Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operation Officer

• Job Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Organization Type: Not-for-Profit
• Location:  Chicago, IL (local presence required)
• Reports To: Board of Directors
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Start Date Summer 2025

Position Summary

Eighth Blackbird is a nationally renowned, contemporary music sextet based in Chicago. A winner of four Grammy Awards, it has pioneered the Blackbird Creative Lab residency to nurture emerging musicians; founded the Chicago Artists Workshop; and commissioned countless works by the world’s greatest new music composers.  The organization is on the cusp of celebrating its 30th year and seeks a seasoned operations executive to lead an operational transformation that supports what promises to be a dynamic future of innovative, entrepreneurial endeavors.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the organizational operator of the senior leadership team and a strategic partner with the Artistic Directors and the Board of Directors. The COO is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization, driving operational excellence, and ensuring the effective implementation of the strategic vision and mission. This role ensures that the organization’s internal systems, processes, and teams are aligned, efficient, and sustainable in support of the long-term mission.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Establish an operating infrastructure and systems to support diversity of activity
• Provide execute all internal operations, including programs, administration, HR, finance, IT, and facilities.
• Collaborate with the artistic leadership, the board, and staff to translate strategic goals into actionable operational plans.
• Align operational systems with programmatic goals to ensure measurable impact.
• Evaluate and improve organizational performance using data and continuous improvement practices.
• Oversee risk management, legal compliance, and internal policies to ensure operational integrity.
• Serve as a liaison to the Board of Directors on matters related to operations, finances, and infrastructure.

Administration & Management

• Serve as primary point person for communications, including general mail, email and correspondence, meetings etc 
• Manage preplanning and “day of” logistics for all performances, including travel planning and booking, expense reimbursement, and coordination with contracted partners
• Execute contracts and agreements
• Serve as the lead staff support to the Finance Committee by setting meeting agendas in consultation with the Committee chair, ensuring minutes are taken, and completing actions approved by the Committee.
• Oversee reporting and document preparation for board meetings
• Organize regular staff meetings

Finance

• Ensure compliance with funder requirements, regulatory standards, and nonprofit financial best practices.
• Oversee day-to-day financial and accounting operations, by managing bookkeeping vendors by overseeing and implementing employee payroll, benefits, payments to independent contractors, and participate in monthly meetings with the bookkeeping vendor.
• Plan for and manage the audit by an independent auditor, ensuring the preparation of schedules and information as required for a timely & efficient process. Ensure completion (by audit firm) of all financial reporting (i.e. Form 990, AG990, tax returns, 1099’s) required by federal, state or local governmental entities in compliance with relevant regulations.  
• Oversee budget development and financial planning in partnership with the finance committee of the Board.
• Create and oversee subordinate project budgets within the annual budget
• Monitor and report on financial performance, ensure resource optimization, and support long-term financial sustainability.
• Understand the annual budget and regularly review in collaboration with bookkeeping vendor for short and long-range financial planning.
• Maintain a comprehensive Operations manual covering critical bookkeeping, internal controls, and reporting functions.

Development and Marketing

• Lead the creation of an administrative structure capable of reliably managing a strategic plan, to include the possibility of onboarding a development leader for plan implementation.
• Oversee the completion of fundraising campaigns during the year

• Manage the PR strategy with appropriate 8BB resources, which may include 8BB employees or vendors, to release:
  1. Targeted newsletters, and 
  2. Social media execution

• Responsible for PR surrounding high profile initiatives and local performances
• Over time, 8BB plans to expand its Development (Fundraising) and Marketing (Event Promotion), the COO will be involved in consultation and design of these disciplines, but not in execution.

Qualifications

Eighth Blackbird seeks a candidate with the following qualifications:

• Proven senior leadership experience in operations,
• Strong financial, logistical and operational acumen with experience overseeing audits, complex budgets and systems.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and change management skills.
• Demonstrated leadership as a self-initiating, resourceful, and action oriented professional.
• Deep commitment to the mission, values, and principles of the organization.
• Experience with organizations in transition
• Experience working in a small team environment, where everybody pitches in to get work completed
• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships with multiple and diverse organizations
• Ability to call upon a strong network of individuals, institutions, and foundations in the Chicago community
• Ability to manage vendors and contractors including executing contracts and working with universities.
• Success in managing cross-functional teams, strategic planning, and organizational scaling.
• Commensurate work experience will be weighed evenly with academic achievement..
• Has exposure to and understands the Arts community in Chicago.

Eighth Blackbird appreciates that candidates with an Arts background would be interested in this role.  It is important to note this is an operational role.  As such, 90% of the responsibilities are Operational Leadership, Administration and Operations, and Finance.

Individuals with Arts backgrounds are invited to apply, however, a record of accomplishment in day-to-day operation of a not-for-profit organization will weigh heavier than Arts, Development and Marketing experience.

Eighth Blackbird is an equal opportunity employer. Personnel are selected based on ability without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.

Core Competencies 

• Financial Acumen
• Operational Excellence
• Strategic Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Independent Problem Solving
• Proactive, versus Reactive Approach to Work
• Works Autonomously
• People Leadership
• Equity and Inclusion Orientation
• Mission Alignment

Apply by sending your resume and your cover letter to:

Lee.Goldstein@eighthblackbird.org