Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Animal Advocacy Careers

📍Remote (Global) 🕔 Full Time
💰 € 57,000 or $64,000 🔄 Rolling Applications

Animal Advocacy Careers (AAC) is seeking a strategic and mission-driven Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and optimise our internal operations and ensure the organisation scales effectively to meet its ambitious goals. As COO, you will play a pivotal role in translating AAC’s strategic vision into operational excellence, enhancing our capacity to attract and support talent within the animal advocacy movement.

After 6 years of running a lean, start-up model, AAC is looking for a full-time Chief Operating Officer (COO) to build out AAC’s infrastructure, improve internal processes and set us up with a strong foundation to grow and scale our organisation. Note: As a small non-profit, this role may differ from a traditional COO position and requires a unique blend of skills: operational optimisation, financial and compliance literacy, a systems-thinking approach, and strong people management.

The COO will lead the organisation’s internal operations, ensuring efficiency and alignment across all functions. They will act as a strategic partner to the founder, supporting sound decision-making, overseeing project execution, and driving key strategic initiatives forward. This role also involves establishing performance and talent management systems, and ensuring our growing team is supported and held to high standards of performance.

1. Act as a Strategic Partner to the CEO
   Serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CEO, contributing high-quality input on organisational strategy, resource allocation, and decision-making. Ensure alignment and clarity across initiatives by attending key meetings, owning follow-up actions, and tracking progress on strategic priorities. Provide leadership continuity in the CEO’s absence, ensuring seamless execution and momentum.

2. Build and Support a High-Performing, Mission-Aligned Team
   Lead the evolution of our people strategy—identifying key talent needs, guiding hiring processes, and redefining our compensation model to reflect performance, equity, and retention goals. Oversee onboarding, feedback cycles, and performance management with a coaching mindset, fostering individual growth and organisational effectiveness. Build internal capacity in HR and talent development through both structure and culture.

3. Drive Alignment, Execution, and Change Management
   Translate strategy into execution through rigorous follow-through, project tracking, and change management. Build systems that improve goal-setting, project delivery, and team collaboration. Strengthen decision-making and cross-functional workflows by implementing tools and processes that make high-quality execution the norm. Actively support team members in adapting to change and maintaining clarity during transitions.

4. Ensure Financial Health and Responsible Growth
   Oversee financial planning and sustainability through robust budgeting, cash flow management, scenario planning, and grant reporting. Ensure compliance with legal and funder obligations while partnering with the CEO and board on long-term resource strategy. Build financial systems that support transparent decision-making and mission-aligned growth.

5. Strengthen Infrastructure, Systems, and Governance
   Design and refine operational infrastructure that enables a scalable, resilient organisation. Lead on risk management, policies, contracts, and administrative processes, ensuring the organisation is compliant, adaptive, and well-positioned for growth. Ensure internal systems (HRIS, finance tools, project management platforms) are fit-for-purpose and well adopted.

6. Cultivate Culture, Coaching, and Continuous Improvement
   Champion a psychologically safe, mission-driven culture rooted in accountability, learning, and mutual respect. Facilitate regular feedback, coaching, and team reflection cycles. Lead team development initiatives—such as retreats, training, and rhythm-setting—to build cohesion, trust, and a shared commitment to impact. Model and institutionalise habits of high-quality follow-through across the organisation.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experience:

  • 5–10 years of experience in operations, organisational development, or nonprofit leadership, preferably within mission-driven or remote-first organisations.

  • Proven experience leading and developing teams, with a track record of building inclusive, high-performing, and values-aligned teams.

  • Demonstrated success in designing and improving systems for performance management, project tracking, and team operations.

  • Strong experience in recruitment, onboarding, and performance management ( familiarity with PEO’s or international hiring is a bonus).

  • Experience working closely with senior leadership (e.g. Founder/CEO or Director of Marketing), with a firm grasp of how to support strategic implementation and organisational alignment.

  • Experience with budgeting, payroll, financial tracking and reporting & grant/project-based financial oversight. 

• Skills & Competencies:

  • Strong project management and systems thinking skills- able to build clarity, coordination, and accountability across a remote team.

  • Excellent communicator- able to foster cross-team collaboration and drive clarity through written and verbal communication.

  • High emotional intelligence-  able to coach others, manage conflict, and create a positive and inclusive team culture.

  • Confident working with data to support decision-making, performance tracking, and learning.

  • Comfortable with tech tools for operations (e.g. Slack, AI, Airtable, Asana, GSuite, etc.) and willing to experiment to find better ways of working.

  • Deep alignment with the mission and values of Animal Advocacy Careers and a passion for helping others build impactful careers in animal advocacy.

• Personal Attributes:

  • Strategic executor- able to see the big picture but also build and refine the systems that bring strategy to life.

  • Proactive problem-solver who enjoys making complex organisations run smoothly.

  • Organised, detail-oriented, and self-directed, with a strong sense of ownership.

  • A collaborative partner who enjoys supporting others to do their best work.

Benefits to you

• An opportunity to contribute to the development of an exciting early-stage nonprofit startup that works to help animals as effectively as possible.

• An independent but supportive working culture where we value and encourage high agency and autonomy.

• Fully remote work environment and team.

• Generous and flexible self-managed time off policy, 20 days per year is the organisation minimum. 

• Optional 2 days of direct volunteering work, e.g. at a sanctuary, protest, or self-care days. 

• 1-month paid sabbatical after every 3 years

• Encouragement and support to spend at least 5% of paid time on training and development, and a $500 professional development surcharge budget.

• A clear compensation policy with opportunities for progression.

Application Process

1. Fill out the application questions below

2. Top candidates are invited to a screening interview with the CEO (conducted by video call)

3. Top candidates will be invited to complete a series of work tasks.

4. Top candidates will be invited to take part in an interview (conducted by video call)

5. We will make a final decision and notify all remaining applicants.

We will be hosting a Q&A on the 20th May at 6pm CET. If you are curious to know more about the role, what it’s like to work with me and also learn more about our culture, you can sign up here.