Chief Operating Officer

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving positive impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. It guides a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain.

By 2030, its goal is to guide the industry to achieve a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within fiber and raw material production. Its focus is holistic and interconnected, accelerating the adoption of practices that improve the state of our water, soil health, and biodiversity too.

For real change to happen, everyone needs a clear path to positive impact. That’s why Textile Exchange believes that approachable, step-by-step instruction paired with collective action can change the system to make preferred materials and fibers an accessible default, mobilizing leaders through attainable strategies, proven solutions, and a driven community.

At Textile Exchange, materials matter. To learn more, visit TextileExchange.org.

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), responsible for leading the organization's core operational functions and ensuring the infrastructure, systems, and processes needed to achieve its mission at scale are in place. Reporting to the CEO, the COO provides strategic and operational oversight across Finance and Accounting, Legal, Operational Governance and Integrity (OIG), Technology, and the Project Management Office (PMO).

The COO partners closely with the CEO and SLT as a strategic thought partner, contributing to the development of future business models and organizational opportunities, while ensuring that the operational infrastructure, systems, and capabilities are in place for the organization to execute effectively on its strategic priorities.

As the organization grows and evolves, the COO will play a critical role in shaping and strengthening the operational backbone by driving scalability, consistency, and resilience. This includes leading improvement of internal systems, enabling high-performing teams, and ensuring that operations proactively support sustainable growth and long-term impact.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

Lead and oversee the Operations Department, including Finance and Accounting, Legal, Operational Governance and Integrity, Project Management, and Technology teams. Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Operations department, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continued growth.
Partner closely with the People & Culture function and leadership to align talent strategy, workforce planning, and organizational development with long-term business goals.
Lead the operational side of change management, ensuring that transitions are well-sequenced, clearly communicated, and supported by the right systems and processes.
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and SLT, contributing to long-term organizational planning, exploring future business models, and identifying opportunities to strengthen the organization's impact and sustainability.
Partner with the CEO and SLT to ensure annual and multi-year planning processes are operationally supported and deliverable, aligning infrastructure with strategic priorities.
Collaborate with the CEO, SLT, and the Governance Board to develop and implement strategic initiatives and operational plans that support long-term sustainability and mission impact.
Ensure the Operations department delivers the backbone infrastructure the organization needs to meet its strategic priorities, continuously evolving operational systems and capabilities to remain aligned with strategy and ensure the organization's work is scalable, executable, and resilient.
Working with the Project Management Office, ensure consistent project governance and resource allocation that is effectively integrated with and aligned with strategic priorities, and that progress against the strategic plan is meaningfully connected to SLT decision-making and Governance Board reporting.
Champion agile and adaptive planning approaches across teams, fostering iterative delivery and continuous improvement in how the organization executes against its priorities.
Oversee the development of agile, fit-for-purpose processes and systems to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices in the nonprofit sector.
Serve as a key liaison to the Governance Board and the Finance and Operations Committee, providing operational reports, strategic insights, and recommendations.
Ensure that leaders and teams have proactive and clear guidance on operational processes and planning tools, including headcount and resource planning, to enable sound decision-making and long-term sustainability.

Technology

Lead the organization's technology function, working closely with the fractional CTO to evaluate the current technology portfolio, define the future technology roadmap, and deliver actionable recommendations that reflect the organization's strategic direction and operational needs.
Ensure systems and infrastructure enable day-to-day operations and long-term growth and are designed for agility, resilience, and long-term strategic impact.
Foster cross-functional collaboration between technology, operations, and core activities teams to ensure solutions meet organizational needs and improve service delivery.

Financial Health and Planning

Oversee and maintain the financial health of the organization, proactively addressing emerging budget concerns and ensuring efficient and effective internal budget management processes to support.
Set strategic direction for financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, ensuring the organization's financial health and long-term sustainability.
Guide and oversee the preparation of annual budgets, monitor cash flow, and maintain fiscal accountability in close partnership with the finance team and SLT.
Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting to internal teams and the Governance Board.
Maintain oversight of audits, financial compliance, and the annual 990 tax filing process.

Legal, Compliance, and Operational Governance

Serve as the key executive responsible for organizational compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, supported by a strong internal legal and compliance team, people and culture department, and relationships with external counsel.
In partnership with SLT, provide strategic direction for contract negotiations, risk management, and internal policy development, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory requirements, with the legal and compliance team responsible for day-to-day execution. Ensure organizational alignment in risk approaches.
Drive a culture of continuous improvement, identifying areas for operational strengthening and ensuring standard processes and knowledge management practices are embedded across the organization.
Lead change management efforts, ensuring operational shifts are thoughtfully implemented and well-supported through systems, training, and communication.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required; degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field
10+ years of progressive leadership experience, including at least 5 years in senior or executive operational leadership roles with oversight of multiple functional areas (e.g., Finance, Legal, Technology, PMO)
Demonstrated experience leading operations in complex, multi-stakeholder organizations, preferably within the nonprofit, sustainability, or mission-driven sector
Proven track record of driving organizational scale, operational transformation, and systems modernization in a growing organization
Deep expertise in financial management and oversight, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, audit oversight, and board reporting
Demonstrated ability to design and lead integrated, collaborative budgeting processes that build departmental ownership and enable ongoing reforecasting
Strong working knowledge of nonprofit financial and regulatory requirements, including GAAP, IRS 501(c)(3) compliance, and Form 990 oversight
Experience overseeing or partnering on legal, compliance, and enterprise risk management functions, including contract strategy and governance frameworks
Demonstrated success leading enterprise systems implementation and optimization (e.g., ERP, HRIS, CRM) to improve organizational effectiveness and decision-making
Familiarity with technology strategy and working with CTO-level partners to evaluate and evolve organizational technology infrastructure
Exceptional ability to lead, develop, and retain high-performing, multidisciplinary teams, including senior leaders
Strong executive presence with the ability to engage effectively with a Governance Board and senior external stakeholders
Proven ability to serve as a strategic thought partner to a CEO, contributing to organizational strategy, future business model thinking, and long-term opportunity development
Proven ability to lead through change, influence across functions, and drive alignment in a fast-paced, evolving environment; ability to balance robust financial oversight with a creative, “out of the box” problem-solving mindset
Outstanding strategic thinking, decision-making, and communication skills, with the ability to translate strategy into operational execution
Demonstrated commitment to mission-driven work, ideally aligned with environmental sustainability, climate, or social impact

Preferred Qualifications

MBA, MPA, JD, or other advanced degree in business, finance, law, or a related field
Experience in a global nonprofit or matrixed organization, ideally within sustainability, climate, or supply chain sectors
Familiarity with or experience using Sage Intacct, Salesforce, and BambooHR or comparable enterprise platforms
Experience working with distributed or remote teams across multiple geographies and time zones

Chief Operating Officer

Textile Exchange

Remote