Finance, technology, human resources, and programs are just a few of the departments that an executive director of operations oversees in a nonprofit organization. He reports directly to the executive director (ED) of the organization and can fill in for him when he is unavailable. In a for-profit corporation, the position is comparable to that of the chief operating officer or vice president of operations.
The management structure and position title system of a nonprofit organization reflect the organization’s production of programs and services rather than products. However, because nonprofits are corporations, position titles, particularly at the executive level, frequently have for-profit counterparts that perform the same basic functions in a different context. The executive director is the typical title for the top executive position in a typical nonprofit.
Because non-profits aren’t allowed to have too many administrative positions, the executive layers are usually thin, with one executive wearing multiple hats. When a nonprofit’s budget and staffing grow large enough, it can sometimes afford to structure the executive levels to resemble a for-profit corporation. An executive director of operations is a position that is frequently added at this point. This position is designed to relieve the ED of some of the day-to-day management responsibilities, allowing him to focus on public relations, fund-raising, strategic planning, and collaboration with the board of directors.
The executive director of operations is often thought of as the boss who oversees the staff and is always present in the office. The executive director of operations is sandwiched between the executive director and every other staff position except the director of development in a typical nonprofit organizational structure. He is directly responsible for the heads of finance, human resources, legal, maintenance, technology, and programs. It is his responsibility to ensure that everything runs smoothly and in accordance with the organization’s overall strategic plan.
If the executive director is unavailable, the executive director of operations acts in his or her place. He is the second-in-command in most organizations and is authorized to do anything the ED is authorized to do in his absence. Even if dealing with the public and the media is not his primary responsibility, an executive director of operations must be prepared to work with the board of directors and manage fund-raising if necessary. The position is also typically in charge of the organization’s strategic expansion, such as determining when to acquire additional office space or expand into a new program area.