Chief Operating Officer

Lead the operational heartbeat of a global mission-driven organization, where strategy meets impact, teams thrive, and growth has purpose

Position Overview

As the Chief Operating Officer at Sigma Nursing, you will lead the organization's operations, translating strategic priorities into scalable systems, operational excellence, financial stewardship, and sustainable growth across multiple departments. Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and departmental leaders, you will align operations, technology, finance, human resources, and strategic initiatives to advance organizational priorities and strengthen enterprise performance.

You will lead organization-wide operational planning, designing frameworks that strengthen efficiency, accountability, and alignment across every department. That includes establishing, monitoring, and evaluating KPIs across Marketplace, Membership, Information Technology, Events, Finance, Publications, and other operational areas, and using what you learn to guide long-range planning for organizational growth, staffing, infrastructure, and resource capacity.

You will also help drive revenue growth and operational performance, partnering with executive and departmental leaders to develop strategies across e-commerce, publishing, events, and other business lines. That means evaluating new business opportunities, pricing strategies, and cost-saving initiatives, and ensuring organizational offerings stay aligned with member needs, market conditions, and long-term strategic objectives.

You will provide strategic leadership, coaching, and performance oversight for the leaders of Marketplace, Information Technology, People & Culture, Finance, Strategic Initiatives, and other operational functions, building a high-performing leadership culture grounded in accountability, collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement, with clear performance expectations, ongoing coaching, and a real investment in succession planning.

Financial stewardship and risk management sit close to the center of this role. You will partner with the Controller and executive leadership to oversee operational budgets, revenue forecasting, and resource allocation; ensure compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, and governance standards; and develop the contingency planning and risk mitigation strategies that protect the organization's assets and long-term sustainability.

You will provide executive oversight of Information Technology, partnering with IT leadership to strengthen digital infrastructure, enterprise systems, cybersecurity, and technology-enabled operations, while championing a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision-making across the organization.

Success in this role looks like an organization that operates efficiently, leaders with clear visibility into performance, strengthened cross-functional collaboration, optimized resources, effectively managed risk, and strategic initiatives executed in step with our mission. Through operational leadership and organizational stewardship, you will help Sigma expand its global impact, strengthen the value it delivers to members, and advance our mission through sustainable, mission-driven operations.

Location, Travel & Compensation

This is a hybrid and remote-friendly role, open to U.S.-based professionals nationwide.

Domestic and international travel to organizational events and in-person gatherings is expected approximately 5 - 6 times per year.

The salary range for this position is $145,000 - $175,000; offers are made within this range to ensure equity, consistency, and fiscal responsibility.

A Week in the Life

Monday often starts with a look across the organization's KPI dashboards, covering Marketplace, Membership, IT, Events, Finance, and Publications, checking for anything that needs attention before the week gets moving, and setting priorities with your team accordingly.

Throughout the week, you are in regular conversation with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, translating strategic priorities into coordinated operational execution and making sure resources, workflows, and priorities stay aligned as business needs shift.

You spend meaningful time with the leaders who report to you, including the heads of Marketplace, IT, People & Culture, Finance, and Strategic Initiatives, coaching them, working through performance questions, and thinking together about succession and capability building. One week that might mean a deep dive with IT on a cybersecurity investment; another week it might mean sitting with the Marketplace lead to evaluate a new pricing strategy or with the events team on conference pricing.

You partner closely with the Controller on budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation, and you're regularly reviewing operational controls, compliance, and governance practices, refining a business continuity plan, or thinking through the operational implications of a new regulation, always working to safeguard the organization's assets and long-term sustainability.

Technology and innovation show up often, too. You partner with IT leadership on enterprise systems, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and process modernization, and you're a steady advocate for automation and data-informed decision-making across departments that might not think of themselves as technical. Periodically, you also prepare materials or updates for the Board of Directors, translating operational performance and strategic initiatives into a story that helps board members understand where the organization stands and what's ahead.

No two weeks look exactly the same, but the throughline is constant: turning strategy into systems, and systems into results, while building a leadership culture grounded in accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

You Would Thrive in This Position If

• You bring 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, including at least 5 years in a senior or executive role, and you've used that experience to manage complex projects and cross-functional teams inside a mission-driven organization.
• You've overseen enterprise operations across multiple functional areas, including IT, HR, Finance, Strategic Initiatives, or e-commerce, and you know how to translate strategic plans into operational systems, KPIs, and measurable outcomes.
• You partner naturally with Finance leadership. You're comfortable in budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation conversations, and you bring the financial acumen to make sound, sustainable operational decisions.
• You've supervised senior leaders and built high-performing, accountable teams by coaching people, setting clear expectations, and investing in succession planning along the way.
• You've led organizational change, operational improvements, or systems modernization initiatives, and you're comfortable overseeing digital platforms, enterprise systems, or technology-enabled operations.
• You understand data governance, cybersecurity, or digital risk mitigation practices, and you've developed or overseen compliance, risk management, or contingency planning frameworks.
• You hold sound business judgment and systems thinking, able to zoom out to strategy and zoom in to execution in the same week. An MBA or equivalent advanced degree, a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, or experience in a nonprofit and/or individual membership-based organization is a valued plus, though not a requirement.

Who We Are

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (also known as Sigma Nursing or Sigma) is a global nursing organization with more than 100 years of impact, but what really sets us apart is how we support people-both the nurses we serve and the team members who make our work possible. We're a community-oriented group of approximately 40 employees based in Indianapolis, Indiana, working in a remote-friendly environment. At Sigma, you'll find a culture that values accountability, growth, and purpose. We offer strong health and retirement benefits, support professional development, and encourage open communication and collaboration across teams. If you're looking for a place where your work matters and your growth is supported, you'll feel right at home here.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion are essential to our success and are committed to creating a workplace that reflects the global nursing community we serve. We're proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Ready to Join Us?

Apply today and help drive Sigma's mission forward-building a stronger, more connected global nursing community.