Job ID: 52556
Location: Columbia, SC
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Last Updated: 1 days ago
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports directly to the CEO and serves as the organization’s senior leader responsible for translating strategy into execution across all lines of business. This role provides oversight of construction, homeowner services, finance operations, volunteer engagement, and organizational systems to ensure the affiliate operates efficiently, sustainably, and at scale.
The COO is accountable for day-to-day operations, cross-functional alignment, and production outcomes, ensuring that Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity delivers high-quality homes, strong homeowner experiences, and sound financial performance.
This role is critical to advancing the organization’s capacity to grow, standardize operations, and achieve its strategic goals.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The COO leads operational execution across a complex, multi-line-of-business organization that includes:
- New home construction and repairs
- Land acquisition and development
- Homeownership pipeline (marketing, selection, coaching, closing, post-closing)
- Financial operations and compliance
- Volunteer and community engagement
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Operational Leadership & Execution
- Lead all day-to-day operations with a focus on production, efficiency, and accountability
- Ensure homes and repairs are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality standards
- Drive alignment across construction, homeowner services, and finance
- Identify and eliminate operational bottlenecks, particularly in land, permitting, and construction timelines
- Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) across departments
2. Strategic Implementation & Growth
- Partner with the CEO to execute the strategic plan and growth targets
- Translate high-level goals into clear operational plans, timelines, and metrics
- Build systems to support scaling production, including land pipeline development and vendor relationships
- Lead organizational readiness for growth, including staffing, systems, and partnerships
3. Financial & Business Operations
- Oversee operational budgets, job costing, and financial performance in partnership with finance staff
- Ensure strong financial discipline across all projects and programs
- Monitor key metrics including:
- Cost per home
- Build cycle time
- Pipeline conversion
- ReStore/operational contributions
- Support audit readiness, compliance, and internal controls
4. Talent & Team Leadership
- Directly manage senior staff and build a high-performing, accountable leadership team
- Provide coaching, performance management, and professional development
- Strengthen cross-department collaboration and communication
- Lead organizational structure alignment as the affiliate grows
- Director of Operations
- Director of Construction
- Director of Housing Strategies
- Community Engagement Coordinator
- Senior Accountant
- Accountant
5. Systems, Process Improvement & Organizational Excellence
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives across all departments
- Implement data-driven decision-making and performance tracking
- Develop and monitor dashboards and KPIs
- Ensure compliance with Habitat for Humanity International standards and best practices
- Strengthen systems that support consistency, scalability, and accountability
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
- Minimum 7–10 years of senior leadership experience with operational oversight
- Experience managing complex, multi-functional teams
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting and performance management
- Experience in housing, construction, real estate development, or related field strongly preferred
- Nonprofit experience preferred
- Demonstrated success in building systems, scaling operations, and leading change
- Strong leadership presence with ability to influence, align, and execute
LEADERSHIP PROFILE
The ideal candidate is:
- A systems thinker who sees how all parts of the organization connect
- A builder and operator who can turn vision into execution
- Comfortable with complexity and ambiguity
- Data-driven and results-oriented
- A collaborative leader who builds trust while holding teams accountable
COMPENSATION
- Salary range: $75,000 – $85,000
- Competitive benefits package included
