Position Announcement:  Chief Operating Officer
Location:  Montclair, New Jersey 

Organizational Overview
Started in 1996 by an elementary school teacher as an informal project, Little Kids Rock (LKR) has become a nationally recognized nonprofit organization serving thousands of students in ten states.  Knowing that music is a critical component of a first-rate education, Little Kids Rock inspires children to express themselves through music, building the creativity, confidence, and self-esteem that are critical to success in school and beyond. We accomplish this by:

• Pioneering innovative teaching methods that are rooted in children’s knowledge of popular music forms such as rock, rap, blues, and hip-hop
• Preparing practitioners such as teachers and youth workers to offer classes utilizing our methods and materials
• Providing free musical instruments and trained instructors to children, especially those who would not otherwise receive music education in their school settings

Little Kids Rock works with over 500 teachers in 10 states and serves over 20,000 children.  With an operating budget of $1M and a staff of 5, LKR is poised and ready for substantial growth over the next 3-5 years.  For more information, please visit us online at www.littlekidsrock.org. 

Position Overview
Little Kids Rock is currently seeking a dynamic and experienced Chief Operating Officer (COO) to further develop and manage all of its key financial and administrative systems. A new position created due to growth, the COO will have responsibility for building and managing the overall operational platform of the organization, which includes several lines of business and emerging initiatives, as well as participating in the strategic planning and growth of the organization.  This is an exciting opportunity to partner with the Founder/Executive Director to have a tremendous impact on a growing organization and to help bring music education to students across the country. 

Responsibilities

• Serve as partner to the Founder/Executive Director in growing the infrastructure of the organization
• Lead the strategic development of effective financial processes, including day-to-day management of budgeting, accounting, financial controls, cash-flow analysis and grants management, with bookkeeping support from the Office Manager.
• Oversee and develop appropriate systems for all aspects of a growing human resources function, including recruiting and hiring, onboarding and professional development, performance management, and benefits administration 
• Manage relationships with consultants and outsourced vendors to drive the development and implementation of plans and systems to support needs in the areas of legal and compliance, IT support and maintenance, and physical plant
• Supervise the Office Manager/Assistant to the Executive Director, and additional operational support staff to be hired

Qualifications

• Minimum of seven (7) years of management experience in a similar role within a growing business or nonprofit organization, with responsibility for financial management and accounting, human resources, and general organizational administration
• Proven track record building administrative systems for an entrepreneurial, results-oriented organization
• Demonstrated success addressing the technology needs of a growing organization and integrating appropriate solutions based on business needs; experience with salesforce.com or other CRM system preferred
• Experience leading, managing and participating on teams with shared responsibility for outcomes and decision-making while demonstrating a flexible and adaptable work style
• Excellent project management skills combined with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint; experience with QuickBooks or similar accounting software
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; MBA or other advanced certification preferred

To Apply:  Please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format, to David Wish at LKR@cgcareers.org, subject line “Chief Operating Officer.”  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Little Kids Rock is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment, and encourages all individuals to apply, irrespective of their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

About Commongood Careers:  Little Kids Rock has partnered with Commongood Careers to conduct the search for a Chief Operating Officer.  Commongood Careers (www.cgcareers.org/) is a nonprofit search service that connects talented individuals to organizations that are dedicated to creating positive social change.  Founded and staffed by nonprofit professionals, Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and organizations throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers.