Description
At Black Spectacles, we have ambitious plans to help support the architecture community, and we need a Chief Operating Officer/Integrator to execute the vision of the company.
We’re on the hunt for teammates who:
- Are passionate about architecture and making an ambitious impact on the Architecture and Design community
- Own it - comfortable taking responsibility for your work
- Take calculated risks and encourage others to do the same
- Take a world-class approach to everything you do
- Make it safe to share ideas
- Take care of your people
- If this sounds like you, we need to talk!
Black Spectacles is an ambitious group of 25 teammates with the goal of growing to 50 over the next two years to support our purpose of helping architects thrive in their careers, trying to achieve big things to support the architecture community. At Black Spectacles, you’ll benefit from working with a team who lives and celebrates our values every day, and you can be sure that you will regularly see and feel the impact of your work. As a Chicago-based hybrid remote member of our leadership team, the COO will get the benefit of working with amazing teammates from across the country as well as staying connected to some of our key leaders based in Chicago.Black Spectacles has been recognized by Great Place to Work and Built In as a great place to work, by the American Institute of Architects for the national impact we’re having on the profession of architecture, and has been recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the country.
Role Overview
We’re on the hunt for an experienced Chief Operating Officer/Integrator who will provide strategic leadership for the company. In this role, you will work closely with the CEO (Visionary) to establish and achieve goals, strategies, plans, and policies to execute our vision. The ideal candidate is someone who wakes up every morning excited about helping the team execute their goals, is an expert at accountability, and demonstrates a humble approach to servant leadership. You will lead, manage, and hold the entire team accountable for their commitments, while also removing obstacles and managing major projects.
Additionally, you will integrate all major functions of the business and collaborate with the Visionary to transform ideas into functional plans.
Requirements
- Undergraduate degree in business or a related field and an MBA is a plus
- COO experience of the day-to-day operations in the technology or professional services industry
- Working knowledge of financial management
- Highly developed organizational and leadership skills; willingness to initiate actions and ideas with exceptional follow through
- Experience working within the EOS framework
- Highest ethical standards and a strong desire to help others
- Driven to step up to challenges and be a constant learner
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional at positively relating to staff, co-workers, and customers
- Proven to be trustworthy and responsible
- Outstanding abilities to develop and implement strategies and manage and mentor staff
- Must be available for in-person meetings weekly in the Chicagoland area.
(Even if you don’t check all of these boxes, we still encourage you to apply!)
Job Responsibilities
- Be one of our strongest advocates for living our values and core purpose - demonstrating values alignment, focus, simplicity and clarity.
- Cultivate a culture of teamwork, accountability, and performance
- Align operational activities with the overall strategic direction of the company
- Lead, manage and hold the leadership team accountable for achieving agreed-upon commitments - leading the weekly Leadership Team meeting with a focus of accountability and problem-solving.
- Foster operational leadership and discipline throughout the organization through the administration of policies, procedures, and plans
- Ensure that everyone is truly following and adhering to the company’s core processes and operating system with consistency
- Collaborate with the CEO and the Leadership Team to develop strategic plans
- Collaborate with the CEO to stay on the same page; maintaining a high level of mutual respect and realizing the unique contributions and ideas of the CEO, filtering and translating those ideas into functional plans for the company.
- Contribute operational insights, feasibility assessments, and implementation strategies to ensure the successful execution of strategic initiatives
- Manage operational budgets to assure financial health
- Execute the business plan, achieving or exceeding planned P&L objectives
- Evaluate and optimize business processes for efficient operational excellence and efficiency
- Demonstrate effective project management skills.
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators ensuring effective utilization of resources
- Collaborate with the Leadership Team for alignment and healthy team dynamics. Ensure the leadership team is healthy, functional and cohesive.
- Integrate all major operating functions of the business, ensuring everyone is rowing together in the same direction - modeling the way and always working toward the greater good of the business.
- Oversee the development, implementation and oversight of tools, systems, and transparency practices for smart decision-making throughout the Organization and provide critical operational information for the leadership team
- Monitor financial progress, comparing results with approved plans, benchmarks and other indicators of success and positive progress.
- Work with HR to recruit and develop talent ensuring that the organization has the right capacity
- Eliminate bottlenecks to drive quality in our products and reduce costs
- Resolve issues effectively - seeing real problems, being comfortable with conflict, calling out the problems, and solving the problems in a practical and healthy manner.
- Oversee HR to assure that the company is in compliance with requirements, has proper recordkeeping and processes, and is providing great care to employees with appropriate benefits, development plans, and culture building initiatives
- Oversee IT and work with the IT outsourced partners so that systems are working, tight security is maintained, and there is strategy to meet future needs
- Leverage innovation and technology to improve operations
- Ensure that all key messages are properly and consistently cascaded across the organization, verifying a high level of effective communication exists throughout the organization.
Benefits
- Chicago based, hybrid remote role
- 3 weeks of paid vacation
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Health, Dental, Vision, Short-term / Long-term Disability and Life insurance
- Flexible Savings Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
- 401k with Employer match
- Employee referral program
- Team events & semiannual gatherings
Black Spectacles is an equal opportunity employer.
