Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Hope Heals

Atlanta, GA (Hybrid)

Full-Time

ABOUT HOPE HEALS

Hope Heals is a faith-driven nonprofit that creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities.

OUR WORK

We carry out our mission through several programs and a growing library of digital and published content:

• Each year, Hope Heals Camps and Retreats welcome over 3,000 participants living with more than 150 primary diagnoses
• MEND Coffee and Goods is Atlanta’s only accessibility-first coffee shop. People with disabilities account for 48% of our team!
• We’re forming mutually meaningful friendships and mentorships through regular small group gatherings of adults with and without disabilities in Atlanta.
• Our free digital content, podcast, and lineup of wisdom-packed books are guiding over 500,000 people from hurt to healing to hope.

POSITION SUMMARY

Hope Heals is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to serve as the organizational backbone that enables our mission to scale. The COO will be a gifted implementer who brings structure, clarity, capacity, and momentum to the vision and leadership of our founders, Katherine and Jay Wolf. A core priority for the incoming COO is unifying systems and operations across all programs and content, creating the connective tissue that allows each to thrive without operating in silos.

The COO will own day-to-day operational health across Hope Heals, Mend, and the content arm, build systems and team culture that sustain growth, and serve as a steady, trusted presence for the team. The ideal candidate leads with deep emotional intelligence, a bias toward implementation, and an authentic passion for the Hope Heals mission and values.

KEY FIRST-YEAR SUCCESS METRICS

In your first year, success looks like:

• All three teams — Hope Heals, Mend, and the content arm — operating with shared systems, regular communication rhythms, and a clear understanding of how their work connects
• Mend operating independently, with a clarified model and growing, high-performing team
• Documented systems for all major organizational processes — budgets, project management, hiring, onboarding, and more
• A completed Employee Handbook that authentically reflects Hope Heals culture and voice
• Every team member holding a fully clarified role description, understood in context of the broader Hope Heals ecosystem
• A clear strategic roadmap for scaling Mend, Hope Heals Camp, and GoodHard Story

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Operations

• Oversee daily operations for Hope Heals, Mend, and the content arm to ensure efficiency and quality across all activities — with a particular focus on creating communication and coordination structures across three teams that currently operate independently
• Develop and implement accountability structures to ensure achievement of organizational goals and project completion
• Own and drive the annual strategic planning cycle; translate vision into quarterly goals with a clear accountability structure
• Determine allocation of people and systems for shared services across the organization
• Evaluate existing systems and make recommendations for improvements; develop and implement standard processes for consistent usage across teams
• Oversee the overall strategy and successful operations of Camp

Team Leadership and Culture

The COO will be a steady, caring presence who invests in the growth and wellbeing of the team.

• Develop and oversee talent acquisition processes for Hope Heals and Mend
• Build and implement a robust onboarding process for all new team members
• Develop and oversee the Cycle of Success: annual and quarterly goal-setting and performance evaluations
• Create and maintain an Employee Handbook that reflects organizational culture, values, and voice
• Develop and implement healthy processes for conflict resolution and team mediation
• Hold regular check-ins with team members to support progress on quarterly goals and strategic initiatives
• Schedule team-building events to foster relationships and engagement

Strategic Initiatives

• Champion the integration of organizational strategic initiatives into everyday work — maintaining a live tracker, facilitating regular check-ins, and consistently connecting decisions to shared priorities
• Partner with the co-CEOs to clarify and solidify Mend's bottom-line goals and develop a scalable playbook (inclusive workspace, apprenticeship model, and/or hospitality concept)
• Audit existing systems and programs for mission alignment and provide objective, data-informed recommendations

Financial Oversight

Financial management is led by a fractional CFO. The COO partners closely with the CFO to ensure strong financial operations, including:

• Providing input into annual budgets for Hope Heals and Mend
• Monitoring monthly finance reports to ensure budget adherence and support reallocation of resources as ministry needs evolve
• Ensuring implementation of financial processes to direct designated funds to appropriate budgets

WHO YOU ARE

• An implementer at heart. You find deep satisfaction in building structure around a bold vision. You don't need to be the visionary — you are energized by making the vision a reality.
• Emotionally intelligent. You read rooms well, serve as a safe space for your team, and have the courage to gently name and correct unhealthy dynamics before they grow.
• Comfortable in the weeds. You have an entrepreneurial mindset and are eager to roll up your sleeves. You can think at a systems level and also do the detail work.
• Data-driven. You know which metrics matter, how to track them, and how to use them to make clear, confident decisions.
• A developer of people. You see potential in team members, invest intentionally in their growth, and build leaders who want to stay.
• Mission-aligned. You are drawn to Hope Heals not just as a career opportunity, but because you believe in what we are building. You are a professing Christian who speaks the language of faith fluently — Hope Heals is not a church, but faith is integral to community life, and this role requires genuine alignment.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Proven experience in nonprofit operations leadership at an entrepreneurial, high-growth organization
• Demonstrated success building and implementing organizational systems — including but not limited to project management, human resources, financial
• Experience managing and developing teams, including hourly or program staff
• Track record of scaling programs or organizational functions
• Strong financial acumen, including budget development and oversight in partnership with the finance function
• Experience managing events or programs of significant complexity
• Some lived experience with disability, hardship, or faith-based community is a meaningful differentiator although not a requirement

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

We anticipate a salary range of $120,000 - $150,000. In addition, Hope Heals offers group healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), provided to the employee at no charge. The employee has the option of purchasing spouse/dependent coverage at cost. Hope Heals contributes 3% of the employee's salary annually to a 403b plan.