Chief Operations Officer

Chief Operations Officer Ballinger Leafblad, Inc. Saint Paul, Minnesota Ballinger | Leafblad is honored to partner with the Black Men Teach on the search for its next Chief Operations Officer. This is a pivotal leadership role reflecting the growth, ambition, and community impact of Black Men Teach today—an opportunity for a leader who is both strategic and operational, able to bring clarity to complexity, strengthen core systems, and build a cohesive infrastructure that supports a mission-driven and evolving organization. Black Men Teach is working to increase the number of Black male teachers in elementary schools across Minnesota, advancing a vision where all students benefit from educators who reflect and affirm their identities. Through a comprehensive pipeline approach and deep partnerships with school districts, universities, and community organizations, the organization is addressing systemic barriers while building a strong and supportive network for Black male educators. This search comes at an important moment as Black Men Teach continues to grow and formalize the systems needed to sustain and scale its impact. In close partnership with the CEO and leadership team, the Chief Operations Officer will lead core operational functions—including systems, data, people operations, and program integration—while strengthening internal alignment, improving execution across teams, and supporting strategic priorities. This leader will play a central role in translating vision into action, ensuring operational clarity, organizational stability, and the capacity needed to carry the mission forward.

QUALIFICATIONS

Attention to

Detail:

Ability to ensure accuracy through demonstrating a thorough concern for all areas involved, checking work or information, while organizing time and resources efficiently.

Collaboration:

Ability to identify partners and work with others to accomplish goals or solve problems. Ability to bring others along and influence to drive work forward to achieve goals. Comfort in

Ambiguity:

Experience working without all the information and being able to drive clarity with partners or resources to move work forward; proven experience navigating in the gray

Communication:

Ability to build internal and/or external partnerships. Ability to drive awareness or change with a diverse audience through various communication vehicles. Ability to present ideas to all levels of the organization.

Consulting:

Ability to partner with stakeholders at varying levels to understand needs/opportunities, develop strategic solutions, and implement. Ability to ask questions to ensure understanding of nuances or key business needs.

Critical Thinking:

Ability to proactively connect and evaluate ideas using facts and data; identifying themes in service to prioritizing problems to solve. Ability to develop recommendations or solutions that fit within the strategy and goals.

Project Management:

Ability to manage multiple priorities, tight deadlines, and special projects with minimal direction. Ability to interact with and manage stakeholders in varying roles and levels.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $130,000 - $160,000 Compensation includes participation in a comprehensive and generous benefits package, which you can read more about here. View the full position profile at https://www.ballingerleafblad.com/current-searches

TO APPLY

All applicants must apply online here. To apply, a resume and cover letter are required for consideration. We strive for a transparent and supportive process, starting with an initial review of applications, followed by exploratory conversations with qualified candidates, in-depth interviews, and open communication throughout. There will be an immediate and ongoing review of candidates, so we encourage and appreciate early applications. All inquiries will be handled with strict confidentiality, subject to standard recruiting practices and any applicable legal disclosure obligations. For more details or questions, inquiries may also be directed to Jamie Millard at jamie@ballingerleafblad.com. Applications will be accepted through May 21, 2026 or until the position is filled. Review of materials begins immediately. We encourage early application. Job Information

Job Category:

Administrative / Support

Salary:

$130,000 - $160,000 Per Year

Position Type:

Full Time