Chief Operating Officer

Seattle, WA Full Time Executive Management Posted 07/27/2026

About the Seattle Aquarium

At the Seattle Aquarium, our mission is Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. At this defining moment for our ocean and our planet, this mission matters more than ever.

We are a leading marine conservation organization with a global reputation, recognized as one of the top ten aquariums by attendance in the United States. We work among global leaders to advance animal well‑being, marine and ecosystem science, public policy, field conservation and restoration, and education that benefits our one ocean. We are windows to the life of the ocean, intentionally inspiring awe, empathy, and conservation action. We present extraordinary habitats, marine life, and educational programs that engage and delight all members of our local and global communities. Our work is integral to a healthy future for marine life, people, and the planet. With the Aquarium’s recent $180 million expansion at the center of Seattle’s revitalized waterfront, our annual attendance averages around 1.1M guests per year. The Aquarium employs more than 250 full‑and‑part‑time employees and supports over 1,000 volunteers.

The Aquarium is driven by the SALISH Values:

• Sustainable: Adopting and promoting, internally and externally, practices that improve ocean health.
• Awe-inspiring: Creating captivating experiences for all audiences.
• Learning & Improving: Fostering, evaluating, and applying knowledge and discovery.
• Inclusive Community: Recognizing that diversity is critical to achieving our mission.
• Scientific Integrity: Ensuring our credibility with evidence-based practices.
• Honoring Place: Using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.

In line with our values, the Aquarium is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming organization that calls everyone to join our mission and envisions a future where healthy oceans support us all. We see our mission as being more than conservation; we challenge ourselves to find new ways to support the restoration and regeneration of the marine environment.

COO Position

Working alongside the President & CEO, the COO will provide senior operational leadership across the Aquarium, ensuring that day‑to‑day operations, guest experience, staff experience, infrastructure, technology, financial stewardship, and cross‑functional execution are aligned in service of the Aquarium’s mission and strategic priorities.

The COO will lead a portfolio of operational functions directly and will work across the executive team to ensure strong coordination among departments, including areas that may not report directly to the COO. As the Aquarium continues to evolve, the COO’s direct reporting structure may shift to best support organizational needs. Currently, the Acting COO supports a team of five, including the Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Experience, the Vice President of Facilities & Operations, the Senior Director of Capital Projects, the Senior Director of Technology and the Sr. Manager for Dive Operations. The COO also works closely with the Board of Directors, President & CEO and executive team, and represents the Aquarium externally with our government and business partners to advance our operational relationships.

As the aquarium evolves its conservation role and vision, the COO’s strategic leadership and integration will be crucial to bringing all aspects of our conservation model together and ensuring optimal delivery of our services.

Essential Functions

Strategic Leadership & Execution

• Partner with the Board of Directors, President & CEO, and executive team to help shape organizational goals, centering the Aquarium’s mission, values, strategic priorities, and collaborative ways of working.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear operating plans, milestones, resourcing decisions, accountability structures, and communication rhythms.
• Lead ongoing business review and communication of initiatives, report status on implementation progress, and reduce barriers for operational success and accountability.
• Model through daily work how to strategize and lead in a manner that integrates and advances our inclusion, and regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee day‑to‑day operations of the Aquarium with the executive team, ensuring a high‑quality guest experience and staff wellbeing.
• Implement and advance sustainable/regenerative and equity‑centered practices within the Aquarium and advocate for regenerative and equity‑centered marine conservation practices beyond our walls.
• Prioritize and integrate collaborative relationships and initiatives with Tribes, local government, and our community partners with Aquarium operations and programs.

Financial Management

• Support the development, growth, and management of the Aquarium’s overall budget. Help ensure the Seattle Aquarium values, priorities and needs are represented appropriately in the various budgets.
• Identify revenue‑generating opportunities and manage expenses in close collaboration with the VP of Finance to ensure the Aquarium meets or exceeds its financial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen operational efficiency, resource stewardship, and organizational sustainability through thoughtful prioritization, technology, process improvement, and cross‑functional planning.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high‑performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, clear communication, staff wellbeing, and accountable management.
• Lead with curiosity and empathy while developing the skillsets of direct reports, building on their strengths and holding them accountable to their decisions and actions.
• Provide mentorship and coaching to executive leaders through change, growth, and development processes while fostering a positive, inclusive, and values‑aligned culture.
• Partner with the President & CEO and executive team to strengthen leadership practices across the Aquarium, supporting clarity, accountability, collaboration, and staff wellbeing at all levels.
• Foster innovation, learning, community engagement, and openness to new, creative, intercultural, and collaborative ideas.
• Model the Aquarium’s leadership expectations.
• Build connections among staff, volunteers, and partners, and actively seek to understand the experiences of members of the Seattle Aquarium community with our institution.
• Represent the Aquarium at local, regional, Tribal, and international conferences and events, with the press and media, and through boards, coalitions, and committees.
• Serve as a key thought partner to the President & CEO by providing insight rooted in thoughtful analysis of the organization’s operations, finances, and culture, surfacing risks and opportunities early, and offering candid perspective that strengthens decision‑making.
• To work and engage others in line with the Aquarium’s Mission, D.E.I. and S.A.L.I.S.H values.

Qualifications & Requirements

What You Bring:

• Passion for the Aquarium’s mission, of Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment and commitment to advancing the Aquarium’s SALISH values.
• 10+ years of proven senior leadership experience in a complex, mission‑driven, and/or visitor‑serving organization, ideally including nonprofit, aquarium, zoo, museum, cultural institution, conservation, or public‑facing operations experience, with a successful track record of creating operational excellence.
• Proven ability to create operational excellence while leading through change, growth, ambiguity, adaptive challenges and evolving organizational priorities in a way that maintains trust, clarity, engagement, and accountability.
• Ability to translate organizational strategy into clear operating plans, milestones, resource decisions, accountability structures, and communication rhythms.
• Strong operational execution and process discipline, including the ability to design, implement, and improve systems, workflows, SOPs, and decision‑making structures that support both consistency and adaptability.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgeting, forecasting, revenue opportunities, expense management, resource stewardship, risk assessment, and operational tradeoffs.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop senior leaders while building trust, accountability, collaboration, and healthy communication across diverse teams.
• Ability to use data, financial information, guest insights, operational indicators, and staff feedback to assess organizational health, identify issues early, and make informed decisions.
• Strong relationship‑building and communication skills, and experience working effectively with executive teams, boards, staff, external partners, Tribal partners, community partners, government partners, funders, and other key stakeholders.
• Commitment to values‑based leadership rooted in equity and regenerative/sustainability practices, with the ability to embed those commitments into operational decisions, budgets, systems, and team culture.
• Understanding of, or strong curiosity about, marine conservation, sustainability, regenerative practices, public education, or mission‑based visitor‑serving organizations. Direct experience in conservation, aquarium, zoo, museum, cultural, or environmental organizations is a plus.
• Ability to identify operational, legal, financial, and reputational risks early and to develop and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Excellent verbal, writing, and editing communication skills. Preference for Multilingual or English speakers with comfort and practice communicating across cultural and language differences.
• A degree, advanced degree, or specific professional certification is not required. Relevant leadership experience, sound judgment, operational depth, and alignment with the Aquarium’s mission and values are the most important qualifications.