Chief Operating Officer

About Taproot

Taproot Foundation is a national nonprofit powering the next generation of pro bono service. For over two decades, we’ve helped nonprofits access high-quality, high-trust support from skilled pro bono consultants—so they can meet urgent challenges, grow their impact, and lead with confidence.

Now, we’re scaling our platform, expanding our influence, investing in partnerships, and building a more accessible, effective pro bono marketplace. We’re committed to building a more equitable pro bono ecosystem—one that centers community voices, lowers barriers to access, and embraces innovation.

Our team values pragmatic optimism, impact orientation, playful professionalism, and progress—and we’re excited to welcome a new leader who shares those values.

The Opportunity

Taproot is in motion. We’re a nonprofit known for helping others build capacity—and we’re doing the same for ourselves. With a new strategic direction and bold ambitions for the future, we’re reimagining how we work, expanding what we offer, and being intentional about how we lead. We’re hiring a steady-handed, forward-looking Chief Operating Officer to help architect and realize that future—ensuring our internal systems, structures, and culture scale alongside our impact.

We’re a 45-person, $6.4M organization in growth mode, with momentum building across our programs, partnerships, and platform. That growth is exciting—and it also brings complexity. We need a COO who can help us step into our full promise by ensuring that our internal operations, systems, and culture are built for scale, sustainability, and excellence.

This is a linchpin role. You’ll supervise four direct reports and lead cross-functional teams across Finance, Talent, Operations, Technology, and Product—evolving the systems, culture, and infrastructure that power our impact. You’ll work closely with a visionary CEO and leadership team across Programs, Strategic Partnerships & Advancement, Strategy, and Marketing to help Taproot operate at its full potential.

We’re ready to rethink, redesign, and develop our internal capacity at Taproot–using cutting-edge technology tools (including AI) to drive efficiency and effectiveness and strengthen the systems that help a small-but-mighty team do big things. As COO, you’ll help us model and enact what’s possible, leveraging pro bono consulting and utilizing best-in-class practices to increase our efficiency, strengthen our systems, and support a thriving team.

We’re looking for a world-class operator who brings financial fluency, strategic clarity, and a builder mindset. You’ll inherit a meaningful foundation and legacy—and help lead Taproot into a new era, one that demands sharper financial strategy, stronger internal comms, smarter systems, and an ambitiously tech-forward lens to support efficiency, scale, and impact.

If you’re a strategic, people-first leader who is curious about innovation, thrives in complexity, and drives excellence through execution—we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

Be a Key Executive Partner

·        Partner with the CEO to clarify vision, translate strategy into execution, and bring strong internal leadership to a talented team.

·        Lead Taproot’s quarterly business review process—driving alignment, surfacing insights, and tracking progress against our operating plan.

·        Keep the Board informed with clear, timely updates on Taproot’s finances, operations, talent, and culture.

·        Strengthen internal communications across the organization—ensuring clarity, connection, and momentum in times of change.

·        Help make Taproot one of the best places to work in the nonprofit sector—where operational excellence, employee experience, and mission impact go hand in hand.

Drive Financial Strategy and Oversight

·        Lead the annual budgeting process, audit preparation, and financial reporting—ensuring rigor, clarity, and alignment with Taproot’s goals.

·        Partner with the CEO and Board to develop long-term financial plans, scenario models, and investment strategies that balance ambition and sustainability.

·        Oversee financial operations and policies, including cash flow management, compliance, and controls.

·        Use financial data and insight to inform strategy, assess tradeoffs, and guide choices that drive impact.

Elevate People Strategy and Talent Systems

·        Help build and lead a high-performing, inclusive culture—where people are challenged, supported, and set up to thrive.

·        Guide improved talent infrastructure and policies across hiring, onboarding, performance, development, and retention.

·        Oversee workforce planning and org design to ensure we scale with clarity and care.

·        Lead employee engagement tracking and response—surfacing insights and supporting a thriving workplace.

·        Partner with leadership to embed Taproot’s values and operating norms across the team.

·        Coach and partner with Taproot’s HR Business Partner to strengthen our talent practices and elevate the employee experience.

Lead Tech & Product as Cross-Org Enablers

·        Manage and support a small but mighty team across Tech and Product functions.

·        Ensure our tools and platforms meet the needs of Taproot’s users—nonprofits, volunteers, partners, and staff.

·        Advance our technology strategy to align with program, product, and organizational priorities.

·        Stay curious about what’s next—guiding the organization in responsibly exploring and adopting emerging tools like AI and automation.

·        Foster a product mindset across the organization—helping teams think in terms of user needs, iteration, and long-term sustainability.

Advance Strategic Operations & Organizational Infrastructure

·        Oversee tech ops, internal workflows, and day-to-day systems to ensure the team is set up to work effectively in a distributed environment.

·        Strengthen operational transparency and planning across the org—bringing visibility to timelines, goals, and shared priorities.

·        Manage Taproot’s contracting process and core administrative functions.

·        Drive progress tracking against organizational priorities and help translate big ideas into clear, achievable work plans.

·        Collaborate across functions to reduce friction and streamline cross-org processes.

Disclaimer

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Furthermore, this job description is not an employment contract.

What You Bring

 ·        Senior leadership experience across finance, operations, talent, or related functions—ideally spanning more than one area.

·        Proven success building and scaling systems and teams in evolving, mission-driven environments; additional corporate or professional services experience or exposure strongly preferred.

·        Deep understanding of nonprofit financial management and GAAP; you know how to use budgets, forecasts, and models to inform strategy and assess tradeoffs.

·        Proven experience with people leadership, talent strategy, and employee engagement.

·        Strong instincts around internal communication and organizational clarity.

·        You move fluidly between high-level strategy and day-to-day problem-solving, guiding the team while pitching in where needed.

·        Comfort with technology and automation—you’re eager to implement modern tools that increase insight and efficiency.

·        A calm, authentic, inclusive leadership presence.

·        Comfort with prioritizing and making necessary trade offs; experience using data to inform decision making.

·        Excellent communication skills, especially in connecting dots, surfacing priorities, and translating across functions.

·        A deep belief in Taproot’s mission—and in operational excellence as a lever for impact.

To Apply

If you’re excited to help shape Taproot’s next chapter—and to build the systems, culture, and team that power our mission—we want to hear from you.

Please submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter addressed to Cat Ward, CEO. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through July 27, 2025.

Additional Information:

• Taproot Foundation offers great benefits to take care of its people, including but not limited to 25 paid holidays, 403b Retirement Plan, commitment to individualized professional development, a generous vacation accrual policy, and more.