Chief Operating Officer

Who are you?

 

• You believe in and care personally about Galileo’s mission. You believe that the potential to innovate can be developed through hands-on experiences guided in a culture that supports risk taking and expression. You want to be surrounded by people that share this belief and try to embody it through our own growth and camp spirit. And you want to bring this to more kids and staff each year. 

 

• You’re a performance-driven, goal-oriented, deeply accountable strategist. You see what is most important to achieving success, in both the short- and long-term, and you actively drive toward this vision every day.  Problem solving and obsessing over metrics makes you downright giddy. You manage yourself and your direct reports by cutting through what feels urgent in favor of what is truly important.

 

• You have an extensive hat collection. You wear many of them and juggling them all isn’t just a party trick – it’s your specialty. You know when to switch gears from vision and strategy to supportive management to rolling up your sleeves, especially when your impact touches so many different realms. 

 

• You’re a glass-half-full hard worker and lifelong learner. You’re committed to quality and are prepared to put in long hours when necessary. You strive to make Galileo—and yourself and your teams—better each day as you embody the growth mindset. You lead from a place of urgency, abundance, and positivity.

 

• You’re an inspiring presence. You see a true north in everything you do, and have no trouble illuminating the path for others as a culture leader. You’re able to reach people on a deep level, and move individuals and teams in the direction of a greater purpose and in a way that values diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). People love working alongside you.

 

• You (really really) love scale and growth. You’ll be a primary driver of the company’s growth plan, supporting the different departments to maintain their excellence and culture while growing in current and new geographies over the next several years.

 

who are we?

 

We think the world needs innovators. We also think kids who learn to explore and fail without fear—the essence of innovation—are happier, more creative and more confident when faced with life’s challenges. And we think kids with these skills are more likely to change our world and be the masters of their own.

 

It takes a village to bring best-in-class, ever-evolving educational programs to tens of thousands of kids each year online and in-person. At HQ, we believe that we are Galileo; through the work of each contributor and team, we bring our values to life to make our company and culture better. Here, values aren’t just lip service — we aim to be visionary, courageous, collaborative, determined and reflective each day, and back that effort up with structure to ensure our success. People who joyfully work hard together, seek feedback to improve their work and themselves, feel deeply accountable for their work, are mission driven, and play well with others tend to thrive in our culture.

 

We’re a certified B Corp, ranked #1 on the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area (and have been on the list for ten plus years running), have been named one of Forbes’ Best Small Companies in America, and over 97% of our summer staff say they would recommend working for us. Joining Galileo means joining an organization that is a model of innovative learning, with a company-wide commitment to Inclusion and Diversity, broadening our impact and a stellar staff experience.

 

what’s the job, really?

 

• As one of our key leaders and managers, you will set the example as a servant leader who cares deeply about the success of their direct reports.
• Oversee the VP of Programs, with ultimate accountability for program quality, customer retention, and revenue and cost performance for in-person and online programs.
• Oversee the VP of People, with ultimate accountability for creating our employer brand and delivering on HQ and program staffing and staff experience as we scale.
• Oversee the Head of Technology, with ultimate accountability for implementing technology solutions that improve our efficacy at the HQ, territory, and camp level.
• Oversee the Director of Supply Chain Management, with ultimate responsibility for modifying and scaling our supply chain operations in a cost-efficient manner.
• You will serve as the overall integrator of our HQ functions, making sure all teams have the systems, rituals, and tools needed to coordinate with and support each other, including leading strategic planning.
• You will help define, then execute, the company’s geographic and new product growth plans, ensuring that culture and staff and customer experience improves with scale.

 

The Chief Operating Officer will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

 

what are we looking for?

 

• Bachelor’s degree; MBA preferred.
• 5-10 years of executive level operational experience required; 3+ years at the COO level is preferred.
• Extensive experience growing a multi-site service organization in a mission driven environment. 
• Exceptional executive presence, business acumen and communication skills, with a budgeting and/or financial focused mindset helpful.
• Ability to foster a growth oriented, positive and encouraging environment while keeping employees and management accountable to company policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Ability to understand new issues quickly and make sound decisions using data and advanced analysis. While doing so, thrive under pressure and delegate effectively.
• Ability to spearhead the development, communication and implementation of effective growth strategies and processes.
• Experience driving company results from an operational, financial and cultural perspective.
• Long-term commitment: We want to partner with you for at least the next five years.

 

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they match every criteria. If you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every check box in this job description, we encourage you to still apply. We’d like to learn more about you and see if you could be a great fit for Galileo.

 

benefits & compensation

 

• Base and bonus and equity potential to be discussed during interview
• Employee medical and dental benefits provided by Galileo; employee-paid dependent care and multiple ancillary benefits available
• Generous parental leave and extensive support with leave planning
• 401(k) provided after one year of employment
• We believe that a balance between work and life is essential to happiness and success, so work hard and take the time you need; 20 personal days per year
• We offer a significant camp discount to year-round and seasonal employees

 

work location

 

Bay Area-based highly preferred. Galileo Headquarters, 1021 3rd Street, Oakland, CA 94607.

 

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your cover letter and resume to Kate Borkovitzk at JM Search (borkovitzk@jmsearch.com) by 6/15/21. Know someone who would be great for this role? Nominate them here.