Employment Opportunity

Role:Chief Operating Officer for the Center for Native Education (CNE)
Reports to:Executive Director
Percent of Time: 100%, Exempt status
Salary:DOE plus an attractive compensation package that consists of health, educational, and vacation benefits. Retirement benefits include immediate vesting in a non-contributory program with 13% employer contribution.
Start Date:Immediately

About the Center for Native Education:
The Center for Native Education was founded in 2002 and is located at Antioch University Seattle. Our mission is to create paths to academic success for Native peoples.

With generous support from foundations, we accomplish our mission by establishing community-based schools and programs for Native American adolescents and adults. As of Summer, 2007, we have developed 12 high schools in five states and catalyzed adult access to higher education. Our track record of increasing secondary student test scores, and high school and college achievement rates has generated extensive interest in our work. The Center plans to add 100 new sites in 15 additional states. Steady increases in our programs, personnel, and financial capacity during our first five years now necessitate a strong infrastructure to support accelerated growth.

For more information on CNE, please visit: www.CenterForNativeEd.org

Position:
The CNE is currently seeking an agent of change, an individual who is committed to our mission and improving the quality of life for Native American people. The COO will assume a pivotal role in shaping a new organization, and as such, the CNE requires a mission-driven, seasoned, strategic leader with experience scaling one or more organizations.

The scope of duties includes providing high quality leadership, heading up executive teams, helping others meet measurable, tangible goals, designing, implementing, and evaluating efficient administrative and financial systems to increase CNE's organizational strength and efficacy. These responsibilities should be carried out with evident respect for the creativity and social justice orientation that drives the Center and its programs.

Essential Functions:
Reporting to the ED of the CNE, the COO will lead all internal operations with the following responsibilities:
1. Working in partnership with the ED, adapt and implement CNE's current strategic plan into processes to achieve our goals
2. Serve as the internal leader of the organization by:
* Developing and coordinating annual operations plans and budget
* Leading a performance management process that measures and evaluates
progress of the organization's goals
* Providing a strong day-to-day leadership presence for all staff
3. Lead and manage the organization's directors who have the following responsibilities:
Launch new schools and expand CNE's national network
Oversee and assist with marketing and communications
Evaluate and support technical assistance services
Develop talent pipelines and employee transition processes
Contract with diverse stakeholder groups
Manage research and evaluation processes
Address local, state, tribal, and federal policies involved in CNE programming
Strategize financial models
4. Scale the organization to achieve its goals
5. Direct the finance, technology, and human resources components of the CNE
6. Work with a potential future board of directors; present at meetings, and serve on committees

Key Qualifications:
As a prerequisite, the successful candidate must believe in the core values of CNE and be driven by the mission. Native American individuals or those who have worked with tribal or Native organizations may bring additional insight to this role. The future COO should have proven experience in scaling a multi-site business or organization and a demonstrated ability to both lead and develop the capabilities of a bright, diverse team.

The successful candidate will have had prior experience with founding and managing non- or for-profit organizations. Additional requirements are:

Results - A proven track record of setting and exceeding organizational goals; stabilizing financial and personnel systems and resources; balancing the delivery of programs within the realities of a budget; making good decisions through analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment all of which are based on high level of business acumen

Human and Organizational Leadership - Exceptional capacity for managing and leading people, a team-builder who can nurture the strengths of individuals and teams

Strategic Vision and Action - ability to think and act strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends and incorporate them into organizational planning; enjoys working hard and seeks out challenges, can act and react even if limited information is available, and can take charge of a situation and unpopular stands when necessary

General Management - thorough understanding of finance, systems, and HR; broad experience with the full range of business functions and systems, including strategic planning, budgeting, business analysis, finance, information systems, human resources, and marketing

Solid Educational Background - Undergraduate degree required; MBA, MPA or similar advanced degree desired

Relationships
Internal: Works closely with Executive Director, CNE staff, Antioch administration, and other Antioch personnel. As the organization structure evolves, this role may also interact with a CNE Board

External: Works frequently with external sources including the general public, a variety of tribal leaders and members, secondary school officials, postsecondary faculty and staff, foundation personnel, policymakers, and organizations affiliated with the Center for Native Education.

Supervision:
This position has supervisory responsibilities. These will be determined as the needs of the role and the Center evolve.

Environmental and Job Hazards:
This job requires occasional travel by car and air in rural environments and in large metropolitan areas around the country. A valid Washington State drivers' license and a car are required for employment.

Physical and Mental Demands:
This position is essentially a sedentary job. Functions are usually performed sitting but may involve some amount of time standing, stooping, kneeling, bending, crouching, lifting (max. of 25 lbs.), walking, carrying or other movements.

This position may interact with various sources of information and with persons involved with sensitive or confidential issues. This position frequently must prioritize tasks with little supervision. This position has intense work schedules at times and requires prioritization and coping skills.

Application Process

Send letter of application, current resume, employment application and applicant data form to:

Antioch University Seattle
Attn: CNE's Chief Operating Officer Recruitment
2326 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121-1814

Complete applications can also be sent as an e-mail to aushr@antiochseattle.edu. Review of applications will begin by October 19, 2007 and will continue until the position has been filled. Applications will be treated with confidentiality.

About Antioch
Antioch University provides equal opportunity for all qualified applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, family status or disability