Operations Director

Overview One Harlan County seeks a highly organized, relationship-driven, and strategic Operations Director to serve as a key operational and leadership partner to the Executive Director. This position will play a central role in advancing One Harlan County's mission to drive economic development, industrial recruitment, downtown revitalization, workforce opportunity, and long-term community investment across Harlan County. The Operations Director will provide day-to-day operational leadership, coordinate implementation across multiple high-impact initiatives, and help ensure organizational continuity as One Harlan County continues to grow its portfolio of projects and partnerships. The position will serve as the Executive Director's right-hand partner, helping translate strategy into execution while maintaining strong communication and coordination among public, private, philanthropic, and community stakeholders. A primary responsibility of the Operations Director will be expanding the organization's local investment and membership base by cultivating strong relationships with businesses, investors, local governments, and regional partners. The position will also help coordinate major industrial recruitment projects and downtown redevelopment initiatives, ensuring timelines, communications, funding coordination, and implementation activities remain aligned and moving forward. Additionally, the Operations Director will lead the organization's efforts to measure, track, evaluate, and report organizational outcomes and key performance indicators (KPIs), supporting data-driven decision-making and accountability to investors, funders, board members, and the broader community. This role is designed to strengthen internal organizational capacity, preserve institutional knowledge, and support succession planning and long-term leadership development for One Harlan County. Key Responsibilities Organizational Leadership & Operations Serve as the Executive Director's primary operational partner in coordinating organizational activities, strategic initiatives, and day-to-day execution. Support internal operations, organizational systems, meeting coordination, project management, and workflow oversight. Help maintain continuity across initiatives and ensure effective communication among staff, board members, investors, and partners. Assist with strategic planning, implementation tracking, and organizational reporting. Build operational systems and internal processes that support long-term organizational sustainability and leadership continuity. Investor Relations & Membership Development Cultivate and strengthen relationships with local businesses, investors, philanthropic organizations, and community stakeholders. Lead efforts to expand One Harlan County's membership and investment base through outreach, engagement, and relationship management. Coordinate membership recruitment, renewals, sponsorship opportunities, and investor communications. Assist in developing sustainable funding strategies and partnership opportunities that support long-term economic development initiatives. Represent One Harlan County in meetings, community events, and regional partnership discussions. Economic Development & Project Coordination Coordinate implementation activities for major industrial recruitment and downtown redevelopment projects. Support project management activities related to construction, redevelopment, infrastructure coordination, due diligence, funding alignment, and stakeholder engagement. Work closely with local governments, developers, consultants, contractors, economic development agencies, and private-sector partners to maintain project momentum and accountability. Assist with industrial recruitment efforts, site development coordination, and business expansion initiatives. Monitor timelines, deliverables, and implementation milestones across multiple active projects. Measurement, Evaluation & Reporting Develop and maintain systems for tracking organizational outcomes, project progress, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Design and implement measurement tools, reporting systems, and evaluation processes that support data-driven decision-making. Prepare reports, dashboards, presentations, and updates for funders, investors, board members, and community stakeholders. Analyze performance trends, identify challenges or gaps, and recommend strategic adjustments as needed. Ensure organizational transparency, accountability, and consistent communication regarding project outcomes and economic impact. Leadership Development & Succession Planning Support organizational leadership development and institutional capacity-building efforts. Document operational systems, project knowledge, partnership structures, and organizational processes to preserve institutional knowledge. Assist in strengthening organizational resilience, continuity planning, and long-term leadership transition readiness. Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented organizational culture focused on execution, accountability, and community impact. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree in business, public administration, economic development, nonprofit management, planning, communications, or related field preferred. Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in economic development, nonprofit leadership, project management, operations, community development, public administration, or related fields. Strong organizational leadership and project coordination skills. Experience managing complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and funding sources. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong relationship-building and community engagement abilities. Experience with reporting systems, data analysis, KPI tracking, and organizational measurement tools. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and deadlines. Demonstrated initiative, professionalism, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. Familiarity with rural economic development, Appalachian communities, public-private partnerships, and redevelopment initiatives preferred. Work Environment & Expectations This position is based in Harlan County, Kentucky and requires regular engagement with local businesses, government agencies, investors, community organizations, and project partners. Evening and occasional weekend meetings or events may be required. The Operations Director must demonstrate professionalism, discretion, initiative, and a strong commitment to the mission and long-term success of One Harlan County and the broader community it serves. About One Harlan County One Harlan County is a collaborative economic and community development organization focused on building a stronger, more resilient future for Harlan County through strategic investment, industrial recruitment, downtown revitalization, entrepreneurship, workforce opportunity, and regional partnership development. The organization works across public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to advance transformational projects and sustainable economic growth throughout the county.

Pay:

$55,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person