Chief Operating Officer - International Executive Service Corps : Job Details

About the Houston-Galveston Area Council

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is a voluntary information, planning, and problem-solving forum for local governments in the Houston-Galveston region. H-GAC serves an area of 12,500 square miles and more than 7 million people in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties. Our regional programs focus on community and environmental planning, data tools and resources, disaster planning and recovery, mobility and public safety, and economic development.

Mission

H-GAC's mission is to serve as the instrument of local government cooperation, promoting the region's orderly development and the safety and welfare of its citizens.

Governance and Organization

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is one of the largest regional planning commissions in the country. Our service area spans 13 counties and includes 177 cities and 84 independent school districts. The 335-member staff of professionals and 37-member board of directors understand that a strong economy and rapid growth brings both opportunities and challenges. We meet these challenges in three key ways: providing a forum for jurisdictions of all sizes to come together to solve regional issues; identifying and prioritizing funding opportunities; and providing direct services.

About the Operations Arm of H-GAC

H-GAC serves urban, suburban, and rural communities across a suite of public service sectors ranging from services for the elderly, transportation planning, economic development, small business lending, public safety, homeland security planning, environmental protection, flood mitigation, disaster recovery, cooperative purchasing, solid waste planning, and cutting-edge data analysis and presentation tools.

The operations of H-GAC include all of these programs and more. We achieve our work through a combination of technical experts, administrators, grant specialists, and affiliate organizations like the Gulf Coast Economic Development District, H-GAC's Transportation Policy Council, HGACBuy, and the Houston-Galveston Area Local Development Corporation. Some of these programs cover a subset of our region, some cover all 13 counties, and others are statewide and national service programs.

The Chief Operating Officer should be a dynamic leader with exceptional interpersonal skills and a proven ability to foster meaningful relationships. This individual must have a background in public service and expertise in one or more of our core focus areas. The role requires a demonstrated ability to drive positive change while collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including team members at varying stages of their careers, federal and state partners navigating complex grant requirements, and local community leaders addressing emerging challenges within our scope of services.

About the Position

The Chief Operating Officer is a member of the senior executive team and reports directly to the Executive Director. The Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Outreach & Government Affairs Officer, and Executive Director comprise the C-suite for our agency.

The Chief Operating Officer will oversee the following planning and service sectors: transportation planning, enterprise solutions, community and environmental planning, data analytics and research, procurement & contracts, and data services. In addition to helping our team reach their full potential and take on new challenges, the Chief Operating Officer will have the opportunity to recommend possible restructuring and streamlining of our current departments and programs and developing an employee talent and opportunity matrix.

While primarily internally facing, this position also has significant interaction externally amongst our agency members, state and federal funding partners, and state, local, and federal officials. Exceptional interpersonal communication skills are essential for success in this position.

Around 160 positions at H-GAC report up through the Chief Operating Officer, culminating in eight direct reports that comprise of several Directors, Assistant Directors, and an Administrative Assistant.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a proactive, results-oriented professional with a proven ability to address complex challenges while maintaining a positive and collaborative approach. This individual will focus on developing staff to their full potential, identifying and implementing opportunities to enhance efficiency, timeliness, and quality across diverse programs, personalities, and work styles.

In partnership with the Executive Director, the candidate will lead strategic initiatives to foster cross-sector collaboration, exceed funding partner expectations, and enhance the employee experience within the organization. This role will support the Executive Director by balancing workload pressures, strengthening the senior leadership team, and expanding the organization's capacity to deliver innovative public service solutions during times of disruption.

Additionally, the candidate will play a pivotal role in developing the agency's annual budget and service plan, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.

We are seeking an innovative Chief Operations Officer with demonstrated ability to contemplate problems that are complex and have multiple considerations, including political, financial, regulatory, and technical. The selected candidate will evaluate options, act, and adjust to changing conditions and opportunities when applicable. The ideal candidate will have proven experience to motivate, coach, and grow a new generation of professionals and leaders. Attributes of a successful candidate include:

• Diplomatic approach to identifying win-win opportunities to resolve conflicts.
• Proven ability to build relationships and alliances based on trust.
• Candid and generous communication style.
• Ability to achieve consensus across a spectrum of interests and priorities.
• Ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear and straightforward manner.
• Applies a forward thinking approach to long term planning, with an emphasis on innovation and technology.
• Energetic and an effective listener.
• Ability to recognize and pursue opportunities to expand services and establish our agency as a leader in cooperative planning.
• Proactive at identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, timeliness, and quality across a variety of programs, personalities, and work styles.

Leadership and Innovation

The next Chief Operating Officer will have the opportunity to address several challenges and initiatives:

• Create a dynamic collaborative environment that will leverage other programs and projects that intersect with transportation, housing, jobs, natural resources, economic development, and resiliency.
• Establish our organization as a national-caliber leader across all disciplines.
• Advance our regional broadband initiative.
• Establish our region as a technology pilot testing hub encompassing areas such as autonomous freight, telemedicine, flood mitigation, and drone supported agriculture.
• Maintain and enhance our agency's high-caliber reputation and aid in establishing us as the public sector employer of choice for our region.
• Develop an efficient and powerful approach to team building that moves beyond traditional department and program structures into collaborative and dynamic groups focused on service excellence.
• Increase responsiveness and adaptability to short-term opportunities and long-term change.
• Support directors as they incorporate employee engagement initiatives into our agency operations.

Education and Experience

The position of Chief Operating Officer requires:

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, planning, architecture, business, or another related field.
• Master's degree and/or advanced certifications and/or Juris Doctor preferred.
• More than 10 years of experience in progressively responsible professional work directly related to regional planning and public service with at least five years in a management capacity.
• Experience in a consensus building environment with proven leadership in achieving results.

Preference will be given to applicants that possess:

• Executive-level experience in a public service or nonprofit organizations.
• More than 10 years of management experiences
• Experience with scenarios in development and strategic planning.
• Understanding of federal and state funding compliance.
• Ability to work with a diverse population.
• Proven experience leading a large organization through transformation and/or natural disasters.

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support the well-being and work-life balance of our team members. Our benefits include generous paid time off, a flexible hybrid working model, and a competitive 401(k) retirement plan with employer contributions. Team members also have access to state-of-the-art technology and tools that enable seamless collaboration and productivity, whether working onsite or remotely. We are committed to creating an environment where employees feel valued and empowered to thrive both professionally and personally.