Job Description

Executive Director (Chief Operating Officer)

BLACK CULTURAL ZONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION - OAKLAND, CA

Overview

Salary Range $140,000.00 - $180,000.00 Salary Position Type Full Time

Description

Join the Black Cultural Zone CDC as the Executive Director (Chief Operating Officer)!

Are you an experienced, collaborative, and accountable operational leader interested in playing a pivotal leadership role driving real organizational and community impact? The Strategic Management Services Corporation (MSO) for our Centers of Excellence Network seeks an Executive Director with a demonstrated track record in senior operational leadership and strategic alignment. This role is responsible for the MSO's comprehensive operational integrity and strategic support of the Centers of Excellence (COE) Network—a unified multi-entity organization structured as a parent-subsidiary model. The Executive Director will lead the MSO, ensuring the underlying operational backbone and integrated technology systems for all COE Network entities function with maximum efficiency. This role is vital for providing the modern infrastructure and automated workflows necessary for the Network to unapologetically center Black arts, culture, and economics in East Oakland. We seek an equity-centered leader who applies an equity lens to operational systems, from fair vendor procurement to unbiased HRIS workflows.

What You'll Do

As Executive Director, you will be responsible for a comprehensive range of operational functions, ensuring the fiscal integrity and strategic advancement of the COE Network:

• Steward Network-Wide Operational Services: Lead the MSO to ensure that the underlying operational backbone and integrated technology systems for all COE Network entities function with maximum efficiency.
• Sustain Network Infrastructure & Health: Act as the central operational lead, focusing on the systemic health and workflow automation of core functions while ensuring shared digital tools and AI-forward platforms function as a unified engine.
• Align HR Systems with People & Culture: Partner with the Chief of People & Culture to oversee the technical implementation of network-wide HR policies—including recruitment, onboarding, and performance management.
• Lead Compliance & Board Engagement: Serve as the primary architect of operational safeguards, utilizing automated reporting and real-time data monitoring to ensure rigorous compliance across all entities.
• Standardized Governance: Enforce legal, fiscal, and regulatory standards through robust internal controls in close partnership with the General Counsel and CFO.

Key Qualifications

The ideal candidate is a tech-fluent, strategic systems-architect and big-picture thinker with meticulous attention to detail.

• Senior Operational Leadership Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience managing operations within entities of significant scale and complexity.
• Technological Proficiency & AI Adaptability: Highly comfortable navigating sophisticated software ecosystems and burgeoning artificial intelligence tools to drive operational excellence and manage automated workflows.
• Education & Specialized Knowledge: A Master's degree (MBA, MPA, or Nonprofit Management) or equivalent executive experience, with deep expertise in Shared Services and MSO models.
• Mission Alignment & Cultural Competence: An unwavering commitment to the MSO and BCZ mission, with the ability to work authentically within East Oakland's diverse community.
• Leadership & Systems Execution: A results-driven leader who can operationalize the MSO's strategic vision and maintain high-performance standards for all centralized shared services.

Our Culture and Benefits

At the Centers of Excellence Network, we believe in a collaborative organizational culture guided by our C.R.E.A.T.E. values (Collaboration, Respect, Execution Speed & Excellence, Accountability, Tenacity, and Equity & Fairness).

• Status: Full-time, Salary, Exempt.
• Schedule: Hybrid role with a 50% on-site presence expected at 8321 International Blvd, Oakland, CA.
• Compensation: Salary range of $140,000–$180,000 annually.
• Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid premiums for team members (50% for dependents) for Medical, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D, and Long-Term Disability.
• Paid Time Off: 12 vacation days, 72 hours of sick leave, 15 observed holidays, a year-end closure (Dec 24 – Jan 1), and up to 96 hours of Wellness Hours per year.
• Professional Development: Thrive Coaching for professional and personal development and reimbursement of role-related expenses up to $750 per year.

If you're ready to bring your skills and passion to a team that's dedicated to creating a thriving community, we encourage you to apply!

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