POSITION: Chief Operating Officer

ORGANIZATION: San Francisco Zoological Society & Gardens

LOCATION: San Francisco, California

WEBSITE:

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: The Chief Operating Officer reports directly to the CEO & Executive Director, Tanya Peterson.

POSITION SUMMARY: The San Francisco Zoo seeks a transformative, mission-driven, strategic, engaged leader to become its new Chief Operating Officer. The COO is responsible for the organization’s business operations, human resources and labor relations, facilities management and safety. The COO will provide the forward-thinking operational strategy and leadership for achieving the organization’s goals, supervise multi-departmental directors, and oversee and manage business and operational protocols and standards. This experienced leader will have the opportunity to establish the operations leadership function in a new capacity.

The ideal COO is a dynamic and trusted leader who can build and execute thoughtful and ambitious strategies while ensuring operational excellence across the organization. They will have exceptional interpersonal and people management skills, with the ability to build and manage high-performing, cohesive teams. The COO will manage the collective bargaining agreement with the San Francisco Zoo Teamsters (Local 856). The COO will be a results-oriented motivator with high standards for excellence. They will be a transparent, consistent, and empathetic communicator, someone who excels at relationship building, is constantly innovating and is dependably pragmatic, has entrepreneurial instincts, and naturally absorbs new information. The COO is someone who thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, a problem-solver and innovator who is driven by excellence and accountability. The COO is responsible for establishing credibility throughout the organization and externally, and, in conjunction with the CEO & Executive Director and Board, is an effective developer of solutions for business challenges and opportunities.

The COO must be committed to animal well-being and environmental conservation, passionate about this mission, and dedicated to working with the diversity of staff, stakeholders, and communities it serves. Familiarity with the Zoo master plan is integral to aligning operations with long-term goals.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Key responsibilities for the COO include:

Leadership

• Collaborate with the CEO & Executive Director in setting and driving organizational vision, operations strategy, and long-term plans for growth and evolution.
• Contributes to the Senior Leadership Team’s cultivation and maintenance of a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive and organizational goals are met.
• Collaborates with the Senior Leadership Team to develop and meet organizational goals while supplying expertise and guidance on operational strategies, projects and systems.
• Work closely with San Francisco city government officials to increase city funding, support and investment in the Zoo.
• Acts on behalf of the CEO & Executive Director as needed.

People Management + Culture

• Manages human resources and labor relations for the organization. Works closely with union representatives on successful collective bargaining agreements, ensuring compliance and contract terms, and addressing issues related to contract administration.
• Establishes and maintains a productive working relationship with Zoo leadership, employees, union and Board.
• Participates in negotiations with labor unions on issues such as wages, benefits, working conditions and other terms of employment.
• Provides guidance to management on addressing employee concerns, disciplinary actions, performance management and potential conflict situations. Works with Senior Leadership Team to continuously improve morale and culture.
• Deploy and maintain process and system for annual employment engagement and satisfaction.
• Models organizational practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), workplace safety and conflict resolution.
• Works collaboratively with Senior Leadership Team members to develop, implement and communicate necessary institutional policies and procedures.

Operations

• Directs and participates in the negotiation and administration of contracts for major services and capital construction.
• Establishes, communicates, and implements operations-related policies, practices, standards, technologies, and security measures to ensure effective and consistent support and execution across the organization.
• Presents periodic performance reports and metrics to the CEO & Executive Director and Board of Directors. Works and coordinates with the Board committees (Building & Grounds, Conservation/Education, IT/Marketing and the Board's ad hoc HR Committee).
• Establishes and administers the department’s budget.
• Works with Chief Financial Officer and Chief Development Officer on capital and operating funding.
• Reviews and approves cost-control reports, cost estimates, and staffing requirements for operations-related projects and initiatives.
• Oversees enterprise-wide hardware systems management, including onsite IT infrastructure, such as POS, security systems, employee workstations, laptops, phones, radios, etc.
• Works with Senior Managers to ensure AZA and USDA standards are met.
• Maintains knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in operations management.

Strategy

• Serves as a key advisor to the CEO & Executive Director.
• Works across departments to ensure that the physical offerings of the organization meet the current and future needs of animals, guests and employees.
• Working with other Senior Leadership Team members, ensures that departmental decisions and project plans, such as those for staffing, development, organization, material efficiency, hardware acquisitions, and facilities, align with the overall budget, business plan, mission and vision.
• Assists and oversees the Zoo’s activities, including onsite guest experiences, capital planning and business system planning.
• Helps prioritize the management and use of funds to align with the organization’s vision, mission and strategic plan.
• Assists with and implements organizational goals, budgets, objectives, and Zoo operations.
• Translates strategy into actionable steps for San Francisco Zoo’s growth, implements performance management and plans annual operations.

Facilities

• Implements and communicates the strategic direction of the organization’s physical plant, animals, safety and veterinary programs.
• Ensures that the maintenance and upkeep of the campus, buildings, and amenities are sufficient to maintain operational excellence, aesthetics, ambiance and cosmetic standards.
• Leads the development, implementation, and execution of the Zoo master plan.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ten to 15 plus years of progressive management experience as Chief Operating Officer or in a comparable, relevant role.
• Proven analytical skills, experience with a diversity of businesses, and the ability to drive success in complex initiatives within a fast-paced environment are a must. Must thrive in a collaborative environment and possess the ability to foster strong internal and external relationships.
• Extensive labor relations experience is a must. Proven ability to negotiate and compromise effectively to reach mutually agreeable solutions in labor disputes.
• Experience managing administrative functions, human resources, IT and facilities.
• The COO will have a collaborative, inclusive, and collegial leadership style; personal integrity; demonstrated good judgment, intellectual curiosity; resilience; energy; and commitment to the mission of the San Francisco Zoo.
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Previous experience in working with government officials.
• Experience with budget planning and forecasting, as well as government funding.
• Previous experience in working with Board of Directors is a plus.
• Proven ability to work creatively and effectively with a wide variety of people and interest groups.
• Must have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to be concurrently involved in many activities and to work under pressure to meet goals/deadlines.
• Requires strong project management skills.
• Experience in solving problems and working independently is required.
• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills, including presentation and public speaking.
• Understanding of relevant AZA and City of San Francisco regulations, compliance requirements and legal issues.
• Must have demonstrated ability to work compassionately and respectively with people from all backgrounds and cultures.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field. An advanced degree would be preferred.

CONTACT:

Scott E. Miller

Scott Miller Executive Search

Complete position description can be found at: