Chief Operations Officer (COO) Organizational Overview Woodland Park Zoo is a conservation organization that is determined to both build upon its proud history of innovation and leadership and embrace a rapid metamorphosis. In our 92-acre urban oasis, more than 1.3 million guests a year of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities engage in deeply memorable experiences with 300 species of animals and with each other. Online visitors to our website zoo.org exceed our annual on-site attendance. In collaboration with our community, our partners, our members and visitors, and our talented staff and volunteers, we aspire to rethink and redefine ourselves and all zoos for the 21st century, to do no less than act, educate, innovate and inspire a broad social movement for wildlife conservation. Mission Woodland Park Zoo saves wildlife and inspires everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives. Vision Woodland Park Zoo envisions a world where everyone lives sustainably with wildlife and their habitats. Core Strategic Principles - Social Change
- Inclusion
- Education
- Sustainability
- Community
- Innovation
- Leadership
- Accountability
Core Values - Trust
- Inclusion
- Care
- Transformation
- Collaboration
- Hope
For more information on Woodland Park Zoo, please visit www.zoo.org Position Overview We’re looking to hire a compelling team leader and implementer who can effectively operationalize the Zoo’s innovative strategic vision, along with the necessary accompanying cultural and organizational changes. The COO’s focus areas are excellence in animal care, exhibitry, and environmental sustainability in the maintenance and operations work areas of the 92-acre campus, and executive team leadership. This position directs overall zoological operations within three primary areas of responsibility: Exhibits (animal care, collection planning an exhibit design), Facilities & Maintenance, and Sustainability. Reporting to the President & CEO, the COO of Woodland Park Zoo oversees 4 direct reports (Director of Animal Care, Director of Capital Projects, Director of Facilities and Manager of Security), 100 employees of full-time workforce of 290 (500 peak seasons), with a budget of approximately $44M. Position Accountabilities Leadership - Support and empower key leadership peers and direct reports ensuring they collectively function as cohesive and productive teams.
- Lead implementation of strategic planning undertaken in order to realize the vision and mission of the zoo and provide a foundation for its programs and activities.
- Provide strategies to the SLT (Senior Leadership Team) meetings to be productive, effective, creative, collaborative, and engaging.
- Translate goals into operational practices and assist measurements upon implementation.
- Dynamically leads functional areas of animal care, capital projects, facilities, maintenance, and security.
- Coaches, mentors and empowers department leaders for supportive workflows, creating and enhancing employee career path opportunities while supporting a culture of accountability and open communication as well as a commitment to the Zoo’s core values.
- Approaches team management with diversity, equity, inclusion, and empathy; knowledgeable and comfortable with change management.
- Operates effectively in a culture of collaborative decision making and influences the organization through positive persuasion as a trusted leader and partner.
Operational Excellence - Create performance excellence by identifying best practices, building measurement systems, and improving operational efficiency while remaining vigil on risk management.
- Develop effective management tools for operational areas. Provide necessary leadership for direct reports.
- Oversee effectiveness of operational policies and procedures including industry compliance and accreditations.
- Implement and lead a continuous quality improvement process, focusing on systems and process improvement.
- Ensure excellent care and welfare for the Zoo’s 1,000+ animals.
- Analyze data to ascertain how operations are performing with the ability to make calculated recommendations using data and trends when adjustments to the operating model are necessary.
- Implementation of the Zoo Sustainability Plan, and promotion of environmentally sustainable and conservation methods in all aspects of the zoo’s operations.
Internal and External Partnerships - Partner with the President & CEO and work closely with the Engagement and Development teams and other stakeholders to raise funds to meet zoo goals.
- Build a positive image and create public awareness of and interest in Woodland Park Zoo.
- Foster strong relationships with key institutions, individuals, and stakeholders to harness support and create a positive environment for the zoo and enhance the organization’s impact.
- Partner with the President & CEO and other leadership team members in communication and engagement with the Board of Directors.
- Establish and maintain a strong, effective partnership with Board members to foster a culture of engagement, collaboration, and consultation. Prepare materials for the board.
- Stay abreast of important operational and industry trends (including competitive, technological, social, and economic) that could potentially impact the organization.
Strategic Planning - Drive and execute innovative short and long-term operations strategic plans that help the organization grow towards the “Zoo of the Future”.
- Lead and review organization-wide operations planning and process improvements enhancing operational efficiencies and functionality including CQI, Lean, and others.
Financial/Budgets - Effectively partners with the CFO to support budgeting, financial planning, and reporting for areas of responsibility and ensure that these processes coordinate with the overall organization
- Identify strategies to meet the required objectives and hold team members accountable.
- Develop and monitor business and operating plans with direct reports.
Key Priorities - Assume leadership of the Zoo’s operational implementation priorities.
- Be highly visible, establish genuine rapport, and form positive working relationships with all key stakeholders (President & CEO, Staff, Board Members, Donors, Community Partners, etc.).
- Ensure excellence in animal care and welfare.
- Perform an organizational assessment and make recommendations to build infrastructure and enhance operational effectiveness.
- Make significant progress on planned large capital construction projects.
- Support current efforts to improve organizational culture, transparency and inclusion.
- Ensure operational activities forward the goal of being The Zoo of the Future.
- Provide requested support for the Zoo’s $120M capital fundraising campaign
- Maintain an external awareness and be a visible and active community participant.
- Continue to make progress on diversity, equity, inclusion and access initiatives.
- Collaborate with the President & CEO to establish key metrics to track organizational progress.
COO Profile The right leader for this opportunity is a compelling convener, motivator, team leader, and coalition builder dedicated to the mission and values of the Woodland Park Zoo. An engaging and active collaborator, the COO must be authentic and have unimpeachable personal integrity and professionalism. An agile and innovative change agent, this individual possesses high “EI”, instills confidence and has excellent presentation and communication skills with an open-minded, outgoing, personable and highly inclusive style. The individual is a dynamic and inclusive leader — diplomatic, strategic, creative and thoughtful with outstanding communication and interpersonal relationship skills. The ideal candidate will foster a workplace culture and environment where staff looks forward to coming to work, where an appropriate sense of humor and camaraderie is ever present, and work is a passion rather than just a means to earn an income. The ability to communicate directly with clarity and motivate people is a critical requirement. The capacity to connect with people of different backgrounds, and the humility to accept shortcomings and the thirst for ongoing growth and development is also needed. The desire to engage, develop and retain team members should be evident. This individual should be interested in not only their own professional development, but also in their own growth as a person in a complex, multi-cultural world. Qualifications - Bachelor’s (B.S.) or Master’s (M.S.) degree in Zoology, Biology, or related field from a nationally accredited college or university; and 10 (ten) or more years of professional experience at a larger public zoo, aquarium, or similar institution. A graduate-level degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Zoology, Biology, or related field is preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of zoological operations, including AZA requirements and accreditation.
- Experience with organized labor including overseeing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA’s).
- Ability to create an environment of diversity and respect, dignity and entrepreneurial spirit, while constantly promoting the organization’s vision, culture, and mission internally and externally.
- Ability to design and manage multiple projects simultaneously, setting deadlines, and ensuring program accountability.
- Inspire, motivate, and marshal resources throughout entire organization.
- Ability to experiment and cultivate the creative ideas of others, make connections between ideas, and project potential outcomes.
- Deep awareness of the organization and its core capabilities and vulnerabilities; understand the industry, its linking industries, and the competition; have specific strategies to gain competitive advantage.
- Partner with the President & CEO on all operational and strategic issues as they arise; provide strategic recommendations based on analysis and projections. Participate in the ongoing strategic planning process as an integral member of the executive leadership team.
- Leverage complex system of people and processes, create connections between people and processes and align them with vision and strategy.
- Ability to identify appropriate levels of resources and talent needed to meet objectives, while developing a stream of future leaders in order to ensure the organization’s continued growth and constant success.
- Ensure ongoing training, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving are administered according to policy and procedure.
- Provide effective and inspiring leadership, as well as stewardship, to the organization by being actively involved in all operations.
- Ability to prepare and deliver employee performance evaluations, appropriate disciplinary actions, and documentation of excellent work performance to assure a mutual understanding of goals and progress towards ever improving professional achievement.
- Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
Location Seattle, Washington (relocation assistance provided) Woodland Park Zoo is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression. For more details and confidential inquiries, please contact: |
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