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Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

RefugePointBoston, MA, United States
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Job Advertisement for Internal Candidates Only

The Opportunity

RefugePoint is seeking a mission-driven Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join its executive leadership team. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced leader to help shape the future of a high-impact, values-based global organization.

Title of Position : Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Position Reports to : Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

About RefugePoint :

RefugePoint is a nonprofit organization that partners with refugees to access life-changing solutions and transforms how the world supports them. For refugees who must remain in the country to which they have fled, RefugePoint helps them to become self-reliant so they can achieve social and economic stability. For refugees who are not safe in the country to which they have fled, RefugePoint helps them relocate through resettlement or other pathways to safety. RefugePoint also influences global policy and practice to improve how the world supports refugees.

Since its founding 2005, RefugePoint has helped more than 180,000 refugees access resettlement and other pathways to safety in 442 locations across 83 countries throughout Africa, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. RefugePoint has assisted thousands more to achieve self-reliance and inclusion in their host communities.

RefugePoint is recognized for creating new models for humanitarian response and influencing the field to expand solutions for refugees. In addition to the important work of providing direct services to refugees, RefugePoint also works strategically to influence global refugee policy and practice. To accomplish this, the organization partners closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), governments, NGOs, and community-based organizations to build capacity and improve systems related to refugee resettlement and self-reliance. RefugePoint has capitalized on opportunities to disseminate best practices, led and joined global policy dialogues, and trained other NGOs and UNHCR staff on resettlement, family reunification, and child protection.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Leadership & Execution

  • Lead the execution and implementation of the RefugePoint’s strategic plan and overall strategy.
  • Provide a higher-level, strategic viewpoint to all operational functions and serve as a key thought partner to the CEO, Executive Management team (EMT), Executive Advisory Committee (EAC), and Senior Leadership team (SLT).
  • Holds the Executive Management Team (EMT) accountable for the successful execution of agency initiatives and strategic plans, while providing the necessary support and resources to ensure their success.
  • Oversee strategic decisions and the execution of work within the current political and operational environment.
  • Promote staff awareness and alignment with RefugePoint’s vision and values, upholding a culture where staff and leadership consistently translate these core beliefs into actions, policies, and daily behaviors.
  • Assist in the evaluation and prioritization of new opportunities with an eye toward organization-wide workload, goals, and opportunity costs.

Internal Management and Leadership

  • Provide high-level oversight and strategic management for all internal operations, setting the pace for the organization’s day-to-day oversight functions. The focus is on ensuring operational excellence and continuity, rather than managing transactional details.
  • Provide direct supervision to senior staff, including those with responsibility for programs, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, finance, policy and practice, and administration.
  • Ensure strong internal integration among departments and unification with a common strategy
  • Refine systems for effective internal communication and foster an efficient and cohesive working environment.
  • Coordinate the development and implementation of annual and multi-year operational and strategic plans that are well understood and embraced by staff.
  • Ensure functional alignment amongst departments by encouraging coordination amongst leadership teams and departments to increase collaboration and promote a shared vision that will reduce silos.
  • Collaborate with direct reports to develop departmental and individual work plans and oversee their timely and successful implementation.
  • Partner with HR to lead staff development through professional development activities, coaching, and team-building, while ensuring the appropriate number and composition of staff.
  • Other duties as assigned to ensure the smooth functioning of the office.

    • Financial, Systems, and Administrative Oversight

  • Ensure that exemplary policies and procedures are documented and utilized in order to safeguard the assets and resources of the organization and minimize risk.
  • Together with the CFO and other senior leaders, provide oversight of organizational expenditures, budgeting, and key financial indicators including long-term revenue projections.
  • Collaborate with the CDO, CFO, CPO and other senior leaders to ensure organizational growth strategies are aligned with realistic revenue projections
  • High-level oversight and involvement in procurement, AP approvals, annual audits, grants and financial reporting.
  • Provides strategic oversight of compliance and risk management. This involves partnering with senior leaders to ensure that all policies and procedures adhere to both internal standards and external regulations, and that they align with NGO best practices.
  • Work closely with the senior leaders and staff to develop a broad technology, systems, and knowledge management strategy for RefugePoint and oversee its implementation. The goal is to act as a connector, ensuring consistency and continuity of operations agency-wide.
  • Partner with the Director of Human Resources to align operational strategy with key human resources initiatives.

    • Programmatic & MEL Oversight

  • In partnership with the Chief Program Officer, ensure program staff have strong policies, procedures, and systems to effectively deliver programs aligned with RefugePoint’s mission and strategic goals.
  • In partnership with the CEO, CPO, and other senior leaders and program staff, identify and evaluate areas of possible growth and expansion for programs.
  • Collaborate with the Director of Impact and other key program staff to refine methods for tracking and reporting impact.
  • Ensure that RefugePoint’s programmatic activities are effectively incorporated into its development and communications strategy and that the program teams provide timely, accurate programmatic information needed to steward funders in a timely manner.
  • Work closely with staff responsible for the organization’s Kenya-based entity to ensure harmonization with the overall goals and procedures of the organization.

    • Communications and Development Partnership

  • Work closely with the Chief Development Officer and CEO on understanding the execution of the organization’s development and communications strategy, including long-term revenue projections.
  • Collaborate closely with the Chief Development Officer (CDO), who maintains a direct reporting line to the CEO and a dotted-line reporting relationship to the COO, to ensure that fundraising and external communications efforts are fully aligned with and connected to RefugePoint’s core operation
  • Partner with the CDO to ensure that RefugePoint’s fundraising strategy is aligned with programmatic activities and with the CPO to ensure that programmatic strategy is aligned with funding commitments.
  • Partner with the CDO to ensure all communication materials are consistent with the mission and values of RefugePoint.
  • Serve as a bridge between the CEO, leadership teams, and staff. Ensure strong, regular communication between different teams, staff, and roles.

    • Professional Qualifications and Qualities

    The ideal candidate for this role will possess a unique blend of strategic leadership, operational expertise, and emotional intelligence. They must be a decisive leader who is also empathetic, collaborative, and a strong communicator.

  • Education : A university degree in a relevant field is required. An advanced degree is strongly preferred.
  • Strategic Thinking and Execution : The ideal candidate must demonstrate a proven ability to think strategically about implementing and executing an organization’s vision. This includes a strong track record of translating complex ideas into actionable strategies and developing clear, consistent decision-making structures that support long-term organizational goals.
  • Global Agency and Operations Oversight : Experience overseeing a medium-to-large, global, and complex organization is essential. Candidates should possess deep expertise in designing, deploying, and managing scalable policies, systems, and operational processes across multiple geographies and cultural contexts.
  • Direct experience in senior roles within non-profit organizations is essential. The candidate must bring a solid understanding of mission-driven leadership, fundraising environments, and stakeholder engagement in the non-profit sector.
  • Team Management and Leadership : A minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience is required, including at least 5 years in a senior executive role. The candidate must have a demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, including direct oversight of senior managers and C-suite executives. This includes the ability to manage strong personalities and foster effective collaboration across diverse teams.
  • Communication and Interpersonal Skills : The candidate must be a clear, confident, and direct communicator who is also a thoughtful listener and highly receptive to feedback. Strong interpersonal skills are critical, including the ability to influence decisions, provide constructive guidance, and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization.
  • Financial Acumen : A strong grasp of financial operations, grants, systems, and risk management is required, including experience managing large organizational budgets and providing fiscal oversight. Familiarity with grant management and financial reporting within a non-profit context is essential.
  • Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution : The role demands strong analytical and critical thinking abilities, with demonstrated success in navigating complex challenges, resolving conflict, and making sound, timely decisions in high-pressure environments
  • Change Management : Experience leading and managing organizational change is required. The successful candidate will have the capacity to guide teams through transitions with clarity and empathy, building buy-in across stakeholders and ensuring alignment with long-term strategic goals.
  • International and Cross-Cultural Experience : Experience living and / or working overseas in a low or middle income country is strongly preferred. Candidates should bring a nuanced understanding of cross-cultural dynamics and the operational realities of working in resource-constrained or humanitarian settings.

    • Personal Qualities and Cultural Alignment

  • Lived Experience and Proximity to Forced Displacement : Personal lived experience with forced migration or close proximity to it through family or community is highly valued. This perspective is seen as both unique and essential in informing compassionate and effective leadership.
  • Empathy and Humility : The ideal candidate is warm, empathetic, and leads with humility. They must value the perspectives of others, demonstrate high emotional intelligence, and foster a workplace culture grounded in respect and dignity. Must have the ability to effectively establish and maintain working relationships with peers, senior leadership and all levels of the organization.
  • Cultural Fit and Organizational Values : Candidates must be able to integrate into and actively contribute to an organizational culture that values empathy, collaboration, inclusion, and mutual respect.
  • Passion for the Mission : A deep, demonstrated passion for the fields of forced displacement, refugee protection, or international humanitarian response is required. Experience working with vulnerable populations andcommunities affected by conflict and crisis is highly desirable.

    • To Apply

    This position is open only to current employees of RefugePoint.

    Applications will be accepted from October 1, 2025, through October 16, 2025, at 11 : 59 PM EDT. Please note that submissions are not reviewed on a rolling basis; all applications will be reviewed after the closing date.

    To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter and complete a brief application questionnaire.

    Copyright 2025 RefugePoint. All rights reserved.

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