Chief Operating Officer

Summary

Join CALSTART, a mission-driven organization focused on transportation decarbonization, as their Chief Operating Officer (COO). The COO will be a strategic and operational leader, overseeing core business operations to ensure alignment with CALSTART's mission and long-term strategy. This role involves managing internal operations, refining systems and processes, and leading key operational functions including finance, people operations, technology, compliance, and project execution. The COO will translate strategic goals into actionable plans, drive innovation, and ensure operational compliance. They will also serve as a key liaison with external partners and mitigate operational risks. This position requires 10+ years of senior operational leadership experience, ideally in mission-driven organizations, and a Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred).

Requirements

• 10+ years of senior operational leadership, ideally in mission-driven, growth-oriented organizations
• Strong track record in leading complex teams and business functions, with demonstrated results in scaling operations and organizational impact
• Deep understanding of nonprofit or public sector financial management, compliance, and human capital development
• Excellent strategic thinking, analytical, and change management skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities with a collaborative leadership style
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Environmental Policy, or related field; Master’s degree strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Translate CALSTART’s strategic goals into actionable plans and oversee their execution across departments
• Serve as a thought partner to the CEO in aligning mission, strategy, and operational capacity
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in internal processes to support CALSTART’s agility and responsiveness in a dynamic policy and funding environment
• Lead day-to-day business operations, ensuring strong alignment with mission-driven priorities and high-quality service delivery
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation in collaboration with the CFO or finance lead
• Strengthen enterprise-wide systems, data infrastructure, and business intelligence to support scalability and operational efficiency
• Drive operational excellence across all organizational functions—standardizing processes, improving coordination, and eliminating inefficiencies
• Lead the development and institutionalization of incentive operations excellence —ensuring CALSTART’s portfolio of incentive programs are delivered with rigor, transparency, equity, and best-in-class operational standards
• Implement frameworks to assess and continuously improve the performance, consistency, and user experience of all incentive-related initiatives
• Ensure operational compliance with regulatory, contractual, and grant-related requirements
• Serve as a key liaison with external partners for operational matters, including auditors, funders, and vendors
• Identify and mitigate operational risks and ensure business continuity and resilience

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in climate, sustainability, transportation, or clean tech sectors is a significant plus

Benefits

• 100% company paid comprehensive health benefits for Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance
• Retirement plan with generous company contributions
• FSA for Health and Dependent Care
• 3 weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment
• 11 paid company holidays
• Paid sick time
• Paid family leave