Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Location: Remote
The preferred application deadline for this position is October 3, 2025. Please note that we do not guarantee review of applications received after this date.
About Watershed Advisors (Watershed) is an education consulting firm that powers leaders with the vision, talent, and insight to conceive of high-value education and workforce ideas, and supports them to make those visions an enduring reality for children, families, and workers across entire geographies.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a member of Watersheds Executive Leadership Team, reporting to the CEO and President. The COO will have the opportunity to shape Watersheds direction in its next phase of growth by building and executing the companys vision and strategy alongside the CEO and President.The individual hired in this role will lead a team of five that supports Watersheds daily operations and will tee up key decisions that will support the growth and scaling of the company. This role requires a business builder who takes initiative - someone who excels in high-growth, fast-paced environments but also values organization-wide engagement, iteration, and clear communication as critical levers to long-term success.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Partner with the CEO and President to understand the organizations vision, build the strategy and the systems to support it, and ensure strong execution
Lead the annual and multi-year goal-setting and planning processes, including strategy, revenue projections, and hiring needs assessment
Lead capacity planning and forecasting for the organization
Strengthen the executive teams capacity to act quickly and strategically
Operational Management
Ensure strong operational systems, including routines, checklists, and technological support across multiple domains (talent, finance/financial planning, events, and employee/client experience systems), to support growth and culture
Build knowledge management systems that allow codification and sharing of key insights
Create a shared understanding of systems across the organization through codification, training, and other appropriate methods
Cross-Functional Partnership and Execution
Partner closely with the Leadership Team to ensure operational priorities are responsive to and account for programmatic priorities
Develop deep understanding of operational pain points including talent, legal, and procurement, proposing solutions and building buy-in for new approaches
Employ a clear, iterative process that solicits and is responsive to diverse viewpoints from the operations team, Leadership Team, Senior Directors, Directors, Senior Analysts, and Analysts in building systems and processes that support both scale and culture
Proactively and strategically plan for change management when introducing new processes and tools
Communicate clearly and consistently with employees and leaders
Team & Organization-Wide Leadership and Culture
Attract, develop, and retain top talent in operations roles and support the Leadership Team to do the same
Ensure Operations team and the entire organization is properly organized and staffed and that roles and responsibilities are both clear and support future growth
Provide feedback, coaching, and development opportunities for individual team members
Foster a high-performance, entrepreneurial culture rooted in accountability and results for the operations team and for the entire organization in partnership with the Leadership Team
Lead with clarity, transparency, and empathy
Preferred Qualifications
5+ years of operational leadership experience with demonstrated results, ideally at a mid-size, high-growth company
Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and oversee effective operational systems in talent, finance, knowledge management, and a knowledge of effective technology systems to support these operations
Strategic mindset with the ability to anticipate organizational needs and build plans and optimize systems in anticipation of those needs
Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop high-performing teams and build buy-in and trust with others
Demonstrated ability to create and share an inspiring vision for the organization
The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources (including qualitative feedback from staff) to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy
Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations
A commitment to modeling continuous improvement, recognizing that the best ideas emerge through collaboration and iteration
Ability to connect and build strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively
Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that engages others in the greater purpose of the organization as a whole
Demonstrates a commitment to justice. At Watershed, we believe that systemic, longstanding bias within our nations institutions has too often harmed Black and brown Americans, low-income individuals and families, people with disabilities, and immigrants. Our work aims to build systems that serve all people and that bolster the prosperity and rights of those who have been excluded from educational and economic opportunities.
Compensation
The salary range for the COO position will be between $225,000-$300,000. The final salary within this range will be determined based on experience and qualifications. Watershed Advisors offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, paid sick and personal leave, and stipends for work-from-home expenses and professional development. We also offer a 401(k) plan and match up to 4% of employee contributions. All employees are eligible for end-of-year bonus pay. We utilize a tenure system that allows for equitable, consistent, and predictable salary growth over time.
Location
This position is fully remote. Travel is required for three in-person convenings and potentially eight to ten face to face coworking days per year, either with the Executive Leadership Team, the Leadership Team, or the entire organization.
To Apply
Applicants should apply here. Note: the application deadline for this position is October 3, 2025. We do not guarantee review of applications submitted after this date.
Watershed is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.
About the job
Apply for this position
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Location: Remote
The preferred application deadline for this position is October 3, 2025. Please note that we do not guarantee review of applications received after this date.
About Watershed Advisors (Watershed) is an education consulting firm that powers leaders with the vision, talent, and insight to conceive of high-value education and workforce ideas, and supports them to make those visions an enduring reality for children, families, and workers across entire geographies.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a member of Watersheds Executive Leadership Team, reporting to the CEO and President. The COO will have the opportunity to shape Watersheds direction in its next phase of growth by building and executing the companys vision and strategy alongside the CEO and President.The individual hired in this role will lead a team of five that supports Watersheds daily operations and will tee up key decisions that will support the growth and scaling of the company. This role requires a business builder who takes initiative - someone who excels in high-growth, fast-paced environments but also values organization-wide engagement, iteration, and clear communication as critical levers to long-term success.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Partner with the CEO and President to understand the organizations vision, build the strategy and the systems to support it, and ensure strong execution
Lead the annual and multi-year goal-setting and planning processes, including strategy, revenue projections, and hiring needs assessment
Lead capacity planning and forecasting for the organization
Strengthen the executive teams capacity to act quickly and strategically
Operational Management
Ensure strong operational systems, including routines, checklists, and technological support across multiple domains (talent, finance/financial planning, events, and employee/client experience systems), to support growth and culture
Build knowledge management systems that allow codification and sharing of key insights
Create a shared understanding of systems across the organization through codification, training, and other appropriate methods
Cross-Functional Partnership and Execution
Partner closely with the Leadership Team to ensure operational priorities are responsive to and account for programmatic priorities
Develop deep understanding of operational pain points including talent, legal, and procurement, proposing solutions and building buy-in for new approaches
Employ a clear, iterative process that solicits and is responsive to diverse viewpoints from the operations team, Leadership Team, Senior Directors, Directors, Senior Analysts, and Analysts in building systems and processes that support both scale and culture
Proactively and strategically plan for change management when introducing new processes and tools
Communicate clearly and consistently with employees and leaders
Team & Organization-Wide Leadership and Culture
Attract, develop, and retain top talent in operations roles and support the Leadership Team to do the same
Ensure Operations team and the entire organization is properly organized and staffed and that roles and responsibilities are both clear and support future growth
Provide feedback, coaching, and development opportunities for individual team members
Foster a high-performance, entrepreneurial culture rooted in accountability and results for the operations team and for the entire organization in partnership with the Leadership Team
Lead with clarity, transparency, and empathy
Preferred Qualifications
5+ years of operational leadership experience with demonstrated results, ideally at a mid-size, high-growth company
Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and oversee effective operational systems in talent, finance, knowledge management, and a knowledge of effective technology systems to support these operations
Strategic mindset with the ability to anticipate organizational needs and build plans and optimize systems in anticipation of those needs
Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop high-performing teams and build buy-in and trust with others
Demonstrated ability to create and share an inspiring vision for the organization
The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources (including qualitative feedback from staff) to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy
Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations
A commitment to modeling continuous improvement, recognizing that the best ideas emerge through collaboration and iteration
Ability to connect and build strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively
Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that engages others in the greater purpose of the organization as a whole
Demonstrates a commitment to justice. At Watershed, we believe that systemic, longstanding bias within our nations institutions has too often harmed Black and brown Americans, low-income individuals and families, people with disabilities, and immigrants. Our work aims to build systems that serve all people and that bolster the prosperity and rights of those who have been excluded from educational and economic opportunities.
Compensation
The salary range for the COO position will be between $225,000-$300,000. The final salary within this range will be determined based on experience and qualifications. Watershed Advisors offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, paid sick and personal leave, and stipends for work-from-home expenses and professional development. We also offer a 401(k) plan and match up to 4% of employee contributions. All employees are eligible for end-of-year bonus pay. We utilize a tenure system that allows for equitable, consistent, and predictable salary growth over time.
Location
This position is fully remote. Travel is required for three in-person convenings and potentially eight to ten face to face coworking days per year, either with the Executive Leadership Team, the Leadership Team, or the entire organization.
To Apply
Applicants should apply here. Note: the application deadline for this position is October 3, 2025. We do not guarantee review of applications submitted after this date.
Watershed is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.