Craigslist
Chief Operating Officer (10 Union St 5th floor, Seattle)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Conru Art Foundation (CAF)
Location: Seattle Washington-Relocation available for the right person.
Salary range $130,000 to $150,000
Status: Full-time exempt position.
The Conru Art Foundation (CAF) is reimagining how art can transform communities. Our mission is to elevate Seattle's cultural landscape by creating experiences that foster joy, bridge divides, and champion the arts as a vital source of human connection. We believe that art grounded in technical excellence and authentic human experience has a unique power to heal, connect, and elevate the human spirit.
Founded by engineer and entrepreneur Andrew Conru, CAF operates with the urgency and systems-thinking of a startup. We are building a portfolio of interconnected "cultural startups"—from world-class museums and art competitions to educational academies and therapeutic programs—all powered by a shared operational backbone and a unified philosophical framework.
The Role: An Operational Leader for a Visionary Mission
We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer to be the operational leader who translates our mission into a thriving, impactful organization. You are a strategic partner who excels at building the systems and teams necessary to support ambitious, creative work. While our founder charts the "why," you will own the "how," designing the engine that powers our diverse portfolio of cultural initiatives.
You will be instrumental in scaling our scrappy, passionate team of ~10, strategically recruiting new talent, and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence. You'll be a thought partner who challenges ideas constructively, improves upon concepts, and helps build an organization where everyone's contributions are valued and their best work is possible.
Key Responsibilities
• Operational Leadership & System Building: Design, implement, and manage the operational systems that will serve as the foundation's engine. Create clarity from ambiguity, developing repeatable processes for project management, budgeting, and reporting across our portfolio of "cultural startups."
• Strategic Execution: Translate high-level, visionary goals into concrete, actionable plans. You will be responsible for driving all major initiatives from concept to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to a standard of excellence.
• Team Building & Management: Recruit, lead, and mentor a world-class team. Develop the people and processes needed to scale the organization from a small, scrappy crew to a high-impact cultural institution.
• Strategic Partnership & Collaborative Leadership: Work as a strategic partner with founder Andrew Conru and the leadership team. You'll contribute your operational expertise while also being a valued voice in shaping strategy, challenging assumptions constructively, and helping evolve our vision. Together, we'll build something greater than any of us could achieve alone.
• Team Orchestration & Development: Lead and mentor a passionate, creative team, fostering a culture of accountability, efficiency, and collaboration. You will be the conductor who ensures all parts of the orchestra are playing in harmony.
• Pragmatic Resource Management: Oversee the foundation's operational budget and resource allocation, ensuring every dollar is used effectively to maximize our mission-driven impact and long-term sustainability.
The Ideal Candidate
You are the rare leader who is both a passionate advocate for the mission and a pragmatic, get-it-done operator. You are a self-starting systems-builder who thrives in a creative, fast-paced environment, finding immense satisfaction in bringing structure and clarity to a visionary team. You are the grounding force that ensures the rocket ship not only launches but also stays on course.
• An Empathetic Operator: You have a proven track record of operational excellence, but you lead with empathy. You know how to build systems that serve creative people, not stifle them.
• Mission-Fluent & Business-Savvy: You are equally comfortable discussing the philosophical nuances of our mission with cultural leaders as you are building a budget and project plan. You can speak the language of "non-profit" impact while applying the rigor of a for-profit enterprise.
• Thrives in Ambiguity: You are energized by the opportunity to build the plane while flying it. You can take a high-level idea, ask the right questions, and independently build a plan to bring it to life.
• Low-Ego, High-Impact: You are motivated by the success of the mission and the team, not personal glory. You are a servant leader who excels at managing up, down, and across the organization.
• Believes in the power of timeless principles. You are energized by our core tenets of Beauty, Truth, and Love and are excited by the challenge of applying these enduring values in innovative, contemporary ways.
• A passion for Rehumanist art. You have a strong appreciation for art that is grounded in craftsmanship, technical mastery, and authentic human experience, and you believe in its power to create enduring cultural value.
Why This is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
This is not a typical non-profit leadership role. You will be on the ground floor of building a new, replicable model for cultural philanthropy. You will have the resources and autonomy to build an organization from scratch, working as a strategic partner with a visionary founder to create a lasting legacy. If the idea of engineering a cultural renaissance through tangible, healing experiences excites you, we invite you to apply. This role is an in the office position.
How to apply:
Please submit your resume to craigslist
Will not accept from recruiters or outside agencies. Must be eligible to work in the US.
The Conru Art Foundation guarantees all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.
1373 Hubbell Pl, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
$130,000-150,000/year
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