advanced degrees and /or PMP or Six Sigma certification preferred. Setting Strategy The ability to create and articulate an inspiring vision for the organization, not only for the areas they are directly responsible for, but the enterprise as a whole. The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy. An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries to foster growth and evolution. The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful. Executing for Results The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance, tenacious and accountable in driving results. Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations. A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks. A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization. Leading Teams The ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others. The ability to persevere in the face of challenges and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers. A leader who is self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement. Relationships and Influence Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively. An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in their beliefs, and active drive. Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the success of the team. Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond their own personality and engages others to the greater purpose for the organization as a whole. Driving Sustainability Firmly believes that both sustainability and a healthy margin are in the organization's best long-term interest. Integrates economic, societal, and environmental factors into a purpose-driven strategy, turning sustainability into a competitive advantage. Understands and incorporates viewpoints from all key stakeholders to drive decision making and share the benefits. Delivers breakthrough innovations and business models that create value for all stakeholders, continually challenging traditional approaches. NAMI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. NAMI prohibits discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information or any other legally protected group status. Contact Danielle Lafhaj Russell Reynolds Associates
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